REINTRODUCING: BRYSON TILLER! TALKS NEW ALBUM, FATHERHOOD AND MORE!
It’s hard to believe that ten years ago, Bryson Tiller came onto the music scene with his viral hit track “Don’t” and took over the R&B airwaves. Since his arrival, Bryson’s approach to R&B music has come with his personal touch, catchy hooks, and beats that have caught the attention of masterminds like Drake and Timbaland. The father of two has been featured on various songs and released singles in the last few years while hard at work on his latest album, which was three years in the making. The Bryson Tiller Album invites listeners into a world where genre boundaries with elements of Drill, R&B, Dancehall, and pop. We catch up with Bryson and dish on his latest project, fatherhood, and what fans can expect in 2024. Stream/Download The Bryson Tiller Album HERE.
FEATURED INTERVIEW:
Your new album was three years in the making. Can you tell us a little about the process of creating this project?
It started when I was in Los Angeles. I was finishing up a couple of projects, including my Christmas EP, a mixtape that I was working on, and the Deluxe for my recent album. I was trying to figure out where to take it next. My manager, Neil, presented me with a song that I liked and felt very different from anything I’ve ever done. That song was called “Outside,” which ended up being the first single for the album. Then it hit me, and I thought, This is it; I want to do more of this. I wanted to do more than sample classic hip-hop songs and focus more on things that were just kind of unexpected for me. Over the years, we gathered a ton of different songs for the project, and a lot of those songs ended up getting denied for sample clearance or other reasons. We later decided to use them for #TillerTuesdays and just gave them to the fans for free. Now that we’re here, we have the album finished and ready to go.
Can fans expect any surprise features or contributions on the album?
There are no surprise features. I feel like people already know Victoria Monet will be on the album.
Which songs from your new album are you most excited to perform live?
I’m not 100% sure. I have a song called “Ciao!” that I’m excited about performing live. “Calypso” is a good one too. I’ll have to see, but I’m not sure yet.
What inspired your new Album Artwork?
I’m a big sci-fi fan. I love anything science fiction, like 5th Element, District 9, The Creator, and Ready Player One (also one of my favorite movies). I’ve always wanted to exist in the future, years and years in the future. Some of my close friends know this about me, but I hate the idea of all my organs. Being a human sometimes freaks me out, knowing all these intricate parts of my bodywork to keep me alive. I’ve always wished I could replace it all with robotic parts and be a cyborg to live forever. While working on this project, I thought about how to build a cyborg. Especially with how I see AI and robotics, characters can be built with AI programming. It all made me wonder if I would ever build a robot and put my consciousness into a robot. Conceptually, that was the idea for the album cover, and I wanted to make a bunch of music and program this robot with all the different types of sounds and styles I’ve developed. This robot could be the perfect version of me and could be the ideal artist. Something that could even operate like a robot because sometimes my fans treat me like a robot. Sometimes, they might say, “Drop this, drop that.” Many think I would disappear and go on hiatus, which is not the case. Therefore, now we have a robot—not literally.
How has navigating Fatherhood and being Bryson Tiller, the artist, been for you so far?
Challenging! My oldest daughter is 10, and I miss her a lot. I want to be able to wake up and do whatever she wants to do. It’s tough telling her I have to work every day. I want to take my daughters to different countries and enjoy traveling with them. Being an artist has been challenging for me. I don’t typically enjoy recording like most people because it takes a lot out of me. The balance between recording music and talking to people can be challenging.
Do you have a favorite line from your latest single, Calypso?
My favorite line would probably be, “We in LA, and that shit ain’t cheap,” because the alcohol in LA ain’t cheap, and it’s funny. I always envision myself moving and trying to walk through a crowd in LA while keeping my drink intact.
Do you have any pre-show rituals?
I don’t have any pre-show rituals, but maybe I need one. Besides listening to my favorite music to get me excited to go on stage, that’s about it.
What does self-care look like for you?
I’m trying to eat healthier. I’m also trying to drink a lot less alcohol. I find myself drinking more on tour. I feel bad for doing that to my body, but I’m working on that. I need to get more massages here and there, too. Other than that, my other form of self-care is just doing what I like to do: playing video games and relaxing—that’s my peace.
Do you have a signature fragrance?
Chanel Blue
Your viral hit “Don’t.” was released ten years ago on Soundcloud before becoming the hit we all know and love. Can you reflect briefly on the last ten years and what your music means to you?
I am the most confident I’ve ever been in my music career. Over the past ten years, I’ve spent much time reflecting. Sometimes, I felt like I was seeking validation when I should have believed in myself. I think I’m in a place where nobody can trick me out of my spot. Ten years ago, I wasn’t mentally strong enough to deal with the pressures of fame. When I came across comments about myself or negative things, such as “Oh, he’s not talented” or “I hate this,” it gave me imposter syndrome. I don’t feel like I’m in that space anymore. I love where I am right now. However, no matter how confident I get, I know how to keep my ego in check and bring it back down to earth. I try to save my ego for the stage. However, I must say, my confidence is through the roof right now when it comes to creating music.
How do you feel your creativity is disrupting the R&B Industry?
I think from the start, it’s always been that I rap well, but many people didn’t know I could even actually sing. They’ll know after this album, for sure. For example, in Trapsoul, I used to tone down my vocals while polishing up my raps. I’m a much better rapper now, which makes me different from other artists. When I go to R&B festivals, I’m usually the only artist who is also rapping, which I don’t mind because many of the beats I’m rapping over are R&B-driven and R&B-infused, so people get that it’s R&B. On second thought, I don’t love that I’ve disrupted the industry because I feel like I’ve blurred the lines of what R&B is. People think they can put autotune over their raps. I don’t know; I guess I could be to blame for that.
Do you have any guilty pleasures?
I would have to say Taco Bell. Even when it doesn’t make my body feel good, I feel like it ends up being fantastic every eight times. I hope and pray that it’ll be good each time, but it’s hit or miss.
If you could give your 16-year-old self advice, what would it be?
I would tell my 16-year-old self to remain confident and not listen to anyone regarding creativity. I’d also tell my younger self to believe and trust your gut and the creative decisions you make. I would also tell my young self to collaborate with people you inspire. At 22, I was very anti-working with writers because I wanted to do everything myself. I think it’s mainly because people were trying to discredit me as a songwriter. Mainly because of the success of my first album, everyone wanted to say it was because “he worked with this person or that person” and wanted to credit the other people I might’ve worked with. This made me want to work more by myself, but in hindsight, I think I was hindering myself by not collaborating more with others. I saw how my ego got involved by thinking I could do it all alone. In all honesty, many people were inspired by what I did and what I accomplished, and they might have had some fantastic ideas for me to sing and help keep things moving forward. I feel like the biggest superstars and the best people ever to do it have all collaborated with songwriters and multiple different producers. I would tell my 16-year-old self to collaborate with people you inspire.
Aside from creating music, what helps you keep your creative juices flowing?
Video games and movies, for sure. Sometimes, I have to get outside and touch some grass occasionally. I used to hate going to clubs, but now I like trying different clubs and feeling the music. Some nights might be an urban club, an EDM club, or even the strip club because they play different music there, too. Strip clubs inspired many of my recent music for my mixtape, “Slum Tiller.”
Lastly, 2024 will be the year of…
2024 will be the year of consistency and confidence—the year of doing everything with intention.
CREDITS:
Editor-in-chief: Prince Chenoa @princechenoastudio
Interviewed by: Perrin Johnson @Editsbyperry
Cover Art Design: Carlos Graciano @sadpapi666
Photography: @Ro.Lexx
Wardrobe Stylist: @Unoshiri
