We are proud of the platform we have created here at SupportArt. We strive daily to not only better ourselves but to also better the community and culture. One big way to do that is via our website. We started off its relaunch with interviews and articles on artists that are not a part of the internal team. However, we love the brand and platform we have built because it does also benefit us and our artists. A few months prior to relaunching the website we finally made a corporate structure within the team. We have always had a leadership team, but at times in the past, we saw that nobody really knew where there focus was needed. This has helped everyone, SupportArt and the community, grow exponentially. One of the biggest growths has been from our Senior Vice President, lil wattage. He has a long tenure with SupportArt and many of its partner brands. His energy, in music and in his daily approach to life, is a dose of the best medicine. We want people to know more about him so we got down to the interview process with our Senior VP. lil wattage is a bright mind that the world should want to know more about, and a bright mind that the world truly needs more of. Enjoy the interview below and afterwards, you can stream some of his content directly from this article.
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Q: How has your rebrand (you previously went by Watty) helped, and what has you putting out content with much more consistency now?
A: "The rebrand has helped because I feel it helped separate the person from the artist. That is something that I feel so many artists really struggle with. It also rejuvenated me a bit to really get back into the craft and start building up my content so fans will have more than just a few select tracks being released here and there. Consistency in terms of content was something that really held me back iin the past. With all that being said, everything is still a struggle in terms of balancing regular life and music, but at the end of the day it is always worth it."
Q: Singles are always nice, but will all you have been working on, when can we expect the first full length project from you? A: "I actually have a couple of extended projects in the works because I do understand there is still a market for that. People do still like to see this from artists, but I really enjoy creating singles and catching vibes. However, I think as time goes on I will lean more into bigger projects but singles will always be my go-to so I can have steady content and eventually create special projects for demographics to listen to simultaneously. I have seen that full length projects do not work that well if you aren't an artist with a decent catalog under your belt already. Releasing and the planning of projects is another balancing act that I can say I have not truly mastered yet."
Q: Who are some influences on your sound, and what do you feel sets you apart from those said influences?
A: "I feel like my heavy influences that you can hear in my sound come from people like Lil Wayne and Young Thug especially when it comes to the autotune sound and outside of the box thinking when it comes to the craft. As far as lyrical content goes, I feel like Hopsin made a huge impact because he was speaking on things before anybody else even knew it was a serious thought to contend with. However, I also like to have a good time with the craft and make fun music. One of my biggest things is keeping the energy high. I really love certain aspects of people's crafts and feel privileged to be able to apply them in various ways to my own unique sound."
Q: What are some dream collaborations you have, and what are some collabs you got in the vault if you are willing to tell us?
A: "I'm always weird with collabs. I am always down and love to do them, but I don't necessarily have any I think I need to happen where I would seek it out because the energy has to be right. At the same time, if someone wants me to hop on a track and I can catch a vibe, I will rarely say no! Like I said, always about the energy. As far as future collabs, I have a few with fellow SupportArt artists on the upcoming Purple Tape which is always one of the best things that we do at SA. As far as other collaborations, I always enjoy working with my record label head L1FEL1NE. He is the CEO of FAITHxVICTORY Records, and outside himself, I am the only other artist signed to the label. Our collabs hit so you can expect to see plenty more of those. We may have one dropping in a couple months, but that is all I can say at the moment. I do love that with my label, I keep all creative rights: beats, aesthetics, people I work with, everything."
Q: What is it like being the Senior VP of SupportArt, and how has it benefitted you?
A: "Being the Senior Vice President of SupportArt really changed some of my views on things. It gave me more motivation and really felt like I was able to better connect with the team. The role also came with much better insight and say in the direction we are able to take SupportArt which ultimately I would say gives me even more leverage as an artist but also for all of the fellow members in the collective. Overall, it has been a positive and fulfilling experience, but I still feel like there is much more work to be done."
Q: Is the autotune sound always going to be a part of your sound and brand?
A: "I think in a general sense, yes. Everybody uses autotune, whether it's for pitch correction or an effect, but it is applied in almost every scenario. To more directly answer the question though... I think it's something that brings me a lot of enjoyment. Being able to manipulate it like other artists do is where a lot of the fun resides, and me being more into the melodic scene, I think it pairs well. I do have ideas for more raw tracks and will eventually get to those, but for now, it will likely stay prominent in my sound."
Q: Is there anything you would like to say to fans, and do you have any other advice for other creatives out there?
A: "Simply put... THANK YOU! None of it is possible without fans and supporters at the end of the day because that's what really drives the music. I will always make music for myself, but it's really something special when other people find enjoyment out of something you created without necessarily having that intention. As for advice for other creatives, stay true to yourself and ground yourself if you ever see yourself chasing. Create something you will enjoy at the end of the day and then find those like minded people. This is a marathon in a materialistic world. We need to bring some of that genuine love back to the forefront.
On a side note, and this is for L1FE and all of the team over at SupportArt. I really appreciate you take time out to pose these questions because I think these are things more people should think about. I feel blessed and honored to have this opportunity and can only pray to God he weill let me prevail in his name. I thank him for these opportunities and people like you and the people on the team because it makes life more bearable and enjoyable."
Stream The Releases Currently Out By FAITHxVICTORY Records artist lil wattage below!