Exposed Vocals interviews The Gvllows
Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?
The Gvllows: Twitter.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
The Gvllows: I grew up in Toronto, then moved to Missisauga when I was 8 years old. I had a Caribbean upbringing, so I was exposed to Soca, Reggae, Jazz, and Latin music by my parents. I was always an artist, whether I’d be drawing in my sketchpad, or playing steel pan with my Father.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
The Gvllows: My music has always been dark, some would even say dreamy. So I had to come up with a name that could convey my sound. What better name than The Gvllows?
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
The Gvllows: It’s great! I used to all the time, but I was told to stop. Haha!
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
The Gvllows: I’d say to always put your best product out there, and never hesitate to reach out to people. Marketing yourself is the most important aspect to any business.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
The Gvllows: I always make mistakes during performances but I have to keep it professional and keep it moving.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
The Gvllows: I haven’t gone on tour yet. I plan to tour later on this year.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
The Gvllows: I read a lot and I take walks through my neighborhood, so I try to draw as much inspiration as I can. If those don’t work, I’ll just listen to a different genre of music like Jazz or House.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
The Gvllows: At the moment, I’ve mostly been using Soundcloud and Youtube to share my music.
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
The Gvllows: I don’t have any embarrassing songs on my playlist. Everything I listen to is beautiful!
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
The Gvllows: I’d definitely travel a bit with my family. I’d also put money toward building a studio and have artists come through, and record for a small fee.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
The Gvllows: Yeah, actually my manager and I are in the process of building a vocal booth.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
The Gvllows: I usually notify my friends, family, and strangers on social media outlets about a couple of days before I have something to put out. That usually gets them amped up and ready for what’s about to drop.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
The Gvllows: I’d have Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Tyler The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Nirvana, Outkast, Mos Def, The Clash & Michael Jackson. All performing at Rogers Centre in Toronto. These are some of the artists that I drew inspiration from. They are also responsible for helping me create The Gvllows.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
The Gvllows: My first studio LP will be available on major streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.) mid March 2016. Look out for that! But first I have a video coming out on Friday Feb 26th, as promo for the LP. Keep a look out for that as well.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
The Gvllows: Probably Fashion Design or Film Production
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
The Gvllows: The first album I ever bought was Trick Daddy’s “Thugs Are Us” in 2001. Trick always said “Trick loves the kids”, so I knew that album was for me.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
The Gvllows: It’s all about time management. I’d work on a couple of tracks for about an hour or so, then I’ll do something else like read.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
The Gvllows: New music, shows, merch, visuals, and a whole lot of inspiration!