Louis Swagú delves on his creative tastes, musical influences & new album “FEELINGS IN THE FIRE”
Great to have you on Xttrawave. Please, introduce yourself.
What’s up, I’m Louis Swagú, I’m 17 years old, (18 on May 29th) and I’m from Satsuma, Alabama, it’s just north of Mobile.
What got you into music and made you realize that it was your chosen path?
Being a kid, I listened to what was popular in my time, and I think I always had a poetic side of me. I’d always find myself thinking deeply, and coming up with rhyme schemes in my head. Not to mention my obsession with rhythm, it felt like I’d always find myself tapping on something to pass the time. So in high school, when those things collided, I started writing music, freestyling at the lunch table, that sort of stuff. Then, the deeper I got into it, the more seriously I started to take it, you know. I started learning how to properly mix and master, I took classes, and I found mentors. Now we’re here, with another new release coming up, and I can say I’m satisfied with the product I’m putting on display.
Tell us about your new music? And what’s the story behind it?
My new album, FEELINGS IN THE FIRE, drops on June 11th, and I couldn’t be more excited for its release. It’s a project that I’ve spent a lot of time on, and it holds a special place in my heart because a lot of the concepts are very personal to me. The title comes directly from the album’s title-track, but I feel that sometimes, the best way to cope with those feelings of fear, anxiety, and pain is just to burn them completely. Venting and releasing that pent up anxiety and aggression is like a true form of relief, and I felt like that feeling is what I wanted to capture most prominently in this project.
What makes your music unique?
This album is an entirely unique style and subject matter for my career. Sure, it’s rap. But sometimes, I feel like Rap is just too broad to describe this type of music. The album itself contains a lot of pop-punk and rock undertones in certain aspects. I’ve also done my best to make the album cohesive and complete, mainly because I feel it just adds to the listening experience.
Who are your biggest musical influences? And any particular artist/band you would like to collaborate with in the future?
My music is a jumble of inspiration from artists I’ve come to love over the years. I get my R&B influence from The Weeknd, I get my pop hip-hop influence from the newly-emerging 24kgoldn, I get my swagger and cadence from Lil Uzi Vert, and I feel like I take an abundance of inspiration from Quadeca as far as music production and engineering goes. My dream is to have a collaboration with Quadeca one day. I feel like he’s been getting the recognition he deserves lately, so shoutout to Quadeca. However, I’d welcome any artist with open arms.
Which is the best moment in your musical career that you’re most proud of?
Getting radio airplay from my last few projects has truly been a blessing. I still remember the first time I heard a radio show call out my name and play my song. The feeling truly is exhilarating and I’ve never felt anything else like it.
How do you balance your music with other obligations–family, friends or work?
Being a high school student and a semi-professional rap artist has been no easy task. I just graduated High School as fifth in my class recently, but I can tell you that during my time in classes, creating music was tough to balance with my studies. I really had to capture any moments of creativity that I had and take note of them before I forgot. I remember being in class writing an essay one day, and I couldn’t get an instrumental out of my head, and it was like I was freestyling subconsciously while trying to come up with a thesis statement. But in the end, I came out successful, and now I’ll have a decent break to be creative before I head off to college.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?
I’d tell any musician to never give up, and to always work to improve and advance your craft. No matter what you release, there’s always something you could do better. Capitalize off of your mistakes, and improve. Also, take others’ opinions into account, but you can’t dwell on what others think. No matter how great your music is, there will always be someone who doesn’t enjoy it. Chase your bag, and get your opinions from people you trust. Just make sure they know what they’re talking about.
If you had one message to give to your fans, what would it be?
I love you guys, you all are my family and you are the best. Keep streaming that Louis. Shoutout the Goop Squad, shoutout my family, and shoutout God for putting me in the position to succeed.
What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects?
This album releases on June 11th, and for the loyal fans reading this, I hope y’all ready for a deluxe edition. I might just save the rap game while I’m at it.
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