Surya releases "Any Given Sunday" / Q&A
Chennai native, Surya just released his new smooth single, "Any Given Sunday!" We had the chance to sit down and talk to rising artist about his journey with getting started in the music industry, personal cultural pressures and all about his new single! Check out VEYLEX exclusive Q&A below!
1. What was your inspiration when writing "Any Given Sunday?"
I was at university, working on my dissertation. I usually listened to lo-fi hip-hop beats when I studied. Kanye West’s 1997 unreleased beat tape came on the videos you may like section on YouTube. I clicked on it and listened while I worked. Beat 5 came on, and I started mumbling. I felt that I was getting a good idea. So, I hooked up my mic and laid the rough vocals down.
Guess the Kanye instrumental also gave me some inspiration for the lyrics as I seemed to have subconsciously moved towards the words Any Given Sunday due to Kanye’s lyrics from Gold Digger: ‘You will see him on TV any given Sunday win the Super Bowl and drive off in a Hyundai’.
2. How did your journey as a musician begin? Can you tell us a little bit about how you got started?
Being born in Chennai, I was enrolled in Carnatic music lessons much like many other kids in my area. I also wrote songs from time to time. I then relocated to London at the age of 10. This is when I started delving into R&B and Hip-Hop. I listened to a lot of music, and started making beats on my phone during the bus rides to school. Music was far from the primary focus for me at that point as I was concentrating on academics. I then joined university.
Instead of attending lectures and tutorials, I was making beats and writing songs. My music was getting better, and I made a track called Move It. It fused elements of R&B, Hip-Hop and World music together; thematically it focused on sexual harassment. Reviewing it objectively, I thought it was a good track. I was compelled to recording the song professionally and releasing it. Move It immediately got picked up by BBC Radio stations for airplay.
I followed with the release of my debut independent album, Adolessence. To my fortune, all the tracks on the project were picked up by BBC radio stations for airplay. Thankfully, I was named one of the best new introducing artists of 2018 by BBC Radio and my music was covered by blogs from Britain to South Africa, giving me the validation that my ambitions were not delusional and can in fact be accomplished.
3. How did your family feel about you pursuing a non-traditional career path (i.e. doctor, lawyer, engineer)?
My parents were (and are) very supportive. Thankfully, they raised me with the confidence to chase my ambitions without caring about what other people think about my pursuits.
4. Who were your Favorite music artists growing up and who are you listening to now?
Favourite music artists growing up - Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, A Tribe Called Quest, D’Angelo, Kanye West, Jay Z & Kendrick Lamar.
Who I’m listening to now - Big Pun, Corinne Bailey Rae & Kanye West.
