Exclusive | Zavier Talks His Upcoming Album 'Planet 33'
“I would like people to know that in majority of the songs that I have, both unreleased and released, I always put out a piece of myself. I want my music to be relatable and also be able to make people feel good.”
By: Omar Cook
This week's "Who's Hot?" Artist of the week is California artist, Zavier! Zavier is multi-talented as he is a singer, songwriter, producer, and rapper hailing from Orange County, CA. Zavier brings a unique flow as he has music that gets you hype with his most popular single being “I Ain’t worried” featuring Kyra Walls and more sentimental music where is singing as shown in his single “Love Letter”. He found his passion at the age of 5 and credits his mom as a big inspiration in his music because he was able to attend his mom’s shows and watch her perform live. Zavier’s musical talents extend past his singing and rapping ability as he also plays piano for his church where his grandfather is the pastor.
Zavier serves as a producer for rising Inglewood rapper Dayway. He produced the hit song “Bands” which had 2 remixed version with Joe Moses and Compton Av. He is also part of a producer team with credits such as Kap G, Phor from Black Ink Crew: Chicago, Fetty Wap, and more. Outside of music, Zavier has aspirations of getting into acting and modeling.
We talked with Zavier in an exclusive interview, check it out below!
How long have you been making music and how did you get started?
Zavier: I have been doing music seriously for about 5 years. I’ve been singing for most of my life because I grew up in church so I was always singing in the musicals. Growing up in church is also what lead me to playing piano when I was 13. It sounds crazy when I tell people but I learned how to play piano from a dream. I woke up from a dream and knew how to play “Fur Elise” by Beethoven. From that point I just kept on working to perfect the craft. Later on when I was 16 I taught myself how to play guitar. When I Graduated I got a midi keyboard and a MacBook Pro and that’s when I started producing and not too long after I had gone into my first session was where I recorded for the first time.
Musically, who has been your biggest influence in helping you along your journey and who are your favorite musicians?
Zavier: My biggest musical influences are: Chris Brown, Eric Bellinger, Blxst, Scott Storch, Zaytoven and Ty Dolla $ign.
What artists would you like to collaborate with and why?
Zavier: There are a lot of artists I would love to work with but 2 artists I’d like to work with are definitely Toosii and Blxst. I’d work with Toosii because I really like his sound and what he talks about in his music and I know we’d really make something crazy. I’d work with Blxst because he really makes timeless music and that’s always been a goal of mine with every song I put out. I want to make sure that its timeless and can hold longevity.
What do you feel is your best song/project ever released and why?
Zavier: I think that my best song ever released would have to be “Ride for Me” Produced by Mr. Wilson on the Beat of The Wav Godz. The reason I feel like this song is the best is because of how organic it was writing that song. I had the first verse and the chorus written before I hit the studio with my engineer Lil Nunu. But when I did the second verse, it was one of those times I didn’t write anything. I was just in a zone and the song didn’t take long to make.
What projects can we look forward to in the near future?
Zavier: My main focus is on releasing singles right now but I do have an album called “Planet 33” that I’m working on. When I came up with the name “Planet 33” I got the inspiration from Planet 9. Which is a hypothetical planet. The thing about hypothetical is that you can choose whether or not to believe if that hypothesis is true or not, just like my dream of doing music. There are going to be people who believe in me and support what I do but there are also going to be those who tell me that I can’t turn this dream into a reality. The number 33 symbolizes creativity, imagination, and self-expression which is everything I stand for creating music.
How do you generate new ideas for your music?
Zavier: The way I generate ideas can really go so many different ways. Sometimes I’ll get an idea just hearing a song I like and I’ll go home and make a beat and then I’ll start writing. Another way will be when I’m playing piano at church. Sometimes I come up with melodies and then I’ll come home and incorporate it into a beat.
Zavier Music Interview
What motivates you and how do you define success?
Zavier: Besides being self-motivated, my family is a big part of what motivates me, even outside of music. They have always been there to pick me up especially when I was battling with depression and having suicidal thoughts. I’m thankful that I had them to help me out honestly. That’s why I go so hard. I want to get on so I can help the ones who helped me along the road, which is how I would define success. I feel like once I’m doing good and able to help the people around me do good I’ll be successful.
How do you describe your music to people and what separates you from other artists in your genre?
Zavier: I would describe my music as very all-around. I have songs where I’m singing and more on a slow vibe. Then I have songs where I’m rapping and its on more of an upbeat, turnt type of sound. I also have songs like “Ride for Me” where I do both. I can really come out with any type of song I want because I’m so versatile. Whether its producing or being an artist, I’m always experimenting with new sounds which is also what separates me from other artists.
Do you believe there is a formula to being a successful artist?
Zavier: In all honesty, I don’t believe there is a formula to being a successful artist because there are so many artists who have shared stories of how they came up and they’re always different. I feel like as long as your doing you and you love what you do, you can be a successful artist especially if you’re really determined to do it.
Who is your greatest inspiration?
Zavier: My greatest inspiration is definitely my mom. She is the main reason I got into singing. She used to write her own songs and put together her own shows and I’d always be with her at all the rehearsals when I was a kid.
In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?
Zavier: I feel like the most influential and successful artist today is Drake. In all the years that he’s done music he’s constantly continued growing and improving year by year and is continuing to do that right now. I also respect the fact that he didn’t stay in the same lane coming up. He’s done Reggae, Latin, and other different genres.
Which emotion more than any other, currently dominates your music? Joy, sadness, anger or passion etc. , and why?
Zavier: I think I’m emotionally unstable when it comes to describing the mood of my music. But I would say that joy is the mood that dominates my music.
Zavier Music Interview
What sacrifices have you had to make, to make your dream a reality?
Zavier: One of the sacrifices I’ve had to make in order to make my dream a reality is that I had to miss out on hanging with friends and family at times so I could go to the studio. There was one time I had missed my grandmother’s birthday because I was in a session for more than 24 hours and was working non-stop. I honestly felt bad but I know it comes with the lifestyle.
What aspect of the music making process excites you most, and what aspect discourages you the most?
Zavier: I think I get excited making a beat and recording a song the most. With both I can just come up with one melody and it’ll set the tone for the whole project. When I’m producing a beat with Mr. Wilson, we always have those moments where a beat will sound hard and we start bobbing our heads. It’s the same with recording. I just get into a zone by myself. There isn’t anything that really discourages me when it comes to music. I’m very resilient so I don’t really let anything get in my way. If a song or a beat isn’t coming out right, I move on to the next one and I might come back to it later.
Where do you see yourself and your music in 10 years?
Zavier: In 10 years I see myself being a successful producer/artist/businessman and owning all of my masters.
What advice would you give to other up and coming artists or people looking to break into the music industry?
Zavier: I would tell other up and coming artists that in the music industry you need to have tough skin and be able to handle everything that comes with the lifestyle. But as long as you stay hungry, have a strong determination, and don’t let anything stand in your way, you can make it and do big things.
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