The LA melodic songwriter continues to explore his musical limits and see how far he can take it on his wavy new single.
SUMWHR is one of those artists who marches to the beat of his own drum. Born and raised in Watts, a neighborhood in southern LA, nothing came easy. Although it would have been easy to get lost in the system or street politics, SUMWHR decided early on to find more creative and positive ways to express himself, directing his talents to music. With a unique sound, he calls “Wave R&B,” SUMWHR embarked on a mission to set himself apart and see how far he could take his music.
Having started as Novelle Vega (and subsequently featured on VH1’s “Black Ink Crew”), SUMWHR decided to rebrand himself and further polish his music. Evolution is a common theme for him; he’s never complacent and always tries to create new, improved music and push the limits of what we think R&B is capable of. SUMWHR is all about his musical journey, and with his music, he aims to take you with him.
It’s this tireless evolution and drives that spawned the creation of CRZY THiNGZ. Over winding, hazy instrumentals, SUMWHR’s nebulous vocals tether you to the beat, immersing you in the musical experience. It’s easy to get lost in the song; CRZY THiNGZ continuously evokes familiar emotions like the fragility of relationships and longing for someone you’re not sure will reciprocate your feelings. It’s easy to see that SUMWHR’s wave R&B does push boundaries but doesn’t lose the relatability that makes R&B so enticing.
CRZY THiNGZ is a hazy, genre-bending take on modern R&B. Although it would be easy to stay in his comfort zone, it’s clear that SUMWHR refuses to be complacent and continues to push the limits of what he and R&B are capable of. Whenever you’re ready, tap in and stream CRZY THiNGZ, available now on all major streaming platforms.
Welcome to BuzzMusic SUMWHR! We loved your take on R&B with CRZY THiNGZ; it's always really cool to see an artist try and push the boundaries of a genre. We have to ask, what was the inspiration behind this song? Do you tend to draw from personal experiences when you make music? The inspiration for this song was from a personal experience of who I thought was the one for me. As time went on, I began to understand it was just one-sided. Definitely appreciate the journey because, from each stop in the past, I’ve learned how to handle myself in relationships. You mentioned that you’re a Watts native, born and raised. What was it like growing up there, and how did it affect your growth as an artist?
Growing up in Watts was wild, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world because I’m a better person today. I ran around with people much older than me, and my brother was always around. One thing you learn is to always be on alert, speak only when needed, and stay loyal to the soil. I’ve seen so much from a young age that, to be honest, a young kid was never supposed to see or experience but being exposed that early has molded someone to move differently through life. It’s pretty clear that you’re not content with your standard R&B sound. Where did you get the inspiration for your “Wave” R&B, and what drives your desire to push the boundaries of your sound constantly? The sound was just something I tried to push myself to have fun with. I felt music should be fun, but I understand that crafting a sound takes a lot of time. Music was a way for me to express a lot of what I’ve been feeling through some adversities. A few of the people that inspired me are Jodeci, Tank, Usher, 112, T-Pain, and plenty more, but those are the main ones who made me adventure into evolving my sound.
What was your favorite part about bringing CRZY THiNGZ to life, and what would you like your fans to take away from this song?
I feel like telling my experiences where people can listen and relate is why I share them with my fans. We could all agree that most of us are not alone when dealing with some of these issues. So for me to express how I’m feeling or what I’m going through. I know that someone else may be listening and that one song resonates with them to the core and helps them with any trauma through life. What’s next for SUMWHR? Are there any goals you have for the next year or so? I don’t want to set goals because setting a goal is putting energy into something that seems like an end, and I don’t want to limit myself in the process. More so, I would like to set objectives with no limitations. I want to release consistent music next year and work with many more artists in the hopes of landing more placements. Although I understand we can’t predict our future, I’m excited about the adventure.