Backed by a growing repertoire of heartfelt original songs and freestyles, emo artist and rapper walkingdead kindly took part in an interview. Here’s how it went.
* * *
Hey – thanks for the interview, enjoying the new releases. For those new to your work, where are you based, and who or what first inspired you to make music?
I’m from Mn. I was first inspired by the wave, by peep x and juice, the emo alternative sound.
Skyfall is beautifully immersive, passionate, and seemingly moving from calm to gritty and confidently carefree – was this a freestyle, and what was your creative process like?
Skyfall is a freestyle but i like to sit with a beat for a while maybe even days at a time to really get the most out of the beat i produce most of my tracks.
Do you produce your own tracks, or just choose a beat and ride the wave?
I produce most of my tracks.
Do you consider yourself a rapper or a singer first, and how important is melody in your music?
I’d say I’m both, I do a little bit of rap, but I like doing melodic sounds more.
Medusa gets emotive again – what do you hope listeners take away from this one?
I want people to dance carefreely to Medusa. That shit is from my heart.
Why the name walkingdead, and how important is this elusive image in contrast with the revealing honesty of your songwriting?
The show inspired the name. I pour my heart out on every song. These are real situations I’m going through and I’m allowing the listener to essentially feel my pain.
Is there a longer project on the way, or a tour planned?
No longer project or tour planned.
What’s a live show from walkingdead like, and how important is it to connect with your audience in that setting?
I still haven’t performed but we’re getting there.
Things get a little more energized for the likes of ‘Black Mirror’, angry and higher-octane, even poetic. What was your headspace like during the recording process?
Black mirror is me showing the viewer everything is not as it appears and to look deeply into everything, especially relationships and people in general. I was hurt while making this song.
How much does anime or other art forms influence you as a creative?
Anime is a big influence.
How difficult is it to get your music heard in such a saturated genre, and what’s the live scene like where you are for this kind of music?
Um, I’d say it is as difficult as u make it – I’m on my own time grinding so people will catch on as I keep going. It’s not a lot of people able to replicate me because these are real feelings and real emotions.
If you could sit down for a chat with anyone at all, past or present, who would you choose, and what would you ask them about?
Michael Jackson, defiantly.
What’s your biggest ambition as an artist?
My biggest ambition is to get my music out there.
* * *
Check out all things walkingdead or follow on Soundcloud & Instagram.
