Recently we go the chance to interview singer / songwriter/ producer Roy English.
When Roy was growing up he had a difficult start with singing. After a group of classmates made a negative blog about his singing, he decided to prove them wrong. He began spending a majority of his time practicing and getting better and better. “I’m a firm believer that you can learn how to do anything if you put your mind to it.”
While practicing, Roy had many people who encouraged him. “I’ve always had a great group of people around me who inspire me and allowed me to keep going.”
He has had many influences over the year and is so thankful for all of the amazing people who have come into his life. “ The first one was Robert Palmer. He was the first who mentored me and taught me a lot about production. This is when I was in high school. He was a producer and did a lot of pop stuff. He opened my eyes to that world. After that, producer Matt Wallace was a big influence on me. He produced Songs about Jane with Maroon 5, Faith No More, and a bunch of cool records. I was in a band after high school and we were signed to an indie label called Fearless Records. We did our album with Matt Wallace. While we were working together, he brought me aside, and said honestly I want you to co-produce this with me. Another influence is Jeff Bhasker who changed my life in terms of mentoring and teaching me things.”
On developing his sound, “I think in general it always comes back to visuals and movies. Whenever I am writing a song, I usually start with a movie that I like and use those visuals and see how they make me feel and make music around the way that feels to me. Movie soundtracks are a big part in everything that I do. I try to make everything pretty cinematic and an undertone that is larger than life.”
On his song “Cool” with Alesso. “I was working with Jeff Bhasker at the time. Jeff’s manager Neil Jacobson who works at Interscope heard it and he took it to Alesso’s manger who loved it and he took it to Alesso.” When the song came out, he had many people reaching out to him about their excitement of hearing his song. On a trip to Bali he heard the song many times from a taxi, to a water park, and in the airport when leaving.
Roy has a new EP that was recently released. While in Miami, Roy was working with Michael Brun. Michael discussed how he was going to Haiti and joked with Roy how he should come with him. Roy liked the idea and decided to go with him and work on his EP there. “The EP I did it in Haiti, which was an incredible experience.” He spent 3 weeks in Haiti working on the EP. When not working on his music, he really enjoyed the culture and the food, especially the cooking of Michael’s mother. Roy plans to go back to Haiti this summer. “I am going there in July. Michael is putting together an amazing festival in Haiti and I am going to play that. It is to raise money for a music school there. This music school is amazing. It is free for anyone who wants to go there. They provide a way for children to get out of situations by teaching them what they love, producers, engineers, musicians.”
What is next for him: He will be releasing 2 more EPs soon, hitting the road this summer, and has been working on a clothing line called I’m Not Here. This clothing line is hand painted shirts with the words I’m Not Here on them. By selling these shirts he has been giving back to homeless shelters in LA. Roy has had previous experiences of not knowing if he would have a place to stay. These shirts hold a special meaning to his heart and it means a lot to him to be able to give back to others going through these experiences. “I feel like I have had a taste of living every type of life possible that I can live.”
Roy’s EP is now available!
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