Writer, producer, and engineer _Clarity is a musical artist who has felt a deep connection and passion for music since the young age of 5. Growing up in the Bronx, and Mount Vernon, _Clarity has developed his unique, slow-moving sound through the growth of his personal production and vocal knowledge.
“Lately” is one of _Clarity’s newly released singles that is filled with sneaky and crawling energy and that encompasses an unsettling nature through its instrumental tones. Every lyric touch on a variety of emotions and the degree to which they have impacted these individuals.
“Lately” is a slow-moving single that delivers a climbing nature that listeners will never forget. Although this track holds a mysterious and eerie base, the beat and various vocal combinations help to provide powerful layers that move the track forward in a provoking way.
Drawing influence from Kendrick Lamar, H.E.R and Michael Jackson, _Clarity finds himself tuning various sounds together to create unique musical masterpieces that boost himself, a swell as listeners up into a higher spiritual and emotional place where the music is so much more than just a song, but rather an experience.
"Lately" is a passionate journey that will have listeners finding themselves upon a long path and in an experience, they won’t forget.
We love your new single Lately and wondering what was your inspiration behind this emotion-filled track?
Thanks for listening! The inspiration behind Lately comes from a very close relationship I share with my girlfriend. We've known each other since Middle School and our bond has always been unbreakable. She's been by my side through so much and I cannot thank her enough.
Not only is this song for her, but for listeners who share a similar feeling. We all have that one person who we can't stop thinking about, who we want to dance with all night long! We want them to know how much they mean to us. My inspiration is love and I want to spread that message to everyone.
Lately is definitely a very unforgettable single that takes listeners on a journey, you mentioned that this is a very important piece within all of your music. Do you feel that your other singles relate to “Lately” in some way, or is each single vastly distinct?
Instrumentally, my music has certain distinctions, but they are all interconnected to who _Clarity is. They're like puzzle pieces, each song has a different shape, but they're all vital in completing the puzzle. Each of my singles has its own story. I have my rebellious song, my sad song, my angry song, but Lately is different from the rest.
Lately is a story that I wanted to share for a long time, but struggled to put together. Mostly because expressing love through my music is brand new to me. In my mind, I found it easier to make a song when I'm upset or sad, but when attempting to speak from your heart in such a vulnerable place, you don't want it to sound disingenuous or dishonest, or cheesy. You want to engage your listeners but be true to yourself at the same time.
You mentioned that your production knowledge stemmed from Garageband and Logic Pro X, how have you been able to use these technologies to your advantage and create a unique personal sound with them?
GarageBand was my first taste of music production. Whenever I had the chance, I'd go on my iPad and play around in that app for hours. Sometimes, because I didn't have a microphone, I would find a quiet place to sit and record myself singing or rapping. Is it the best DAW out there? Depends on who you ask, but I didn't have the resources or knowledge at the time to invest in what big named producers were using. To this day, GarageBand is a lot of fun to play around in. Super easy too! Plus, using it made my transition to Logic Pro X almost seamless, which is a win-win in my eyes.
I believe no matter what DAW you use, as long as you find enjoyment in what you are creating, the world is yours. Both GarageBand and Logic give me that joy. Searching through the various instruments and samples available in each program, making a beat or a melody out of it, and mixing that sound into something enjoyable is an exciting process. It also further proves that you don't need all of the fancy equipment to make a great song.
What would you say is the genre your music falls into and why is this a good fit for your personality as an individual and as a music producer?
I always struggle to answer this question, so I promise this is not a cop-out answer! Putting my music in one specific genre is hard for me because I am inspired and influenced by multiple genres of music. I have music that blends in between Rock and Hip Hop or R&B and Pop. Sometimes there are more than two genres in one song. Sometimes I dive into different decades of those genres and get inspired by a 90s or a 2000s song! So there's a lot that runs through my brain when it comes to putting my music in a category.
I also don't like the feeling of being labeled as a *blank* artist or a *blank* producer. My personality says that there is more to me than just one thing. I don't want to feel stuck in a bubble where I'm expected to create one style of music. Yes, it would make life a whole lot simpler, but I am far from simple. I believe in the freedom of creativity, no matter what it may sound like or look like. As long as you enjoy it.
What has been keeping you inspired to create music?
When I was studying Studio Production in college, I found myself networking and building bonds with many aspiring artists. Two artists that I had the pleasure of working with, two who I can easily call life-long friends, inspire me to never give up on my music journey. Not only are they talented, but they're also honest, genuine, and driven to reach their music goals. As much as I push them to reach for the stars, the same message is given to me in a loving way. We would collaborate on a consistent basis, sharing knowledge we would learn in our respective classes and utilize those skills in our craft. Interacting with these beautiful people has been and continues to be my inspiration and I look forward to what our futures will hold.