1. Your music has advanced from different hip hop right into a genre-bending fusion of pop punk, rock, and musical theatre. What drove that evolution, and the way did you land on the sound that defines MNERVA at present?
So I obtained my artistic begin in musical theatre and my declare to fame is that I wrote and organized a jukebox musical out of twenty one pilots’ catalog. As such, musical theatre’s sound and storytelling gadgets have been part of me since earlier than I began MNERVA in 2020. The challenge’s preliminary sound was conceived after I listened to the tune, Minerva, by Deftones and puzzled what would occur if a rapper took the guitars and synths of shoegaze music and mixed them with lure beats. From there, I rapidly realized after a number of singles that I missed writing melodies and I began reincorporating singing into my songs for my debut EP, “Speak Too A lot” in 2021. After touring that challenge and seeing how efficient my tune, “The Interview,” was dwell, I spotted that I had a expertise for writing anthemic refrain’ and I absolutely dedicated to being an alternate rock artist for my 2023 EP, “Invincible.” From there, I reconnected with my childhood love of Pop Punk and determined to lean in that route for my 2025 debut album, “From Starting To Finish” by answering the query, “what would occur if somebody rapped over a pop punk beat. After 5 years of artistic experimentation, I knew I wished “From Starting To Finish” to be the band’s official debut album as a result of our sonic voice has by no means been stronger and this challenge takes each prior period of the band and elevates the sound right into a cohesive idea file.
2. From Starting to Finish is an idea album that tells the story of a relationship’s rise and fall. What impressed you to take that narrative method, and the way private is the story behind it?
“From Starting To Finish” is impressed by the true story of my final relationship and I got here up with the idea the morning earlier than I ended the connection. I knew that I wished to debate the nuances of changing into buddies once more with a previous lover however that I wouldn’t be capable to justify that controversial determination in a single tune so as an alternative I used the idea file format to show that me and my ex are “higher off as buddies.” When writing the file, I already had written the primary tune, “You And Me” and the albums’ ballad, “Circles (18 Months)” so, to create a cohesive narrative, I simply needed to join the dots between every monitor to indicate how the connection fell aside and the way I put the items again collectively within the aftermath.
3. Idea information like American Fool and The Black Parade are big inspirations for this album. What particular parts from these initiatives influenced your writing or manufacturing course of?
Everytime I hearken to American Fool, I’m amazed at how seamlessly the tracks transition between one another and I spent months sequencing every monitor off of “From Starting To Finish” and planning out the way to correctly make the entire stream like a single piece of music. I additionally love how, on each of these legendary information, you’ll be able to pay attention to every tune casually or dive deep into the lore of the complete challenge. As such, I wished to guarantee that each tune on my band’s challenge may stand by itself however, in case you wished to take the time to actually pay attention, you can see a story play out in entrance of you and listen to repeated musical themes all through the file.
4. You’ve talked about that this album runs gapless and contains recurring musical themes. Are you able to speak about your method to making a steady listening expertise—and why that mattered to you?
So when writing the file, as an alternative of simply writing songs with no harmonic plan, used the circle of fifths so as to make the transition between every tune fully seamless and even made certain that each tune began and stopped on a gentle beat to just remember to may bob your head to your entire challenge. For me, all of my favourite information from my childhood ran gapless and I actually imagine it elevates an album from a set disperate songs into an auditory expertise. Particularly as a result of this challenge is an idea file with a steady narrative, I knew that making a gapless expertise would solely improve immersion within the story and make the album’s remaining monitor, which reprises each prior tune, hit a lot more durable.
5. Psychological well being and suicide prevention are clearly near your coronary heart. How does that mission present up in your music, particularly on this album?
The beginnings of MNERVA started in 2016 once I penned the primary draft of the tune “The Interview” and wrote the road “it’ll get higher than this.” That lyric has been the guiding mild for the band’s message of perseverance by means of adversity and jogs my memory to by no means surrender hope, regardless of how darkish life appears. If I can persuade even one particular person to maintain transferring ahead and never surrender, than I’ve performed my job as an artist and I’ll do something to verify I by no means lose one other buddy or fan to suicide ever once more. Relating to the album, my newest single “Ghost In The Shell,” dives deep into my lifelong battle with feeling nugatory and writing that tune lastly satisfied me to take the steps I wanted to lastly love myself for me. That tune helped me understand that I used to be utilizing my relationship for exterior validation and that, if I didn’t be taught to like the particular person I used to be within the mirror, I might by no means be pleased.
6. You’ve performed exhibits throughout the nation, typically turning small venues into one thing that feels big. What’s your mindset going right into a dwell efficiency?
Each time me and the boys get on stage, we play as if we’re taking part in in entrance of hundreds of individuals. This mindset is how we’ve transformed ten strangers at a useless present into diehard followers and I very a lot imagine within the grassroots energy of taking part in dwell exhibits. There isn’t a higher solution to join with an viewers than taking part in dwell and I do know if I absolutely open myself up and put myself on the road emotionally for all to see that listeners shall be extra snug opening as much as me and interesting with the band.
7. With the album dropping in November, how are you making ready for this subsequent chapter—and what can followers anticipate from this period of MNERVA?
We’re dropping a brand new tune each month for the remainder of 2025 in addition to a canopy of Vanessa Carlton’s, “A Thousand Miles” on June fifth. We’re at present planning some excursions throughout the midwest and the pacific northwest as we converse and I can’t wait to maintain connecting with new potential followers. Plus, with every new chapter that’s launched, the story of the album turns into extra fleshed out and I can’t wait till the followers can absolutely dive into the album, “From Starting To Finish (see what I did there).”
Finish of Interview
Associated