John Dek0 doesn’t like to use words to describe his music. “I don’t know how to describe my own sound. I normally let the listener’s conception guide it,” he tells me.
What is clear is that John wants to spread a message about the importance of expressing your unique self. “You need to stand out,” he says, simply. “A lot of these artists talk about the same things. It’s all about money and drugs – it’s just boring.”
“I used to be in a choir. The sounds they would make were incredible,” he explained to me when asked how his love of music began. Since then, his musical journey has taken a left turn. John now draws influence for his alternative sound from the wealth of genres he listens to. “I get the vibe from things like indie, old school rock, jazz and soul and it inspires me to create new sounds in my music”. When it comes to his own work, he’s reluctant to put himself in a box. “Music is subjective. People pick up on my sound in different ways, and that’s what’s unique about it,” he muses.
Despite taking sonic inspiration from genres best known for singing and instrumentation, the project he wishes he’d seen in production comes from East Coast hip-hop artist Joey Bada$$; an artist he clearly admires. “I would’ve loved to see B4.DA.$$ be recorded. My favourite songs off that are Paper Trails and Belly of the Beast. Also his project 1999 and the song Survival Tactics. He’s unreal, his flow is just out of this world”. He also tells me he has been listening to south London rapper Ayrtn, an artist he describes as “refreshing and new”. “[Ayrtn] doesn’t sound like anyone else,” John explains.
Dek0’s praises for Joey Bada$$’ and Ayrtn’s flows and lyricism are high, but he doesn’t let other artists influence him when it comes to his lyrics. He believes that good writing needs to come from the heart. “I like to explore how I can make my own words more complex and emotional, and that all comes from the heart. I don’t break down other people’s lyrics in their music”.
Speaking on his debut single Hope, John explains how he wanted to provide people with a beacon of light during lockdown. Given the response from his fans, he seems to have hit the nail on the head. He recalls, “A lot of people tell me how their song helped them through a bad time in their life, which is what I’m going for”.
As far as new music goes, John Dek0 wants to assure the world he has a lot more up his sleeve than the sentimental sounds of Hope. “I’ve progressed a lot,” he emphasises. “My new stuff is crazy and completely different”.
Keep your eyes peeled for John’s forthcoming EP, out on all streaming platforms on June 4th.
- Written By: Sam Murphy
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @s.murfy
