BlackJacketBoys on his creative tastes, being inspired by Skrillex and new song “Iris”

By David Presley

Great to have you on Xttrawave. Please, introduce yourself.

Hey! Thank you for having me! My name is BlackJacketBoys, and I’m from Florida. I’ve been producing since 2017, and it has really evolved from a hobby to a regular part of my life.

What got you into music and made you realize that it was your chosen path?

I’ve always loved music, and really wanted to form a rock band in middle school, but was never successful. I’d never really known what EDM was until I played Geometry Dash to be honest. That opened a new door to me, and I fell in love with that style, and the styles of retro games like F-Zero, Final Fantasy, and Legend of Zelda. This led to me listening to a dubstep remix of Song of a Storms and then I became obsessed with dubstep. I discovered Skrillex and Virtual Riot, and non dubstep artists like Avicii and Martin Garrix. Then I decided I wanted to make this genre, and so here I am now! I originally started this project with two other people, but they left after the second album, and so ever since it’s really just been me, and I’ve loved every second of it!

Tell us about your new music? And what’s the story behind it?

My new music is heading towards a new brostep approach like my idols Skrillex and VR. I’m wanting to bring that old sound back because it just sounds so much more aggressive and impactful that the liquified riddim that is popular right now. I’m not saying that riddim is bad, I love riddim, I just want my personal sound to be more of that 2010s brostep vibe. That is where ‘Iris’ was born.

What makes your music unique? How would you describe it?

I’d describe my main genre as dubstep/brostep but I don’t shy away from experimenting with other genres, and I think that’s what makes me unique. For example, my album I just put out in March is nothing even close to dubstep, it’s a pop/trap album, and I am extremely proud of it and happy of the reception that it has got! So while I call myself a dubstep producer, I really like to make a bit of everything! And I encourage others to do the same!

Who are your biggest music influences? And any particular artist/band you would like to collaborate with in the future?

Skrillex, Ace Aura, Virtual Riot, Bishu, Eliminate, the list goes on! I would give almost anything to be able to collaborate with any of them and to get a glimpse into their creative expertise and the way they do things!

Which is the best moment in your musical career that you’re most proud of?

My proudest moment was getting my fourth song to 1K+ streams! It makes me feel listened to and like my music means something to a small crowd of people who are following me and who are caring about what I’m putting out there! It’s a really good feeling, and it inspires me to keep getting better!

How do you balance your music with other obligations – family, friends or work?

Family, school, and work always come first. I try my best to not ever let producing get in the way of those things, and so I balance spending time in the ‘studio’ with spending time with my family, friends, and working hard. I do this by remembering that I wouldn’t be able to produce or be this far without the support of my family and friends, and so they always come first, and are my number 1 priority!

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?

Don’t let gear or fame blind you. I was heavily discouraged by not having the expensive or cool music gear, and that no one was listening to my I get it, it sucks when you work hard on something and it gets ignored, but all you have to do is use that as motivation to get better, and learn. Make people listen, don’t just expect them to! Grab their attention and don’t let it go.

If you had one message to give to your fans, what would it be?

Thank you, so much for all the support and all the love to me over my music. It really means a lot and it encourages me to keep getting better! I love you all!

What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects?

I have a brostep ep in the works. No release date in mind, but probably sometime next year because I am joining the military soon and I just put out an album!