Highjak Ensures That the Next Stop is at, "Wonderland"

Reigning from Kansa City, MO, artist and producer HighJak delivers captivating pop hooks and indie/alternative melodies that give his listeners a soothing yet entertaining blend of genres.

HighJak got his start with music when he formed an indie/alternative rock band by the name of Captiva during his high school years. Filling the roles of being the songwriter, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and manager for the group, he has experienced a well-rounded approach to being creative. In the studio nearly every other day with his current roommate and producer/engineer, Bergotti, Highjak is in pursuit of his own solo-pop/alternative hip-hop career.

Fresh off the release of his most recent EP, ‘Voices,’ Highjak delivers an intimate blend of realities as he effortlessly swoops us into the seemingly impeccable mix of “Wonderland.”

Chalked full of striking harmonies that have us gravitating towards the complexity divulged in the production elements of “Wonderland,” we find ourselves swaying in the thorough utopia brought to life by the lyrical context provided by the emerging artist.

The affection that is heard in the passion-forward performance by Highjak displays honeyed words that are comforting and respectful to the apple of his eye. “Imma take you to Wonderland, Wonderland,” is the lyrical motif that has us falling into the inviting warmth Highjak continues to provide listeners.

Drowning us in radiating timbres that transport us to a higher dimension, our minds elevate as the luxurious crooning of Highjak serenades us in his opulent narrative. The tantalizing trickling of the hi-hats sitting in the instrumentation creates a fluent tempo that pulsates through the mesmerizing cadences showcased.

Fashioning an elusive atmosphere that authentically feels as if we’re spiraling in the rhythms of “Wonderland,” we’re grateful for the intoxicating grooves that infectiously take over our very being.

We have to admit the soothing elements displayed in “Wonderland,” had us on the hook. You truly create vivid imagery in your writing. How long did it take you to create “Wonderland”? When you wrote it, did you know it would end up on ‘Voices?'

It actually took a long time to get Wonderland together. When the beat was first made, I hopped on the song putting the hook on as a very rough demo, and at the time I wasn't living with Bergotti, who is the producer of the song. I didn't like how it was sounding at first but didn't think much of it because Gotti had literally just started working with vocals and becoming more of an engineer on top of being a producer. 3 months later I moved in with him and by that time, he had made significant progress in his vocal engineering capabilities so we decided to re-record the whole song top to bottom. It came out flawlessly and this song was the first track where I knew I was supposed to release a project. After re-recording Wonderland, I knew it would be a part of that first project which eventually became "Voices."

What does this song mean to you as the creator? What are you hoping your audience takes away from it?

To me as the creator, this song means a lot. It acts as proof that I'm evolving as an artist. I believe this track really paved the way for me in finding my sound, and it's this 'sound' that my future releases take a lot of inspiration from. From an audience's perspective, I hope they can listen and enjoy the story I'm telling. The themes of beauty, love, and desperation were what I wanted to convey to my audience when telling the story behind Wonderland and I think that message has been received fairly well so far!

How does “Wonderland,” stand out from the other songs that you offer on your EP ‘Voices?'

I think it stands out because it really gives the listener a chance to see all the capabilities of my sound and experience as a vocalist. The track having a smooth, catchy hook, but a fierce, energetic verse, allows the listener to easily hop on a rollercoaster of emotion and tones that will leave them wanting to hop back on the rollercoaster again and again!

You’re in the midst of putting out an album, which we’re extremely looking forward to. Is there anything you can tell us about the sound and concept? What do listeners have in store?

The concept of the upcoming album is basically a more intense version or continuation of "Voices". I would consider "Voices" being the start of a love story, and my album is the continuation of that love story crashing and burning. Basically, my upcoming album is the intense aftermath of the EP. The sound really fuels this concept too. A lot of darker tones and alternative rock/hip-hop influences are definitely a big part of the album, so that's a little bit of what you can expect!

What's next for you?

I have a new single called "Barely Lonely" dropping at the end of this month on April 26th with my boys Bergotti (Producer) and Kamaal Malik (featured artist). After that, I'll be releasing probably 4 more singles or so until I drop the album towards the end of the summer! Big things to come!

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