Interview: glibs

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

My mom put me into piano lessons when I was five years old. She was insistent on having me grow up learning an instrument. If this never happened and I didn’t get into music, I would be designing buildings. I’d be a full-on architect on my Frank Lloyd Wright shit.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

My work is mostly created with my eyes on the laptop screen, so I’ve found that getting outside, taking a walk, playing 18 holes, shooting hoops, whatever it is, really helps clear my mind and get inspired. Great thing being that it’s always there when you need it.

How long have you been making music?

I’ve been creating music since I was 11 years old. The T-Pain autotune app kinda kicked off my drive for writing lyrics and making songs. With my classically trained upbringing at the piano, I eventually applied those skills I had and taught myself how to produce when I was about 15 years old.

Where are you based and how did that influence your music?

So I grew up moving around the Midwest, and I spent my middle school and high school years in Sheboygan, WI. It didn’t take me too long to notice that if you had any sort of dream or passion for a career in the arts, you were told to get realistic. I felt surrounded by that type of thinking, and that really pushed me further in the direction of my dreams as a musician and recording artist.

How did you come up with the name of your project?

Set You Free is about my experience of heartbreak. In this album, I explore all the emotions I went through, from giving my all to somebody to realizing it wasn’t meant to be to learning to let go and set them free and to accept the lessons I learned from this experience.

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

There’s really nothing like playing in your hometown and getting love from the city you’re from. My first year away in college, I flew back home to play a set at Paradigm in downtown Sheboygan for the release of my album Scatterbrained. It was so nice to be welcomed back and to have the city come out and support.

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

My favorite spot to perform would be Paradigm in Sheboygan, WI. I’d love to play the more well known venues in LA like The El Rey.

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

Portishead, Dej Loaf, Father

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing music and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

Ignore the noise. It’s very easy to start comparing yourself to what others are doing, but I find it very important to understand that you are on your own unique path. If I could give my younger self a piece of advice, I would emphasize the importance of building a community around my work and my brand. That’s where I believe the true leverage is as an independent artist.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

It’s tough to pick just one, But I gotta go with ‘Be Myself’ from my last project, Absolutely. This is one of the rare songs I’ve put out where I recorded completely off the top of my head without writing lyrics down. The message is about the importance of staying true to who you and putting faith into the universe, knowing that everything that is meant for you, will come to you.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

Performing ‘Spice’ is a must at every show I play. It’s one of those songs that shows people I got the sauce. ‘Waves’ is probably the one that’s requested the most due to it being one of my biggest songs.

What is the creative process for your music, and what inspires you to write your music?

Creating music is a spiritual practice for me. Finding that state of flow in the studio is an unbeatable feeling. Over the years, I’ve found that consistency gives the best results and allows myself to find that state of flow much easier. This is not like riding a bike.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

The main message I work to get across in my music is to live out of love. I intentionally make music with a positive energy because I believe there isn’t enough of it in the world. Music has the power to manipulate minds, and what I hear today on the top music charts is a lot of low vibrational music. Having a voice that people listen to is a major privilege to have, and I aim to spread love and self guidance to positively impact people's lives.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

Stay tuned for my upcoming album, it’s been a whole lot of learning that I’ve gone through since my last project and I can’t wait to share it.