How did you get into music? Who/what were some of your biggest influences growing up?
My older cousin was my role model growing up so everything he listened to, I listened to. Some of my biggest influences earlier on were Radiohead and Nirvana, but I’m sure I also picked up a lot from the music my dad would play at home: a lot of bossa nova, jazz and classical.
Any significance to the name EVNTYD? How’d it come about?
The name EVNTYD comes from the word ‘eventide’, which means ‘the end of the day’. When I started this project, I was very intent on creating a nostalgic soundscape that was in keeping with nighttime, and one day I happened to come across the word eventide and decided “that’s it.”
Austin is a hot bed for music and just all matter of the arts. How has the scene there influenced you musically?
Not much at all, actually. EVNTYD was created during lockdown, so in many ways, isolation was the main source of inspiration.
How would you describe your sound?
Nostalgic, somber and urgent.
What’s your process when it comes to crafting a song?
It usually starts with me noodling around on the guitar or bass until I have an accidental run-in with a riff or progression that grabs my attention and then I start to layer in the other instruments. By this point I’ll hear another slightly-tweaked version of the main guitar riff, so I’ll re-record that. It goes on and on like that until I’m happy with it.
You’re a guitarist first, but you also taught yourself how to play bass, drums, and piano. What drove you to want to learn how to play all those different instruments? How long did it take to become proficient in them all? And how has that changed your creative process?
I wanted to become a more self-sufficient songwriter. Learning other instruments changed my creative process and now I can look at the same problem from different angles. Sometimes it’s impossible to see how a verse will transition into a chorus until I pick up another instrument, and then it becomes obvious.
In a short amount of time, you’ve gained a significant following and buzz, what would you attribute that to? Has it taken you by surprise?
When I was ready to release my first single, I knew the next step was to figure out how to use social media to drive people to my music. I learned the ropes through trial and error until I found what worked best for me to stay relevant online all while releasing a steady stream of singles. At first I wasn’t terribly surprised because I was personally pushing the rock up the hill every step of the way, but in the past few months it’s been wild seeing momentum take over and cover more ground than I could have on my own.
Congrats on the release of your debut album, Eventide! How has the response been so far to the project?
Thank you! It’s been all around really positive. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and in that sense, the songs within the context of the album are able to take the world I’m creating to a whole new level.
When did you know you were ready to release a full project?
Towards the beginning of 2021. I had gotten to a point then where I had about 15 working demos that felt cohesive and I spent the next several months finishing up the 10 that I felt belonged together in an album.
What do you want listeners to take from the album? Any specific themes?
Overall I just want people to vibe to it but I’ll leave it to the listeners to decide what it means to them on a deeper level.
Do you have a favorite song off of it? Any song you’re looking forward to playing live the most?
At the moment “Quotidian” is my favorite because it sets the stage for the album perfectly. “Gas Pump” may be my favorite song to play live so far because it goes so much harder live than on the album and I think that takes a lot of people by surprise when they’re expecting something a bit more tame.
You had a sort of long, slow drip release for the album. Was that just out of necessity? What do you think were some of the pros and cons of that approach?
It’s just become the standard way to release music nowadays. People don’t listen to full albums like they used to so releasing singles is the best way to give each song the spotlight it deserves.
SXSW is right in your backyard. Any chance people will get to see you gracing the stage there?
Absolutely cooking up some plans, but nothing I can share right now.
Any passions outside of music?
Recently I’ve been on a reading kick. I used to hate reading, but I think that’s just because it was assigned to me. Now that no one tells me to read, I love going to the library with no specific book in mind and seeing what I walk out with.
We like to say to be a creative and put yourself out there to the public eye that you have to be fearless. Do you agree with that?
You definitely have to be certain about what you’re doing. I think the ideal sense of fearlessness comes from knowing that, against all odds, the odds are in your favor. So if you are certain your work is ready, certain that it will hold up in the world, and certain that it will take on a life of its own, then there isn’t a whole lot to fear.
What can people expect from you in the future? Shows? Tour?
I’m working on new music and I want to tour, so that’s going to be my main focus this year.
