18-year-old Atlanta based artist, Demo Taped, has been writing and recording from a very young age. His music, which draws on many themes and influencers in his own life, is electronic fusion at its best. The catchy beats and lilting voice make each and every one of his songs an instant jam.
Tomorrow, Demo Taped will be performing in Boston at Royale with Wet. We had a chance to sit down and speak with him about his entrance into the performing world.
Maddy Ball: I’ve read in multiple sources that you originally started writing/producing from your bedroom. Is that true? Could you give us the full story?
Demo Taped: Yeah, that is true. My parents got me a Mac computer and, you know, I’d already been interested in music so I figured why not try putting a track together? I’d already been writing things down (my lyrics, notes, chords) for a long time so I decided to give it a shot.
MB: Did you always plan on using your written words as music?
DT: Sometimes I would write poems and turn them into music. I didn’t realy plan on every releasing it. It was originally just something to do in my free time to be creative and release…to work in that mindset, you know.
MB: Early in your life, did you have any mentors or personal heroes?
DT: Yeah, I’ve had several over the years. My dad, he actually started me off. He is a bass player and showed me a lot of music in my childhood. During long car rides, he’d play Earth, Wind, and Fire, jazz, Herbie Hancock…he’d play varied genres and exposed me to music of all sorts. I think he really made me decide to pursue music. In addition, my piano teacher since I was four, Ms. Beedles, she’s actually the person who discovered I could sing. Without her, I wouldn’t be doing what I do now.
MB: In addition to your personal mentors, who are some of your biggest influencers?
DT: Herbie Hancock. He definitely helped shaped what I do. He’s just a genius! He was one of the first people to learn the synths and master the synths and put them into his own music. He didn’t just do jazz, he’d tackle a wide range of genres. He may have been labeled as “jazz,” but was much more than that.
MB: Well, how would you describe your own personal sound?
DT: Depends on who I talk to: when I talk to people that are older than me, which is a lot of people (laughter) I have to explain it further. It’s pop, it’s electronic riffs, I guess I’d say it’s electronic with many other elements built in. I never want to stop expanding and experimenting and do everything I can to continue to bend genres in the future.
MB: Where do you see this experimenting going in the future? Do you have any specific goals?
DT: Yeah, I do! I’ve just been experimenting as much as possible and get really weird with it. You know, sometimes things may sound horrible at first but you gotta find the right combination. That happens just with experimentation and not having any boundaries.
MB: Lastly, I hear you’re in to fashion and thrift stores: what’s your favorite thing you’ve ever found?
DT: I had this corduroy jacket that was really old. It’s weird to say but it had this aged smell to it. (laughter) The best thing to compare it to is a vintage bookstore. It had this wool inside…many winters were spent in that jacket. I wish I could still wear it!
MB: Is there any other advice you want to pass on to young artists?
DT: Keep trying, keep experimenting. Don’t let anything bring you down. Today, it is a lot easier to have your voice heard, so keep creating!
Catch Demo Taped’s debut Boston performance tomorrow at Royale. He’ll hit the stage at 7 PM to open for Wet, so be sure to arrive on time!