Nashville-based songwriter and producer Sly Boy shares the dark and contemplative new single “Dead” featuring Maggie Miles. The cryptic music video follows Sly Boy and Maggie Miles on a Bonnie-and-Clyde-like adventure. The slow motion footage captures them scheming to bury or dig up an unknown entity. There is a mystery in the air that will leave people wondering what’s next and debating over what may or may not have happened already.

As for the song, Sly Boy uses it as a means to cope with artist creativity. He explains:

“‘Dead’ represents the scrambled state of semi-consciousness I’ve had for most of the time I’ve spent making this record. Maggie and I began writing it with the goal of it meaning nothing at all, although I’m not sure whether we succeeded in that.

This project as a whole is a lot about tackling darkness of the self, and I think the desire to write a song to mean nothing is a reflection of the toll that takes. In the lyrics there’s a nod to my increasing forgetfulness (“Little pieces come and go”) and nihilism (“I don’t need these stars aligned”).”

Sly Boy has a very eclectic music taste, ranging from Joji and Foo Fighters to One OK Rock and newcomer Brakence. He’s also got an affinity for cemeteries. His music finds him reckoning with faith, exploring religion, temptation, guilt, and lostness.

His latest record is called ‘Jibo Complex’ and you can stream it here

When did you decide to become a musician?

When I was 19, God offered me either an MFA degree or a career in music. I chose music. I started self-producing around that time—released a few different projects, none of which garnered a whole lot of attention in my home town or anywhere else. I eventually moved to Nashville and spent about 9 months early leaving the house. Didn’t really network or do anything but hone my craft and create my first album, “Is This What You Wanted to See?”. That album opened the door to do production for some other Nashville artists.

Bands you’re obsessed with?

I currently own every release the band One Ok Rock has ever printed to CD (with the exception of a couple rare first pressings) over the decade they’ve been putting out music. I discovered their record, Jinsei x Boku =, in 2013. I still consider it to be the best modern rock album ever.

The rest of my influences are a lot more cumulative and I don’t feel like I can pin them down to any one artist. Kind of pick stuff up here and there and work things into my collage.

Tell us about your latest release 

My new single and video, “Dead” is out in collaboration with Maggie Miles. It’s kind of hard to say what Dead is about except, broadly, being in a state where you’re not really “living.”

What kind of message you want to convey with your music?

Most of my music so far has been introspective. Usually comes down to how I view myself as a bad person or how I think others view me as bad. Those songs have come out organically, but that’s not really what I want my legacy to be. I’ve been on a mission for a while to convey the biblical gospel through art in a way that is relevant. I don’t think I’m very close yet, but my Jibō Complex is a step towards it.

Style inpos?

I have a thing for cemeteries. I feel like that’s been coming into play a lot lately.

What do you have planned for the future?

I have a couple of singles coming out after “Dead.” My next record, Jibō Complex, features all of those and comes out May 12. With my limited level of experience in the industry, and the state of the world right now, I really don’t know what to plan for after that. But like I said, that first record opened some doors, so maybe this will too.

How does the Nashville scene treat you and alternative artists like you?

I know a decent amount of Nashville people in the alternative space, and some of them are doing pretty well. Nashville’s pretty accepting, albeit competitive and noisy. I don’t really expect anyone to give me anything, so any attention I do get feels like a gift.

Top 3 dream collabs

Joji. I can’t think of someone whose songwriting and come-up story feels more relevant to this decade. Maggie gave me BALLADS 1 on vinyl. It’s one of my favorite records.

Dave Grohl. I’ve actually got a couple tracks just sitting on a hard drive waiting for it to happen—not that I even aspired to collab with him; he just seems like the only person I could take these songs to.

Kanye. Might be weird. Who knows.