Hailing from Covina, CA, the Singer/Songwriter and Rapper Deception releases a vulnerable and warm-hearted single titled "Visions."
Creating music with themes of mental illness, love, and self-discovery, Deception brings incredible sincerity with each individual song.
His latest single "Visions" surrounds a message of searching for someone who, instead of looks past your flaws, embraces them for who you are. He goes deep on this track, going back and forth from heartfelt vocalizations to deepened bars and steady flow, Deception brings nothing but heart and authenticity on this 3-minute groove.
Not to mention the Weeknd-like production that lights up the night sky, this single sticks out as one to take note of straight away.
"Visions" begins with droning and spacey keys and a groovy mid-tempo foot-tapping beat. Once Deception's warm vocals appear, he spills his heart with such a genuine tone and allows the listener to dive into his celestial sound. The background production sounds as if Abel Tesfaye went lo-fi/psychedelic; it pours over the listener with captivating melodies and perfectly arranged electronic elements. Deception continues singing with an incredible passion for someone he has his eyes on, and he doesn't fail to impress us with the vulnerable and relatable lyrics he's written.
Deception's single "Visions" reminds us not to settle for anything less than what we expect, all while allowing the listener to groove the night away.
Hello Justin (Aka Deception) and welcome to BuzzMusic. What was your songwriting process like for "Visions"? How did you go about being so vulnerable and opening your heart up to write such heavy lyrics?
To put into context of the song, Visions is about finding that one special person who understands the inner struggles that we've faced on an everyday basis, yet STILL accepts you for who you are. The special person who also tries to help you seek the positive aspects of yourself when you've yet to realize them. I think all of us at one point in our lifetime has had that experience before. It is one of my favorite tracks I've written for the album due to its euphoric, yet somber atmosphere. I believe that having vulnerability in my music not only brings out the best in my writing, but also the best in understanding how capable I am as an artist. It helps me pinpoint what works for me and what doesn't. I've always written lyrics that people today could relate to because I want the listeners to feel like they have a close connection with me. From then to now, I noticed a significance where most of my deep and heartfelt songs resonate more with listeners than my songs that are braggadocious and obnoxious. I've also been told that my voice suits well with songs that have a somber atmosphere. I've taken that into account and will gravitate more towards that within my craft.
Did you produce "Visions" yourself, or did you have help with the song's sonics? How did you create such a beautifully chilling atmosphere?
I was not the one who produced the track. I give credit to the producer, Benny Alexander, for making such a beautiful composition to Visions. I love that beat. The beat feels like you've taken acid and are now floating in space. Some of my friends would tell me that the bass drop in that song would go crazy on their speakers and that the melody of the song itself was just ear candy. Because I'm currently not at that stage yet where I produce my own songs, I pick and choose certain beats online from various producers, and that takes me around two to four hours just finding beats that I feel a strong connection within writing confidently. In the future, I plan to produce my own songs whenever my patience serves me right, haha.
Since your career began in early 2016, how have you seen your music grow over time? Do you feel that your sound has evolved, or have you stayed loyal to a particular style?
My sound in my music has definitely evolved over time. During the beginning, I was mostly doing rap with lyrics that were edgy and unorthodox in today's viewpoint of music. I was sixteen when I first started doing music, so I was pretty immature within my craft I guess you could say. Today, I am twenty-one. Boom bap, lofi, and alternative rock were the vibes I took a liking to. Today, I still remain loyal to those styles, yet every day I'm searching for new sounds to incorporate into my music as well. I think that, as an artist, you shouldn't have to be afraid of trying new things. Whether it be new genres in your music to incorporate, different ideas, or lyrics, you should not have to be afraid. If you have a desire to be different in the music scene, go for it. No matter what type of artist you are, painter, poet, dancer, actor, singer, etc, you should never be afraid of trying new things. It'll help you discover yourself as both an artist and an individual.
Seeing as it's been a month since the release of your debut album "The Escape III," do you feel that the project was received well by listeners? Did you happen to pull in new fans?
I certainly do! I was given lots of love and support for this project, and not to mention that the album was featured on a monthly artist playlist from Spilled Records and We Are Dope Haven on Instagram. As of late, the album stream is currently standing at 42.5k, which is pretty impressive to me considering that it's my first major release! Most listeners enjoyed listening to Visions, Trying, and Promises on the album. I'm still trying to build up my fanbase, but within time, I know that it'll slowly start to increase much further. For now, I'm just blessed with the accomplishments I have so far with this album.
What has been keeping you inspired in 2020?
What's been keeping me inspired in 2020 is having this optimism where one day I'll get to where I want to be. Not only in life, but with the passion I have for this craft as well. I don't only have that optimism for myself, but also for my music crew. EVERYWHEREISWAR. That's what we call ourselves. We're local artists from the City of Covina who share the same aspirations and goals. My family also keeps me inspired. They're the ones who have given me lots of advice about life as I grew older. Because of the rough times, we are in with the whole COVID-19 and social injustices that continue to be exposed around the world, we can only hold on to optimism and find sources of inspiration that will help us stray away from these harsh times in order to have our minds stay afloat and not lose touch of who we are.