Getting Down with Blxst's Creative Evolution: His Journey in Music and Film
Getting Down with Blxst's Creative Evolution: His Journey in Music and Film
Blxst confidently declared, "I ain't heard one bad Blxst song," on his hit single "Pressure" from his 2020 EP "No Love Lost." His words weren't merely boasts; they were prophetic. The future he foresaw was a collection of captivating musical projects, characterized by his soulful melodies, innovative production techniques, and engaging storytelling. This vision is now a reality, with Blxst consistently delivering cohesive narratives through his collaborative "Sixtape" series with Bino Rideaux, acclaimed solo projects like "Before You Go," and his most recent achievement, his debut album "I'll Always Come Find You."
This latest addition to his musical dynasty not only showcases growth but also revisits Blxst's roots, deliberately diverging from his typical production style. His motivation behind this change was to demonstrate his versatility while paying homage to his musical influences.
"As an artist, I was inspired by music in general. I wanted to tap into my inner child and the different sounds I fell in love with before I even considered becoming an artist. That's what this album was – me exploring different cultures, flavors, tempos, and even experimenting with my voice, from falsettos to lower tones, giving people a different side of what they expect from me."
His determination to leave a lasting impact on the music world was evident even before the release of his debut album. Rather than succumbing to debut jitters, as some artists might, Blxst seized the opportunity to expand his artistic boundaries.
"I wanted to come correct, leave a stamp, and tap into my inner child. I thought about albums that I fell in love with early on, like 50 Cent's 'Get Rich or Die Tryin,' and how he magnified it outside of the music or how he had a movie attached to it, and it was just larger than life. That's how I wanted to attack my debut album, where I build out a whole world and dive into the character of Birdie, who you hear throughout the album, and bring him to life so when the live show comes about, people can feel like they're immersed in this world that I built."
The character of Birdie, introduced in Blxst's latest phase, serves as the protagonist in his cinematic universe, which comes to life through "I'll Always Come Find You" and its accompanying short film. This dynamic alter-ego allows Blxst to tell his story while maintaining privacy, following the lead of artists like 50 Cent, Eminem, Tyler the Creator, and Beyoncé, who all have their own alter egos.
"Birdie is actually a character within my album and short film, who I bring to life on stage. But it's really my alter ego. This whole 'I'll Always Come Find You' world is about Blxst in an alternate universe. As Blxst, I like to keep my life private. This is my way of doing it in the art form to where I'm still telling my story but not to where they can pinpoint it to me."
Blxst's skills extend beyond music and songwriting; he also shines in production and, more recently, filmmaking. As he incorporates visual elements into his projects, he appreciates the collaborative nature of this process.
"The filmmaking part is more collaborative for me. I came up doing music in my room by myself, just being isolated. It was therapeutic, and I grew to become a collaborator over time. But in the film world, you have to be a collaborator. You have to depend on your colleagues, like the director and the producers. It is a community at the end of the day. We're all trying to get the same vision across versus me just speaking along with music. That's what I enjoy about it. I linked with my friend City James, who directed pretty much my entire catalog from 'No Love Lost' to 'Before You Go' and 'I'll Always Come Find You.' It's just beautiful to see how we've grown to be able to put things from the music on film. This is a high school friend I’ve seen develop over time and become a pivotal piece in the industry outside of me."
As Blxst continues to evolve as a storyteller, he hopes to inspire his audience to fully embrace the joy of life.
"I just want people to be able to live in a moment more, to experience the joy and even the pain. Just don't let it pass you by. This album is an opportunity to be in the moment and forget about everything at home and just be joyful, dance, leave it all behind, and leave it all on the floor."
Blxst's debut album, "I'll Always Come Find You," showcases his love for music, drawing inspiration from his early influences like 50 Cent. He aimed to emulate the impact of albums like 50 Cent's "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" by creating a cohesive world for Birdie, his alter-ego, in the project.
Despite his success in music, Blxst's skills extend beyond songwriting, as he also delves into production and filmmaking. His collaboration with director City James in his projects has been a significant part of his journey, from "No Love Lost" to "Before You Go" and "I'll Always Come Find You."