Today we’d like to introduce you to Kole.
Hi Kole, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up around so much music, firstly in church, and later on through the radio. My mom bought my brother and me alarm clocks that also had a radio on them. I’d never turn my radio off. From morning to night, I was taking in music. I’d fall asleep to music and wake up to it. Every day. Every time I got in trouble and had my phone taken, I’d have my music. After any life event, as a kid, I’d have my music to fall asleep to and wake up with. When we got in the car for school, when I waited for my mom to get out of the store, when I wanted to cry sometimes, I listened to the radio. As a kid, though, I sat next to my dad at every church rehearsal. He played for Concord Dallas church and was super reputable around my city. I loved how people talked about my dad, and it made me look up to him. I’ve written my own music since I was very, very young, I could guess around 5. My dad has a drive of videos of me showing him the song I wrote for that day. I flexed the muscle constantly when I was younger, but held onto it because I knew, since very young, I hadn’t seen much in this world. I knew I could write, though, and that I loved writing. When I turned 14, I auditioned for a music school called Booker T Washington HSPVA after developing a passion for bass over the years through elementary and middle school. We were just assigned music classes as part of my schedule as a student at Harry Stone in Dallas. Going to a music school exposed me to people who were already starting their musical careers, and music was the path I felt most strongly about. I saw people express themselves in ways they didn’t audition for. I decided to go all in and just start as well, younger than the people I saw starting to make out their careers. I felt like my idea of good and bad came from so much listening as a kid. Listening without creating, listening without responding, and it created my taste. When I started making music, I just searched for sounds I liked. I spent a lot of time taking in other people’s work and seeing what I could add to the music that hit how I imagined, but once I started producing for myself, my sound became clear as day. I realized I didn’t need validation from sounds that already exist from other people’s ideas, and that’s when I think my sound was truly born. My first album is a mosaic of who I was trying to be, and I think all the music after is just me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been a slow road; that shit is relative, but it’s been necessary in my opinion. I think that people who succeed very fast don’t recognize the sentiment of one person enjoying your music, let alone thousands. I really enjoy seeing the increase in people who enjoy my music. I still read DM’s, even if I don’t want to work or understand what they mean. Just like thank you for listening, and an extra thank you for liking it. I like it when people call my pieces art. I like it when people tell me how my art made them feel. I like the amount of time it’s taken and the speed at which all of this is picking up. It’s perfect in my opinion. My relationship with God steers my career, and I think everything that’s happened so far was placed correctly. It feels correct, and feels like I can handle it. For me, struggles just come from life, making the music to express that is far from the hard part. I know what my feelings sound like, so executing isn’t an issue. I think those struggles just stem from my ambition colliding with my personal life. The amount of time I spent focused on my work was a noticeable tax, especially when I was learning so much about making music. People felt like I left them alone. I was enjoying myself, and didn’t always notice or account for that. I was beginning to date around the time I started making music, and figuring out the line between what should and shouldn’t be shared took time. I take a lot of time with my music, though, I’m so picky. Most of the oversharing was saved by the long processes of finalizing. I just grew older and more mature over time and held onto those thoughts.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an artist from Dallas, Texas. I mostly rap, and I’m known for my song demo 8 / heavier. I love that song so much. It felt like the most urgent in my heart. Beck and I recorded it in two days, but I wrote it over a few months. I have an album on the way, and I’ve been dropping off some gems before the drop; it feels like time. I feel like my sound is just so specific to my influences; the more in tune I am with what I like hearing, the more unique the music sounds. I’m from Dallas, but no one from Dallas sounds like what I do. I moved out to the Bay Area, and no one sounds like this. I feel like that’s how every artist should be. I’m most proud of my new music. It feels so honest and clear. Listening to it feels like I’m listening to a new me, knowing all the things it took to become that.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think my most recent major risk was moving out to San Francisco. Starting from scratch felt steep, but people really love the sound. I feel like this type of music hits people in different ways, but all positive. I like having access to so many parts of the city I can kind of spread my name however hard I want to, so I do it a lot. I make shows happen, and get my name out here. I know my music is the truth these days, I just have to pace myself. This music endeavor is a huge risk. Not making it is fuel, I’m always operating my career with some awareness about my goals, but I don’t live transactionally. I want to make sure I’m set to succeed by the time I graduate. I’m getting a degree to take in as much as I can about music, a good scholarship I thank God for everyday. It’s given me some space to show this music to as many people as I possibly can.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koletli/
- Twitter: https://x.com/koletli
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@koletli
