An inspiring and potent message, driven by quite an unbelievable backstory of hope and perseverance, has led The Nūes to the here and now with more motivation than ever before. Standing for never underestimate extraordinary souls, The Nūes went by a previous alias before rising from his half a decade hiatus.
The incredible talent from Chicago has returned bearing a whole new mindset and mission to connect hearts with both existing and new audiences across the globe and a plethora of material ready to be cast into the senses of his listeners.
Rich in lyricism and an elevated voice that produces waves, The Nūes takes charge with his laid-back production and in-your-face messaging for his latest release. Melodically peeking into a spectrum of highly emotive lyrics and the courage to bear a delivery as such, “Revolution” is the long-awaited single from The Nūes as he continues to captivate his audience with a grippingly raw offering of talent.
The essence of the musicality is powered by resounded guitar riffs robust with a twangy allure and an empowering tempo sweeping the sound waves thanks to the detailed percussion. Remaining a bold canvas for The Nūes to cascade his fortified vocalization upon, the soothing timbres promote an up close and personal narrative that fixates itself upon the systemic racism that has been present through the various eras.
Speaking factuality into his artistry presented, the build of this song is outstanding. The manner in which a prevailing atmosphere dips into elusive croons is truly empowering. A burning sense of passion ignites the flames within many of those who take this song to heart. A message that needs to be spread, The Nūes has utilized his platform in a way that raises the voices for BIPOC everywhere.
Hello The Nūes and thank you for joining us at BuzzMusic. “Revolution,” sets a monumental tone in the way that you deliver your message. Job well done. Did you find the writing process to be easier to hone in on or more of a challenge for yourself?
The writing happened quite quickly for this one. I wrote this with a shattered heart, the day after George Floyd’s life was cruelly taken. I was sitting in the bedroom of my tiny apartment in Mexico, where I was living at that time. The news coverage, the uproar...just watching it all unfold on social media, especially from a different country, was really heavy. Like millions of others, I had so many emotions that were running through me...from anger, shame, and confusion as to how someone could do this...to heartbreak, empathy, and love for both the family as well the entire black community that has had to deal with these types of tragedies and scenarios for far, far too long. My eyes were welling with tears while writing each line. Those feelings being so fresh and raw that day were what brought the words forth so immediately. I didn’t do a single re-write, didn’t change one word. It was just purely from the heart. And even though such a difficult subject, I didn’t question or overthink it. I said what I meant. And I knew it was coming from the right place, with the right intentions...from a white American who can stay silent no longer. I stand with my brothers and sisters everywhere and this is my statement that I hope will connect to many, many hearts for years ahead.
Could you please take us into the vision of the music video you have released for “Revolution?" Did your vision come to life the way you intended?
I’m so proud of how the video came out. The vision came out exactly as intended, yet far better in the end. I intentionally wanted to release the video the day the song came out on platforms because of how powerful I felt it made the message. The visual 100% brings the narrative to another level, brings the life of the song to another realm far beyond the lyrical message. My dear friend and videographer, Scotty Postl, was with me in Mexico as we were scouting locations for another friend and his art installation. I randomly sat in a meditation pose with my legs crossed and eyes closed, on this specific seat-shaped rock overlooking the huge wide-open landscape below. He took a picture of me, and after seeing it, I was so moved by the simplicity of the frame. There was a power to it. There was this immediate ‘less is more' type of feel that hit me. It was so direct. Right there, I knew “Revolution” would be the perfect song for that location. So as not to have too much distraction in the shots, no need for any extra sparks in a production. All credit to Scotty’s uncanny eye for a shot...to a normal viewer, he made this look easy. But the close-up shots with the shaky camera for the hook performance, capturing the veins in my neck, into the slow and steady push-ins on my verse parts...all the way into details of the grainy black and white grading touches...it made it all so raw...so aligned. Once I saw the first draft, I knew it was shaping into something powerful...all it needed was the right protest footage and real human moments to connect it all together. So I scoured for hours to find the perfect clips that I felt would serve the song and visual best.
The last touch was the lyric subtitles, which were a suggestion of Scotty’s a while ago; well before this song was written. We were just casually talking about visual aesthetics one day and how subtitles can really take a song in a new direction, and look visually pleasing as well. It just so happens that this video would be the first, and most important one, to have the lyrics fully written out. We shot the video in July 2020. But I didn’t have a proper studio recording until I flew from Mexico to LA for a session months later in November. So here we are, nearly a year after the tragedy and conception of the song...and this piece of pure love is finally out into the universe and touching new hearts across the globe day by day. Brick by brick.
What would you say is the greatest difference between the present styles of art, versus when you went under a different moniker?
It’s been a long road of true human transformation since my past music chapter. My journey started out in the nightclubs of Chicago a decade ago. And then picked up into crazy tours across the country, into mostly college markets. My personal lifestyle was quite chaotic, and my shows and overall sound were much more intense. I lived in the fast lane and that definitely translated into a lot of my music. It was a fun ride, but to be honest, it never felt right. Even as my momentum was picking up, I questioned the longevity and direction things were heading. I hadn’t done the internal work to find out who I really was. I just buckled up and rode it hard until things all fell apart. So the biggest difference is that there is a purpose now. More intention in everything that I do. I had to live through all of that in order to be able to be where I’m at these days...both on a personal and creative level. I have far more wisdom, I’ve felt the deepest of pain and defeat, as well as joy and the bright side of it all. I have a story now and I can feel a deeper connection with feedback from my new fans and listeners. My life is authentic to my art. I live what I say. I’m not in this to be some entertainer. I’m here to make an impact on hearts and let others know there is hope. It’s never too late to turn things around and go forward on another path. I’m a new man these days, so it was natural that the lyrics, visuals, and my whole approach to music would follow that. After a full hiatus from music 2012-2019, I’m just incredibly grateful to be here creating and sharing again...with such inspiration and ideas pouring in constantly. The fact that I’m living a life so much more authentic to who I am, and I made it out the other side swingin’, makes it feel like day 1 in this music game for me. I’m healthier, hungrier, and more centered than ever. And there’s a true passion and deep desire to make a difference this second time around. That’s when you know you’re exactly where you supposed to be. In God’s perfect timing.
What is the main message that you send to your audience through the music you create?
My main message would be to see the hope in everything and just keep going. No matter what. We gotta see the beauty in life. The beauty on the other side awaits us all. It can be a deep and overwhelming experience when we get lost in all the negativity, the wars, the hate and crime, all the news propaganda...mix that in with the non-stop running thoughts in our own heads, illusions and scenarios we create as a narrative, and before we know it fear and anxieties take over every moment, every day. I’ve been there. I know that place too well. And I made it out. So I hope that can inspire others. Naturally, a lot of my songs touch on finding the light through the darkness. From my first ever release in Aug 2019, “Belong,” which talks about that feeling of not knowing where home is, and that I don’t know where I’m headed, but the final lyric in verse two ends with “that tunnel seems never-ending ‘til you let in the light, so keep the fight.” Or even a song like my most recent, “Revolution”, that dives into the ugly reality of racism...it’s not intended to be a scathing song. It addresses a truth about what’s really been going on, but there is still hope as a theme in the message...“I can see a revolution, all as one we’ll stand in the union.” Some of my favorite tunes on the way range from a retrospective look at break-ups and how I found my way after the pain. I even have an acoustic joint about addiction, dedicated to my brother who is 7 years sober and thriving. As well as a chill rap song with some bravado; has those chest-up, more confident bars, but still keeps the theme of hope, making a comeback, and never giving up.
What is the mission statement you'd like to deliver as an artist?
This ties in quite closely with the previous dialogue about hope and seeing light ahead. But my mission statement is just to go out there and try to make a positive impact. To add value to others’ lives in the process. So many people, especially in the music game, chase fame and notoriety, but that leads to an empty road. If impact and true love are behind all that you do, the day is going to come where you find your tribe that really, really feel you...and that tribe will grow more and more over time if you stick with it and keep delivering quality music that people identify with. And say you do become more “known,” how are you gonna leverage that platform for good in the world? That’s the key question. That’s the ultimate fork in the road of impact. As my fanbase is growing brick by brick each month, hearing from more and more people reaching out in messages every day saying they’ve been deeply impacted and have my songs on repeat...that’s what keeps me going. That’s the fuel. I spend a lot of time alone, especially when creating. But as that pen is in my hand, the dream is always to let these songs go out into the universe and hope people will feel them and connect in their own way. They’re no longer mine when I release them. They’re ours together. Then, eventually, it all takes on a whole new meaning when you’re able to perform them live and have that human connection and share those precious moments together. I’m most excited about that, as it’s been over 8 years since I’ve been on a stage. That’ll be an emotional moment for sure.
Of course, I want my creations to resonate from an artist level. But mainly, I want to be seen as a great man; someone who really lived a life full of love and intention, who always put forth kindness into the world, both on and off the stage. That’s what matters when all is said and done. That’s the real impact that matters.
Never give up. Never lose hope.
N.ever
U.nderestimate
E.xtraordinary
S.ouls