Hailing from Toronto, Canada, experienced producer/songwriter Boyojoy has been making music since he was 14 years old. Boyojoy strives to spread awareness on the mental health crisis in North America. After battling with chronic anxiety, depression, and many other states of mind, he now wants to inspire others to heal so they too can be left empowered with a sense of belonging. Now he wants to spread an important message to the world through an album he produced as part of a larger overall project with the help of 6 other artists. The project is called "Broken Record" which aims to break the stigma associated with mental health and spiritual well-being.
“Broken Record” is the title single off of Boyojoy’s newest album. We can’t get enough of this track. It’s laced with so many diverse layers of sound we can't get enough! “Broken Record” is a track for listeners who are bored with their life or those struggling with mental health. Staying true to his theme, Boyojoy is breaking down barriers and stigmas in the music industry by singing and curating music that inspires change. Galvanizing and challenging the current state of Hip-hop and R&B, “Broken Record” bring a fresh, contemporary sound to the table. I highly recommend you check out this track and feel empowered! We can’t wait to see what Boyojoy delivers next!
Check out “Broken Record” here and read more in our exclusive interview below!
What’s you writing process like?
When I'm composing a beat for an artist in the studio, I channel through my heart & mind to pull out ideas into my keyboard and I play with them until I catch a wave with the vibe we're going for. I ride that wave and build the beat layer by layer while the artist starts to write and together our wave grows. As they're writing, singing, and rapping, I rebound off their energy while they rebound off mine back and forth in harmony as we create. This double-channeling dance naturally leads to a song that fits the artist's vibe like a custom shoe. When I'm putting together lyrics though, I find a melody that "bounces off" the beat with the right energy and then I find syllables in the words so the vocal melody bounces at its smoothest. When all is said and done, I polish it all off until the listener can either move with the beat, really catch onto the vocal performance, or vibe with the meaning of the lyrics depending on what they like to listen for in music. The song becomes a versatile, adaptable being with it's own identity.
Tell us more about the lyrics in “Broken Record”! What inspired this song? What the overall theme of your album?
This song is about the state of mental health in the world. We're stuck in a cycle of trauma, stigmatization, and bad recovery methods. The album intro song "Broken Record" sets the starting tone and makes way for breaking the cycle to allow for deeper healing not only individually, but on a societal level too. The overall theme of the Broken Record album itself is mental health, overcoming inner demons, and spiritual awakening. As you go through the album, the mood shifts from dark to light as if you're healing with the music with each song being a transition into the next. This was inspired by my own journey when I discovered meditation 2 summers ago. That was the first day of the rest of my life which lead me down a deep rabbit hole of ancient knowledge and useful healing methods and it became a way of life. Now I want everyone to know that there's hope so that they can find their freedom too. When we heal ourselves, we allow our full potential.
Who are your musical influences? How do they help shape your craft?
I can't exactly say "this or that" person because I've listened to a lot of different artists throughout the years, both big and underground. I pull from my heart and intuition which is why I find it hard to put my music into a specific "exact" genre. But I do I like a lot of male R&B artists and female Neo Soul singers these days. Their rich melodies and vocal depth always get me hooked.
What’s next for you Boyojoy?
I've started a fundraiser for a progressive mental health charity in Toronto called "Stella's Place". Now you have the chance to carry the message of the music with you everywhere you go, yours to keep forever in the form of Broken Record hats, shirts, and other styled wearables ($5 will be donated for every sale). The goal is to create a vibe, a movement of some sort where the Broken Record emblem on clothing will represent empowerment, acceptance, and the breaking of the stigma.You can find it all here: https://merch.brokenrecords.caAs of now, I'm going to keep creating music, making beats, and releasing singles. My main focus right now is working with other artists and to really collaborate. I absolutely love making music with another person, shared vibes all-round.
Keep updated with Boyojoy via the artists socials!