Nsqk Is Pushing The Envelope With His Sound
Mexican rap artist Nsqk has combined his love for his hometown Monterrey and being raised in Houston to create a lane for himself that can’t be duplicated anywhere in the world. His new album gives the world a taste of what he has to offer and there’s no doubt that he’s just getting started. We caught up with Nsqk to learn all about his journey in music and much more.
Monterrey has a rich musical scene especially for Trap alt Mexa reggaetón. How has landscape of Monterrey artist influenced your music and artistic vision?
Monterrey is known for being an incubator for great music. we can go pretty far back in history and find music being exported from Monterrey to the rest of the country and the world. Fortunately while I was starting out and on the rise, Monterrey’s local hip-hop scene realized we all had the same goal, so we all decided to get together and organize our own events, our own pop ups and our own environment. It was really nice to rely on and support people who I (mostly) still call friends today. I’m proud to say I represent the city I was born in and I’m sure it will keep being an epicenter of culture and music.
Can you share how your musical style has evolved over the years, and what key experiences have shaped that journey?
My music has always been heavily inspired by EDM and electronic sounds. My heroes are all American or European DJs and producers who constantly push the envelope. Names like Porter Robinson, Skillex and Swedish House Mafia. Today, my music is still pretty electronic, but I’ve learned to integrate it with other sounds that I’m interested in, in a way that doesn’t feel too sectioned or blocky. Most of the time I’m making something that sounds like whatever I’ve been listening to recently. Last year it was a whole lot of hyper-pop and Indie Electronica like Underscores and Glaive, but right now I’m listening to a lot of hip-hop and mainstream pop.
What does your creative process look like? Are there any specific rituals or environments that help you get into the right mindset for making music?
It’s mostly very destructive. In the studio and while producing my music I’m not afraid to mess up, delete things or move things around because very often this messiness leads to new sounds and textures that I then include in other things I do. I don’t have any sort of musical education or understanding, I don’t play instruments or read music, and although this might seem counterintuitive, I’d like to think it gives me an edge that I used to my advantage. I don’t have any specific rituals or environments that I need to do, I’m more of a “work is work” kind of person right now.
You’ve worked with various artists in the biz. How do these collaborations impact your work, and what do you look for in a collaborative partner?
It’s always nice to learn about other people’s processes. Nobody has the formula or the “right” way of making music. Everybody’s so interesting in their own way and picking things up from sessions, conversations or even social interactions really keeps me inspired in the studio. I normally look for synergy in a collaborator. It’s immediately obvious when you click with someone and when you don’t. That doesn’t mean I couldn’t make something cool with someone I don’t vibe with that much, though.
Dream musical collaboration?
Tainy, Rosalia, Porter Robinson.
Your lyrics often explore many things that we all are facing. What draws you to these themes, and how do you approach writing about them?
My lyrics are always rooted in something I experienced, saw, heard or felt; but I can’t say that I’m always right, things that are 100% true to my life. I understand the importance of storytelling and transmitting messages even though that could be rooted in fiction. Much like a movie director, it can make you feel something through fake scenarios, characters and situations, I can try to make people feel something that I say although it might not be an experience unique to me.
What is your favorite lyric from “Tarde o Temprano”?
“Te dañaron también pero juntos tal vez se quita, si te saco una sonrisa finge que me correspondes”
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your music career, and how have they contributed to your growth as an artist?
Personally, I think one of the greater challenges I’ve faced is my work ethic. I’m not proud to say I used to be very lazy; I worked only when I felt like it and I wasted a LOT of time. Last year I kinda got tired of it and I had a long-due epiphany that if I really wanted to achieve my goals I had to work day in and day out on them.
It was a challenge but today I’m at a point where I feel satisfied every day because I know I did my best and gave my 100%. I’ve also started applying this in everything I do, although balancing my work and personal life is not always easy.
Your Mex Alter Ego tour is sold out! How do you engage with your audience during live performances, and what do you hope they take away from your shows? What can we expect from this one specifically?
It is very exciting and I feel very blessed. I love being on stage in front of a crowd, it’s where I feel most like myself. Interacting with the audience is my top priority always because I believe it makes the show much more intimate and I really feel like I hook them in when there is an exchange of words as well as energy. This is more difficult with way bigger crowds, which we’ve fortunately been doing recently, but I’m learning to manage those too.
What is in your essential kit while touring? From skin care to cologne, what is a must have at all times?
My Nintendo Switch, though I forgot it for the US tour 🙁 . My skincare is usually a hydrating face soap and a hyaluronic acid cream as well as sunscreen (I tend to forget the sunscreen but I’m working on that). Also Chapstick! Gotta have nice lips. My all time favorite perfume is Golf Le Fleurs “French Waltz“. I don’t have one right now but God do I love it. Wet wipes are always with me too… there’s no going back to normal toilet paper! My sunglasses are my addiction, preferably dark and snug.
Talk to us about your new album, what is your favorite song on the record?
ATP (Aún Te Pienso) is my most recent album, it means ‘I still think of you’ and I wanted to capture the nostalgia and feeling of missing someone or something. At the same time, I just wanted to have fun and make a bunch of music that I liked. It’s about a fake radio station hosted by ElMariana (Mexico’s #1 twitch streamer) and my favorite track is “Cienciaficcion“.
What’s up with the color orange? What significance does it play your life?
Orange is a bright, tough color that is used to make things stand out in an urban setting; think traffic cones, work vests, etc. We wanted the album to be unmissable.
What’s next for you on the journey to superstardom?
Right now we have a US and Mexico tour to finish, but next year we’re doing some festivals around the world and we’ve thankfully been meeting great people and working with great teams. I’m convinced we’re only getting started and that you’ll be seeing a lot more of me in the coming years. See you soon and thank you Galore!
TEAM CREDITS:
Editor-in-Chief: Prince Chenoa
Feature Editor: Taylor Winter Wilson (@taylorwinter)
Photographer: Ximena Morfin (@ximenamorfin)
Photography Assistant & Videographer: Miguel H. Urzúa (@miguelhurzua)
Wardrobe Stylist: Valeria Aguilar (@valeriaaguilartorres)
