Photo Credit: Tamara May
Breakthrough Brooklyn artist Kevin Holliday solidifies his place as one of the most exciting artists to watch with the release of his highly anticipated 6-track EP OMNI. Delivering an eclectic blend of kaleidoscopic-funk, alt-indie and pop, the self-mixed, mastered and co-produced offering exemplifies his natural ability to create a project exquisitely unique to his own sound.
OMNI, a prefix meaning “of all things,” is a distinct blending of sonics and textures that enthralls and awakens the senses. Unwilling to conform to any genre-defining boxes, we find the multi-instrumentalist at home in his creation of funky basslines, slick guitar, groovy beats and his undeniable flow.
Each track further attests to the 23-year-old Brooklyn native’s storytelling abilities, giving listeners vivid snapshots of the highs and lows of his life from relationships, family, personal growth and mental health. OMNI consists of fan-favorite singles “Tennis Courts,” “Regrets,” and “Tried My Best,” and is made complete with three new tracks, “Dynamite,” “Runaround” and “Liar!”
Tell us about the genesis of your project. How did you get to where you are now?
OMNI is the coming together of everything, hence the name. It’s the formation of all of my influences, whether musical or not. I really started making music because I was bored in my dorm room. One day I was just like “I’m going to buy a guitar” and that year that’s pretty much all I did. Early on it was all me just experimenting with my guitar, learning Logic, and trying to find the sounds I liked. That experimentation definitely opened up the door for the sound I had on Space Cadet. I’m naturally a very curious person so I’m always searching for new sounds and textures that seem different.
How would you describe the highs and lows of being an artist?
Being an artist is tougher than ever. The ups and downs are constant. I talk about those ups and downs and productivity culture as a whole on my song “Tried My Best.” One moment you make like, 5 amazing songs in a row, then out of nowhere you hit a rut for a month. I think for me something that’s been reassuring is talking to other artists and realizing that’s normal. Creativity is tricky because it’s something that is completely out of control. Something that I’ve been trying to pay attention to is how I’m creating the right environment to feel creative. Luckily, I have my own studio space in Brooklyn called Kudzu Recordings that I’ve been working at for almost two years now. The physical space that you’re working in is a lot more important that you’d think.
What’s a musical guilty pleasure of yours?
I’m the biggest Britney Spears fan, and I’m not guilty about it. I’m a huge fan of a lot of 2000s pop music. I can literally listen to “Toxic” on repeat for an hour straight and not get sick of it. #FreeBritney.
What are some sources of inspiration for you?
I really try to just get inspiration from everything around me. People are definitely the biggest inspiration. A lot of the time, it’s other musicians. I’m really inspired by Tyler, the Creator, Pharrell, and Solange. Sometimes it’s not even music that inspires me. I’m a big anime fan. I love Naruto, Inyuasha, and Spirited Away. All of the Hayao Miyazaki movies were majorly inspirational to me during the creation of my first EP, Space Cadet.
Who is an artist that you look up to from today’s music world?
A new artist that I really love is Teezo Touchdown. He’s doing something completely different and his ability to create his own world is amazing. All of the videos he has on his Instagram and YouTube are legendary. I would love to just see how he works in the studio firsthand.
Favorite activity to blow off some steam?
No one, and I mean no one, can beat me in 2k. Challenge me.
Tell us about your upcoming release OMNI and how it came about?
The focus was to carve out a sound that is uniquely me and can’t be replicated. The sound is inspired heavily by what I grew up listening to as a kid around the house. I remember being at cookouts and family gatherings listening to artists like Prince, Marvin Gaye, and Michael Jackson. Then hearing my 3 older brothers listen to a lot of rap: Kanye, Max B, and Dipset. This eclectic musical environment fed my curious nature and certain things have stuck with me ever since. I’ve always gravitated to music that sounded different—that’s what I’m doing on OMNI.
What are some things you do to deal with anxiety and creative blocks?
If a studio session is dry, I never try to force it. Usually if I’m not feeling creative I’ll work on something that is more technical like mixing. I do a lot of my own graphic design work, so I think when I take a break from music and do that for a bit, it helps a lot when I pick up on the music again. I also have a really strong support system between my family, and close friends. Being around them helps me work through creative blocks a lot of the time.
What inspires your visuals, videos, looks etc?
Besides anime, I love Wes Anderson movies. I’m a big fan of the concept of magical realism, which is basically a world that’s grounded in reality, but has certain elements that are surreal. I like playing around with the boundaries of what can be possible in that way. It’s kinda like it’s my world that I’m trying to build. Why not have fun with it?
What is the most embarrassing memory and most proud moment of your career so far?
The most embarrassing memory I’ve had was my first time ever playing in front of people for sure. I completely forgot the words to like half of the songs, it was hot, I was sweaty. Nobody knew but I knew. I was shook. But honestly I’m glad it happened because I didn’t understand what it actually took to prepare for a performance until then. Preparing mentally is like 75% of it to me. I’m proud that I learned from it: after that experience I put an emphasis on making my live shows as good as they can be. I started studying performers that I really liked and the way they moved on stage, things they did to engage the crowd, every detail.
What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten as an artist and as an individual?
The best advice I’ve ever gotten as an artist is definitely to be genuine. I feel like people listening can kinda smell bullshit from a mile away. People always gravitate towards artists that are unapologetically themselves. I felt like early on I was trying to follow trends, and it wasn’t until I made stuff that felt like me that people really started to listen. And as a person to not be afraid to reach out to anyone. There have been so many things that have happened for me just because of a DM or an email. A lot of people aren’t going to reply obviously, but if every 10th person replies and it develops into something great, then it’s more than worth it. Closed mouths don’t get fed.
Where do you think the music and entertainment industry is headed after this past year?
If anything, this past year showed me how important music is to the world as a whole. It makes me more confident in the importance of my work for sure. Music makes people feel good, and I think that’s beautiful. I think it showed how flexible the music industry is as a whole.
