NYC-based singer-songwriter Arthur The Artiste, recently released his debut album "Project Dreams." Written, produced, and mixed entirely by Arthur himself, the album is lush with sparkling melodies and extraordinary yearning, taking listeners on a spectacular, dreamlike journey through the artist's intimate thoughts about love while detailing the highs, lows, trials, and tribulations of a relationship that never came to fruition. Check out our interview with him below!
Thank you for chatting with us! How was the last year for you? What were your highlights? In May I released my first single “Back To The Start.” I was so nervous. But I received so much support that it made me excited to keep sharing. In late August I got the music video to my single “Somebody” posted on VEVO which was really cool. And the shoot was so fun I’m so happy with the final product. Finally, I recently released my debut album “Project Dreams” on Friday, September 10. I had been working on it since junior year of college so it’s been a long time coming and I’m really excited for it to finally be out in the world. So check out “Project Dreams” by Arthur The Artiste*; it’s out now on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube Music, Tidal, Alibaba, SoundCloud. Literally any streaming service you can think of it’s on there. So please give it a listen, follow me on social media, and let me know what you think!!!
What’s the best advice you have ever gotten from another musician? “At the end of the day music is all about making the girls dance. If you can make them dance you’re gonna be successful in this industry”
Looking back, what was the first album or “Vinyl” you bought? The first album that I remember listening to religiously was “Encore” by Eminem. I must’ve been 7 or 8 years old. But I remember it being so different from the pop I would hear on radio or the rock my parents would listen to. And he was so funny and weird all the while being deep and emotional. I was hooked.
Did you always want to be a musician or was there a specific moment that something happened that made you think "this is what I want to do with my life." If so, what was it? No actually. My whole life I was too shy to perform. I never thought I would be a musician. I always wanted to do something creative. And when I got to college I wanted to write and direct movies because I was so enamored with Star Wars. But it’s not so easy to get a film studio to give you $500mil and say “here you go make your dream movie.” Junior year of college I interned in Hollywood for the summer. Here I was, far from home, ready to break into the film industry. But all I could think about was this girl I had just met at school. She was my first crush in a long time and after a long stretch of loneliness it felt nice to feel like someone sees something worth liking in me. It was a whirlwind of emotions. For the first time in a long time I was hopeful. But I was also confused. Was any of it real? And I was angry. Angry that it probably wasn’t going to work out. So I started writing music in my bedroom during my spare time in LA, just so I could vent. Because I was bored. And because I had no one to talk to. I continued to write when I went back to school—where even more drama unfolded. But I never played my music for anyone. I was too shy. And this shit was embarrassingly dark and personal. So I kept it to myself. Until I was playing guitar in my room while my sister was there and I played “Blue Moon.” After I finished, she was like “who is that by?” And I’m like “me” and, I swear to God, she started to cry. I get emotional just thinking about that moment. But that gave me the confidence to play my songs for my friends. They said I should put my music on the internet. So I did. And here I am.
What is your favorite sandwich? Is a kebab a sandwich? If not, I’d go with a Chopped Cheese. I don’t think it gets more New York than a Saturday 3 a.m. Chopped Cheese from a bodega. With BBQ sauce obviously.
What is one food that most people seem to like, but you cannot stand to eat? Sushi. I’m so out on sushi. And I’m not talking about fried all you can eat sushi with cream cheese you get in Chicago. I love that. I’m talking about the “gourmet” sushi. Such a scam. Overpriced and never filling. I spend all week doing Keto, I’m not going to a restaurant just to eat 6 small pieces of fish and pay $100.
Have you ever eaten two meals at the same restaurant in the same day? Yes. When I studied abroad in Paris there was this amazing kebab shop not far from my dorm. I went every day. Mostly for dinner. But sometimes for lunch and dinner. Also, I would finish my friend’s kebab. I just love kebabs.
What’s on your pizza? Do you fold your pizza or eat it straight on? Ranch or no ranch? I’m big on Domino’s pan pizza with BBQ sauce and pineapple. Folded and dipped into a side of ranch. Yum.
Finally at the end of the day, what do you hope is the message of your music? What do you hope people take away from your songs? That being alone sucks. Like so alone that the only time I would hear my own voice was when my dad would call me once a week. It was miserable. And when I was in that situation, I didn’t want to accept it. I became obsessed with Star Wars because I could identify with Luke and Rey. Like them I would dream of adventure and of a greater purpose. They went from being lonely nobodies isolated in the middle of nowhere to being galactic heroes. For a kid like me that was the roadmap. The hero’s journey was the way out. So I studied it, much like George Lucas did before writing Star Wars. And little by little as I cultivated my artsy side it felt like the universe was sending me opportunities to climb out of my cave. I started to make friends, spark a romance, and feel like I was part of something—you know, the things I wished I had when I was alone in my room. Now everything wasn’t as rosy as I had wished. But it was undeniable that ever since I started writing my life changed. Did Luke Skywalker dream of fighting his father for the fate of the universe when he was looking out at the binary sunset in Episode IV? Probably not. Dreams never do turn out the way we expect them to in reality. And wrestling with that truth is a major part of my journey in the album. I wished for love. The universe gifted me the girl of my dreams. But in reality, she was not the one for me. So I had to learn how to defeat the toxicity I had built up from years of loneliness, which was forcing me to cling to the first glimmer of hope I had in a long time. In doing so I was no longer that desperate boy alone in his dorm room yearning for connection. I became someone else. Still alone. But with self-respect. I became Arthur The Artiste*. Moral of the story is: it is better to be alone than in poor company for the belonging you seek will come to you as you grow into the person you’re meant to be. So be who you want to be, B.
Website: arthurtheartiste.com
Instagram: @arthurtheartiste
Twitter: @ArthurForcione
Facebook: facebook.com/ArthurTheArtiste
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