Having the courage to push forward with the quest for a music career can be exhausting. The best way to push through this is to be open to sharing your life experiences within your music. Let it become just an extension of who you are. And most of all, always enjoy the ride. Our recent find Mostly Empty seems to have pushed through and amazing music is now coming out of it.
We had the chance to catch up with the inspirational artist and get a little deeper into his mindset. Enjoy the interview here:
First off, tell us about the name MOSTLY EMPTY?
The name came at a time where I thought I was done with music. I had been playing music for years but it took me a long time to find the courage to write my own songs. I was depressed and felt like the music train, and the opportunity to do something of my own had already left me. I thought I had not much left to give, that I was like a fuel tank halfway empty. But I decided I was willing to put it all out there to express myself until I had nothing left in me.
How would you describe your sound?
I’m honestly not sure how to describe it. I range from indie, alternative, piano rock, and god knows what else. I create music from bits and pieces of different music genres I like. I would call it Indie/Alternative.
Which artists have had the biggest influence on you?
I like to listen to almost all kinds of music, but when it comes to writing my stuff, there’s a handful of bands I’ve drawn inspiration from. The main one I would say is MAE. I’ve always loved their sound and how heartfelt their songs are.
I’ve also drawn inspiration from very specific songs I like, from Pink Floyd, Nirvana and Sound Garden, to name a few.
How does music come to you? What is your songwriting process?
I start by thinking about the life experience I want to share; thinking, “If my feelings could make a sound, this is what they would sound like.” from that point of view I craft the music with my guitar.
Once I have the music done, I write the lyrics. A lot of times I let the song rest for days before I go back to it.
In some cases, I start by writing a bunch of thoughts. But my main focus is to give a sound to the feelings I’m going through at that specific moment.
Your songs seem to share a message. What do you hope listeners take away from a Mostly Empty song?
My songs evoke feelings experienced over multiple stages of my life, mainly lived in the past few years — all of them, ranging from deep anger, doubt, regret, and hopefulness.
The main take away is to allow yourself to be free and express your emotions. We can’t control what’s going to happen next, but we should never bottle up our feelings. Focus on what’s in front of you and keep pressing on in life.
Rumor is that you have a full EP coming this Fall. Can you give us a little behind the scenes sneak peek?
Yes, I’m hoping to be able to release my EP by the end of the fall. It’s called “To My Old Friends”. The EP is a concept, where all songs connect and carry through a story, my story. The idea behind it is “rebirth”, leaving everything I knew behind and starting again. It will include five tracks, two more intimate versions of a couple of songs, a spoken word and a digital booklet is ready for it.
What advice would you share with other artists trying to share their emotions through songs?
Don’t hesitate to open up and express yourself. It is scary to be vulnerable but freeing at the same time. I believe the best songs come from honesty, from things that make us human and people can relate to.
What does the future hold for Mostly Empty?
Get a Grammy, get rich and famous haha just kidding. So far, this has been a one man’s band project. I want to be able to bring my songs to a live setting once the EP comes out. There’s one song I’m looking into making a video for it to share the story also in a visual way.
But my main goal is to keep making music, honest music that people can relate to.
