Tampa Band, Set It Off, have maximized their creative synergy to bring to life their own Pop and Electronic infused niche that is idiosyncratic and abounding with heart. Gearing up for the upcoming release of ‘MIDNIGHT’, I caught up with Lead Vocalist, Cody Carson, to discuss the paradoxes of facing rejection, the power within realizing your worth, being proactive and aware of anxiety triggers stemming from social media, choosing not to sacrifice your moral compass for success and more.
Congrats on the upcoming release of ‘MIDNIGHT’. Tell us about the creative and recording process so far and what you have learned along the way.
Thank you so much! It is been an absolutely amazing process filled with growth, vulnerability, and experimentation. Once we had our start date to begin the record, it wasn’t an endless grind every day to try to produce what we consider to be our best songs yet. We came in with around 60 ideas and wrote as many songs as we could to end up tasking ourselves with narrowing it down to just 15. This will be our longest release yet, and we’re happy to say that we feel this is the best we’ve been.
What new techniques or skills did you acquire during the process of record ‘MIDNIGHT’?
For me personally, three skills that I honed in on the most were learning when to subtract rather than add, fighting for the best possible metaphor (that I have never heard before) whether it be one line or the concept of the song itself, and how to come up with better titles for the songs overall.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?
Rejection within my career. It is one of the most difficult things I’ve had to personally face because in all honesty, we are talking about our dreams. For someone to make you feel like your dream doesn’t count or that you’re not wanted is a hard pill to swallow. That’s how I felt in November of 2017, right before we started creating this album due to being dropped by people we were working with in the past. But we needed that feeling, it’s good to feel low sometimes, because if we never did, we would never know exactly what we have to fight for. It gives you time to realize your own worth and refuel that fire to succeed.
What is your perception on the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
I think like anything in the world it has it’s pros and cons. It is incredibly convenient that we can access any song we want to whenever we want to because of the digital world. It is also incredibly hard for musicians to sell the albums they create now due to the format of digital streaming. But then you factor in that anyone can access your music with incredible ease and you can’t really complain. Another example is that we are simultaneously the most connected and disconnected we have ever been. Random phone calls or knocks at the door used to be an exciting thing with a positive connotation and now it triggers anxiety. But we also have the ability to talk to whoever we want to whenever we want to on a device just bigger than our hand. Just like anything in life there are positive sides and there are negative sides. For me personally, I think we’re extremely lucky to have the technology that we do.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
I take pride in the fact that each member of this band will never sacrifice their integrity or their moral compass to gain success. I pride myself in the fact that I will always be real with all of you, If I’m happy you will know it, if I am sad you will know it, and you will know my flaws. I don’t want there to be a separation between who we are supports us. I want Set It Off to be a home where people can go to cope with everything that they are going through or have been through.
As you are exposed to tons of stimulus, how do you proactively take care of your mental and emotional health when you’re out on the road?
Funny enough, but by feeding it more stimulus. I am a big believer in positive distractions. I deal with my problems, but if they are too hard to face in that moment, then I will just turn to video games, music, or movies. It is okay to take your brain away from stressful situations sometimes. Personally, video games are my escape from the real world.
You have toured with a wide variety of musicians over the past years and have played at some major festivals. Tell us some words of wisdom that you collected along the way.
There is something that can be learned from every artist no matter if they’re outside of your genre or a spitting image of yourself. You can learn what you should be doing and what you shouldn’t be doing. You should constantly be evaluating how you can better yourself. I’m happy with the fact I will never feel secure in my level of success because that means I will always feel that I have room to grow. Playing shows alongside people who have the same passion as you is the perfect place to learn.
If any of our readers have never been to Tampa, what are three of your favorite restaurants that you recommend to visit?
This may not be a restaurant, but if you go to Florida in general and don’t go to Publix and get a Publix sub from their deli then you’ve wasted your trip! You can customize whatever you want and they will do it with a smile. I miss it so much! Also, my favorite date spot in Tampa is definitely Ciro’s Speakeasy & Supper Club, it’s a real intimate vibe with craft cocktails and amazing food. Right up my alley!
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?!
Yes! We are lucky to have you. We are also very lucky that you’re so kind to each other and also some of the funniest people we’ve ever seen online. Thank you for being a part of our lives and for letting us be a part of yours. Here’s to the new era of Set It Off!
Toronto Musician, Nikki Jumper, has channeled her glimpse into the quarantine darkness into an opportunity to express herself through her artistry in her most candid way yet. In celebration of the release of “Apocalypse Love”, I caught up with Nikki for a great chat about the meaning behind the track, holistic health, finding confidence in oneself again, dreams of video chatting with Grimes and more.
Congrats on the recent release of your new single, “Apocalypse Love”. Tell us the message that you intended to portray throughout this release.
Thank you so much! You know, we wrote this song last summer – before this “Apocalypse” started to happen with the virus and quarantine. We went down a spiral of “what if the Apocalypse happens?” and created a little bit of a dystopian fantasy about what it would feel like to be in the Apocalypse. Even though it’s pretty dark, and we sing about things like an A.I take-over…. it’s truly a love song. It’s about finding the love and strength in yourself and those around you, even in the chaos. It’s about us vs. them, and the capability we have to fight – together.
I know that the Coronavirus has been really impactful on all, yet tell us the lowdown on how you have been utilizing all of your time in quarantine.
Quarantine has been really eye opening. I’ve been able to really dig deep into what I want to create both now and when this is all over. I’ve been feeling all of the emotions – restless, sad, angry, isolated, lonely, optimistic, happy, excited, creative, and burnt-out. Feeling all of these emotions and diving into the shadow has been really helpful for me to see the light of it all. I’ve been asking myself a lot of questions. Why do I feel this way? Why am I sad? What am I excited about? What do I really want? How can I make the most out of this time? How can I turn this turmoil into gold? What gifts will come out of this suffering? How can I make my life better when this is over? So, what I’ve been doing is using these emotions as fuel for new music, to write new songs, to dive deeper into how I feel and to be able to tap into the parts of myself I’ve been suppressing while being “busy” in normal life. It’s not easy – it’s definitely easier to numb out than to face these feelings. But I really have been enjoying this reflective time to both create new, more authentic music and to also make plans for the future that will be more exciting than before!
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?
I definitely had a lot of fear and anxiety around my music and my body image. I was super worried I wasn’t good enough, and wasn’t fit enough. I had lost my confidence in myself the moment I began to listen to the opinions of others. Producers telling me that I can’t sing, I’m too fat, too old (in my early twenties!), I won’t “make it”, etc. It was a really traumatizing experience to have my dreams stripped away by people who were supposed to be helping me. I stopped singing and writing and I became super depressed. I was listening to all of the outside voices telling me I would fail. It was honestly the worst feeling in the world, to lose my power like that. Francesco saw how upset I was, how hurt I was, and how badly I wanted to be creative again. So he built me a music studio in my house. I started writing and recording again and working with my vocal coaches. I started to love and accept myself a little more every day. I decided I wouldn’t listen to anyone’s opinions and I became a ruthless curator of my thoughts, feelings, and emotions. I decided to simply do what I love, make music for the sake of it, and not let anyone tell me what I could or couldn’t do. I got my power back. And it’s a choice I make every day. I’m not a victim. Now, I’m feeling much more confident in myself.
What is your perception of the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
I absolutely love technology. However, it’s much like money…it’s not good or bad, it only makes you more of who you are. The digital world empowers creativity, connection, and a positive impact on the world. But it also empowers narcissism, depression, and anxiety. It all depends on your filter on the world, and how you want to use it. For example, the digital world has allowed you to create an amazing digital magazine, and that’s so exciting and amazing to live in a time where you can do that! I think if we use social media to empower our thoughts, ideas, and our joy – it’s a great thing. No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
I made the conscious choice to not make my entire life about being a singer. Yes, I love music, I love singing, and I find pleasure in it every day. But, when it’s my only focus – I tend to miss out on life itself and what fuels creativity. Yes, I want to share my music with the world – but I don’t make my social media numbers my #1 objective. This defeats the point of art. For me, the truest and most joyest form of art is life itself. My top priority is to live a magical life. So I make sure to have my morning and evening rituals that I love. To be in nature, move my body, meditate, spend time with my puppy and my family and friends. I love travelling and experiencing different cultures. I also have projects in the holistic health and beauty realm which I’ll be sharing more with my audience this year!
If you could video-chat right now with one of your favorite artists of all time, who would you choose and why?
Oh my gosh! I’d love to get on a video call with Grimes and Elon Musk right now. I have so many questions! Like why did you name your kid X Æ A-12? Are you planning to raise him on Mars? Will your family use Neuralink? Are you going to make an album with 100% A.I.?! Honestly, such a fascinating couple and I’d love to pick their brains!
Are there any fun or new recipes that you’ve tried cooking up during quarantine?!
For the first month, I made pasta 2-3x a day! Mostly because it’s my ultimate comfort food. Also, I actually made replicas of In-N-Out and Big Mac Sauce! It was so delicious. Tomorrow, I’ll be baking some new cakes.
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?
No matter what you want to do in life – follow your desire and joy! Don’t listen to anyone who tells you you can’t. I honestly wish I had known that sooner! Dream bigger. Believe in yourself. Do what you can to experience love, magic, and beauty in everything you do!
Norway Rockers, Mantric, have joined Solid State Records and are still in the midst of celebration during quarantine as they have put out their latest release, ‘False Negative’. In celebration of the recent release of ‘False Negative’, I caught up with John Robert Mjåland for a great chat about the trajectory of the album, the advantages of technology, taking personality tests, hanging with the family during quarantine and more.
Congrats on the recent release of your new album, ‘False Negative’. Tell us the message that you intended to portray throughout this release.
Thanks! The album has been baked together over the last three years, so I don’t feel like there’s a red thread in our lyrics, it’s definitely not a concept album, and we’ve all been writing lyrics, so they differ a bit. Maybe one theme, or something that comes close, could be “relationships”; how we interact with people, what values and beliefs we hold, motions and emotions. When we were brainstorming the album title, Tor, our guitarist, came up with the medical term “False Negative”, which works as a back layer for the album figuratively speaking, but we had no idea then that the title would hit the nail on the head clinically speaking, exactly when the corona epidemic hit the western world.
I know that the Coronavirus has been really impactful on all, yet tell us the lowdown on how you have been utilizing all of your time in quarantine.
In our family we’ve been able to work from home, so we’re lucky to keep our jobs, but it’s been difficult to get work done with kids hanging over and maintaining homeschooling, kindergarten and online work meetings at the same time. So I’d have to say we’ve been more busy than ever, but maybe not so productive. And I know one shouldn’t complain, probably a lot better to be in a crowded house these days than quarantined all alone, but right now I wouldn’t mind a few days of loneliness. Highlight of the day is to go outside and find a desolate place and just do something with the kids, and then have some grown up time in the evening when everyone is in bed. Anything on tv that makes you think of something other than coronavirus has been very welcome in our house.
Showcasing the human in you, what is a challenging thought that you recently had and were able to overcome over time?
My wife has pointed out to me, more than once, that I can be overly meticulous at times, and especially these last few weeks where everything floats and everything changes from one day to the next, things have been challenging for me.. and needless to say my environment. I think it has to do with being in control, which isn’t easy nowadays, so stepping back, taking a deep breath, trying to take things as they come and deliberately don’t give a crap about everything has been helpful. I’m still working on this, but the current lockdown has put things more in perspective.
What is your perception of the digital world that we live in and social media culture?
The advantages of technology are incredible, not just the equipment we keep around us every day, but also the amount of information more or less anyone can access around the world. I also like following technological development and try to keep up to speed, but everything goes so fast these days. I’ve enjoyed watching Westworld among other great shows, and I think it brings up some important issues on the pace of technology and artificial intelligence, and I’m not so sure how sci-fi something like that will be in the near future. I think we will have to make many ethical considerations and decisions along the way as we make advances, and I hope and think technology in the end will save us from rather than speed up world disasters to come. As for social media, I’m not very positive. I think it’s generally destructive, and for young people growing up today I think it’s more damaging than rewarding. If you take a look at someone’s social wall online, almost everything is bragging in some way or another, very little is information or actual sharing. Many posts are sugar-coated to portray a perfect life and seldom represent reality, and young people growing up might not see the distinction between “professionals” making money on social media and their friends trying to do the same thing on a lesser scale. Building your own self esteem on social media is particularly a way of dragging others down at the same time. Maybe I’m being a bit cynical here.
No career path or amount of followers negates the fact that you are a human being that has feelings. Tell us about some parts of you beyond being a musician that you take pride in.
I’ve taken some personality tests over the years and also followed quite a few podcasts that take on the “Big five” tests in a talk-show format, so I think I have a good idea of where I’m at personally as well as compared to others. What struck me was that I’m maybe not the most empathetic person after all, meaning being able to put myself in the place of others. I don’t take pride in this, and was a bit hard to swallow at first, but I acknowledge this somewhat lacking trait and actually try harder to empathize with others and try being more open minded about people. It has awoken a feeling in me, maybe because I’m conscientious by nature, but being aware and reminding myself helps in this case, and I think it’s possible to make some personal changes although it’s usually very difficult.
Tell us about your experience so far with Solid State Records. How has being a part of the label enhanced your artistry?
Being on Solid State has been good so far, just being on board and knowing there’s a label with people into your music, wanting to share it with the outside world. Obviously, they have a much larger network than us as a band, so they’re busy spreading the music. Promotion is half the job when the record is done, so simply making an album available on Spotify or iTunes wouldn’t do the trick.
Are there any fun or new recipes that you’ve tried cooking up during quarantine?!
We’ve taken things quite easy, I must admit we’ve eaten more hot dogs and pancakes than usual, but we’ve also gone hiking with our backpack stove to justify everything. The kids have also been a bit more eager on making treats while staying inside for so long, so we’ve had desserts more or less every day lately. We even had dessert for dinner one day, a promise made to our youngest daughter a long time ago, which was just as easy pulling off when they’re getting desserts anyway. This was a success by the way. We’ve also used our fair share of random food coloring to spice things up and gone through all our kits for making slime and homemade soaps.
Last but certainly not least, any closing messages for your fans?
Stay safe in these strange times! Go outside and into nature if you have the chance, bring your hammock and check out our new album.
