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Interview & Photos by Yising Kao
Wesley is featured on the cover of our September issue! Read/grab a copy here: https://www.galaxy-mag.com/product-page/september-2019
Since posting covers on YouTube and streaming on YouNow, the talented Wesley Tucker grew a large fanbase over the past few years and has toured alongside artists such as Alec Benjamin, Jonah Maraias, and John Lindahl. Wesley released his first single called “Strong” with Dropout in 2016, followed by more original songs, including his newest single, “Jane,” which was released this summer. Look out for his upcoming EP and more shows!
Stay updated with Wesley!:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wesleytucker
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wesleytucker
Music: http://ffm.to/g2y0kb1
Congrats on releasing your new single “Jane!” What was the process like writing and producing it, and what was the inspiration?
The inspiration behind “Jane” was marijuana haha. The writing and production process was honestly one of the most collaborative songs I’ve done with probably 5 people in the room, and we all just kind of put our input on the track and it just came to life like that. I wouldn’t say that I was as invested in that song as the ones that are coming but I’m really happy with it.
Would you say you have a certain genre or are you still experimenting with different styles?
I would say that the genre that I fit into, I haven’t found it yet. Honestly, I don’t think there is a genre for me. I see myself as an artist that, as my life goes on, my music goes with it. As I change and I grow, my music will do the same so taking influences from the world and applying it to me and whatever’s going on with me, and applying it to my music, it seems like I’ll always be evolving. ‘Cause even now, it’s hard for me to pick a genre. I don’t even know what my EP genre would be, so you’re in for a treat.
That’s a good answer ‘cause artists have to grow and you can’t just stick to the same thing.
Yeah, I have to put myself into what’s real and I’m changing.
Who or what inspired you to want to start creating music?
I have a lot of inspirations for music. I can’t say that there’s one person who inspired me except for myself. I found music in a really dark, dark time. It has always been there but when I found it for myself, like I’m actually going to be creating music and singing it and all that, it was just from a feeling. A feeling like, I need this outlet, I need to put these negative emotions somewhere and it also made me feel like I had a purpose. At this point of my life, it was hard and I found music, and I was like, “I can actually do this,” like I can actually sing. And it made me feel special and it alleviates a lot of my stress.
That’s awesome, music is powerful.
It is and it connects like everybody. All types of people can come together and not even think twice about who’s around them, but what’s going on in the music. That’s my favorite part of it.
Your first song you released was a collaboration with Dropout in 2016, “Strong,” which received a lot of good feedback. How did that collaboration come about?
I communicated with them in the craziest way. My cousin actually, she lives in Santa Barbara and she knew these DJs, Dropout. And she introduced me to them through Instagram and they’re DJs so they needed somebody to sing on this track. They had this track, they sent it over to me and were like, “Do you want to do this?” and at the time, it was perfect ‘cause I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t really have any input on the song except for changing one word. I was like, hey can we change “squire” to “knight” ‘cause who wants to sing ‘squire’?” I didn’t choose it but I’m really happy that it happened, and those guys are super dope.
It got you really good exposure.
Yeah, I was so tired of singing straight covers. Even though it wasn’t ideal, I had a song and people were singing along to it and connecting to it. And it’s just mine, not me over Justin Bieber or something.
How has your music evolved throughout the years?
My music has evolved from singing covers to creating my own. And even throughout that process, I really found myself and found my voice in situations that maybe I wouldn’t speak up in as much. Every time I go into the studio, I come in stronger and more confident with myself. And I think that alone just helps you really become more authentic and people start to hear that. The more input you put into your music, the more people feel connected to that sole artist, so that’s where I’m at. I’m on my way and I’m just gonna keep going and going.
You’ve toured a lot within these past few years, so what are some things you’ve learned from that experience?
Touring for the last few years, it really changed me as a person and it was eye opening. And every person I came in contact with just really touched me, and I think that just that alone has given me a lot of people skills. I can talk to anybody - anybody can come up to me and I can start a conversation with them. So that part of it, it was awesome. And also, just meeting people and knowing they’re not just like a number on a screen really helped me with influencing others online. It becomes real, like these are real people with real lives and I hear their stories and stuff like that. And I also found my stage presence when I first came on tour. The very first show I did, I hid behind my guitar, really not confident. By the end of 2 years of touring, I was working the stage and rapping, all the stuff that I never ever would have dreamed I had the confidence to do. That’s probably as an artist, one of the best things I did for myself, saying “Screw it, I’m getting the fuck on stage. I don’t care if I mess up or whatever. These people came for a show and I’m gonna give it to them.”
You always had a good stage presence!
Thank you. It has gotten better; it just takes gaining more confidence.
You have an upcoming EP which is exciting – can you tell us anything about the overall theme or style?
My new EP - it’s all over the place, just like me, like I’m all over the place. I really cant say that there's one genre that it fits in. you're probably going to be taken back by every single song and how different they are. But I think that’s what makes it great. I would say that every single song has to do with love and something, or a weakness for love. That’s one of the songs, “Weakness For Your Love,” or about like somebody being far away. Everything has to do with love, which is my favorite thing in the world.
RAPID FIRE
Who would you want to collaborate with?
Billie Eilish.
If you could live in any tv show or movie, what would it be?
I would live in Harry Potter for sure!
What house are you in?
Gryffindor.
Favorite song right now?
“With you” by Meghan Trainor and Kaskade. I think that song’s so good, I love it. And also “Wake Up” by Zachary Knowles.
Favorite festival you’ve been to recently?
I only went to Flog Gnaw and Firefly but it’s a hard decision. I’d say Flog Gnaw solely for Billie Eilish, literally because she is amazing. And for Firefly, Zedd really topped it off.
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