Exposed Vocals Interviews Uskala The Celestial
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
I’ve spent the entirety of my life in the state of Wyoming, a somewhat lonely place but where you have plenty of room for creativity.
My whole life has been filled with music. I can still remember when my friend gave me his copy of All Eyez on Me (Disc 2) when
I was 10, and I’d listen to it everyday while sitting in my parent’s car. Hip hop has always been a big inspiration, and the R&B beats
were the soundtrack to my youth. When I was old enough to afford my own computer and DAW program, FL Studio for years now Logic Pro,
I decided to take all those things that I loved about music growing up and tried to make my own style. After learning music theory and
and taking the time to learn piano I decided that music production was the life for me.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
My family on my mother’s side is Basque, a group of people from the Pyrenees Mountains on the western border between Spain and France.
Euskal Herreria was the name of the region they lived in, and Euskara Batua was their language. I combined Euskal and Euskara, dropped the “E”
at the beginning, and over time I added “The Celestial” because I love astronomy and the incorporation of Sci-Fi and Space elements into my music.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Being from a place where the local culture revolves around Blue Grass and Country Western, I look toward the internet to fill that void. It’s great being able
to hear the music of people who aren’t funded or supported by a label, and to see that they’re having some success. I give all of my music away for free because
I don’t feel that I’m at a level of production where people should have to pay to own my work. Someday I’ll release an LP, but it’ll only be a couple of bucks if
anything at all.
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?
You have to get out there and experience the culture. You have to feel what it’s like in those arenas, feel the energy of people moving together, and those are going
be the people that you want to network with. They’re the one’s who will want to listen to your hard work. Just make sure that you publicize to the right audience.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
I’m an instrumental artist for the most part, but I’d love to work with some talented singers in the future. When I do write lyrics I always try and create a surreal environment,
so I usually look toward the stars and my own dreamy visions.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
I release my music through Soundcloud and Bandcamp usually. I’m part of a collective which we run through Facebook, called WeMaKeART. Each member has their
own talents and we share our artwork regularly on there. Currently we’re trying to build a bigger audience then we’ll move to an official website where we’ll sell artwork.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
I would buy a warehouse in Colorado and convert it into a studio. One section would have a music studio, another would be graphic artists and print designs,
and another would have room for our Fine Arts members. Then me and a team of artists would spend the year creating without distractions.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Facebook is a good way to promote, and Soundcloud has a great atmosphere for artists to upload and share their music. Releasing my music with other art mediums
also helps increase the audience.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Right now I’m just working on my sound. I’m trying to distinguish my own style, something that will stand out. I hope to do some collaborations with other hip hop
producers, maybe find a vocalist and work with them. I hope to release a short EP sometime before the end of April.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
I’d probably be focusing more on my other hobbies like sketching and painting. Now that I’ve been experimenting with music production for a couple years I
can’t imagine not doing it everyday.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
It’s hard trying to balance working a regular job, especially one with varying shifts, and come home with enough energy to produce. There are some tricks that I
have for staying loose, but for the most part I just remind myself that I’ll never get better if I don’t practice. Sometimes my most interesting work happens when
I can barely keep my eyes closed.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
Uskala, The Celestial’s first official LP. It will be a mix of Hip Hop, Soundtrack Music, and Ambient EDM.
WeMaKeART Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/We-MaKe-ART-1186564911367125/
Uskala Soundcloud
https://soundcloud.com/uskala-the-celestial