Hey, it’s a pleasure to chat to you here at CFM! Gavin Blaze has been working on music for years and has recently been making a push to get noticed and start this as a career, rather than just a hobby. Let's delve a little deeper into his inspiration and musical practice!
Firstly, who is Gavin Blaze?
A small alternative rock/hip hop artist from Lucasville Ohio. I’m 17 years old and I have huge dreams. I spend most my free time in Fl Studio 20 making rough drafts of songs, or making instrumentals.
What’s the music scene like in Lucasville, Ohio, where you’re based?
The music scene in Lucasville is competitive. There is so much talent around here, and I think that’s really good for all of us. I wanna be the best, and I wanna be the first to make it out. To do that I have to keep improving.
So you blend rock and hip hop, right?
I'd say my style is like using a hip hop cadence/flow, on metal, and rock instrumentals. I’m a sucker for electric guitars.
Who are you biggest musical influences?
Growing up I watched a lot of WWE. The majority of the talent used metal/rock music for their entrance themes, and I think that’s what drew me to that genre. I started getting into rap and hip hop music around the same time. And I was drawn to artists like Lil Uzi Vert and Fetty Wap. My current biggest influence would have to be Lil Aaron. He makes music that closest resembles my own style.
What’s your songwriting process?
I guess my songwriting process is different than a norm. My first step is to make or find the instrumental I want to use. Then I go into the studio and do a bunch of freestyles for the verse and hook. The lyrics never make sense but I’m usually just looking to find the melody or cadence. Once I’ve got the rough draft of the song, I’ll go back over and write over what I freestyle and of course change things so they make sense. Usually the concept of the song comes out through the freestyle - I’ll get one gold line, and go off of that.
What’s a typical day in the studio look like for you?
For me, a day in the studio is constant experimenting. I know the music I wanna make, and I know what I’m best at... but I like to practice, redoing takes over, and over. Until I get it. I have over 30 songs vaulted right now, but none of them are where I want them to be. I find it really difficult to start a song, and come back the next day or a week later and attempt to re-record vocals. If I don’t do all the vocal takes in one sessions, the song will never get finished.
What can we expect for the rest of the year from you?
I have big plans for this summer, I promise myself this would be my year to make a push into the underground scene, and I think so far I’ve been successful with that. This summer, I have plans to release another single, as-well as a small EP.
What’s the meaning behind your new track ‘Runaway’, featuring Loveaura?
The hook on 'Runaway' was 100% a freestyle. That was my 3rd take on the song, and it all came to me really quickly. Usually when I’m recording the first thing that comes to my mind are problems. And the easiest escape from problems is to runaway.