After cementing his place with a flurry of vibrant efforts this past decade, fast-rising artist Solarrio has now returned to deliver his long-awaited debut album 'All The Wrong Places'.
Featuring the previously shared tracks 'Lost In Space', 'Beyond The Sky' and 'Table For One', this new fourteen-track collection makes for an incredibly immersive listen. Brimming with rich and emotive textures, a breezy atmosphere, and his own compelling vocals layered throughout, he continues to rise as one of the more creative names doing the rounds right now.
So with the new album available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The first instrument I fell in love with was probably the electric guitar. Growing up in a classical music household, I was always more into rock and other genres of music so when I finally picked up a guitar and started playing the songs I actually liked it was mindblowing.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
When I was a kid I was really into Phil Collins/Genesis, The Beatles, Billy Joel, and Bruce Springsteen, eventually discovering rap music with Dr Dre's The Chronic, which took me down a completely different path musically.
What was the first album you remember owning?
The first album I bought myself was "We Can't Dance" by Genesis. It was the first CD I owned, I think before that my parents had gotten me Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and Queen's "Greatest Hits" on cassette tape.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
That's a tough one. I'll say Father John Misty's "Holy Shit", the first time I heard it, I thought "Damn, I wish I could write like that".
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
It's important to set the vibe, so whatever needs to be done for that. That usually includes pulling up an "inspiration" playlist with 1970s/1980s funk and R&B music. That and some doobie snacks.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Schoolboy Q, Mach-Hommy, Holland Izz, Dabeull, Justice, and Lana Del Rey to name a few contemporary artists that are in rotation right now. Otherwise the classics: Prince, MJ, Rick James, that type of stuff.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
I would love to open for Chromeo, I feel like their audience would definitely like what I'm doing and they've been an inspiration for a minute.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Creating music from scratch and then performing it in front of an audience that sings along to every word is probably the most rewarding part of the job.
And what is the most frustrating part?
To me the most frustrating part is that I can't share a song when I've just created it, the whole process of mixing/mastering, marketing and promotion. The most frustrating part is now being a "content creator" and having to compete for people's attention with people who are doing live streams where they play video games.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Probably to drown out all the noise and ignore what people are saying online. Just focus on your vision.
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Solarrio's debut album 'All The Wrong Places' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.