KAYTRANADA tells Apple Music about ‘Lover/Friend’, thoughts on Drake’s ‘Honestly, Nevermind’, and more
KAYTRANADA joins Zane Lowe in-studio for New Music Daily on Apple Music 1 to discuss his new single ‘Lover/Friend’, along with its b-side, ‘Stuntin’. The two also talk about KAYTRANADA calling Los Angeles home, reflect on his hometown of Montreal, dive into where he’s at with his new music, and reflect on his GRAMMY win.
Additionally, KAYTRANADA touches on what we can expect from his forthcoming album and gives his thoughts on Drake’s ‘Honestly, Nevermind’ project.
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KAYTRANADA on his new single and forthcoming album
I just wanted to take care of the drought. People had ‘Kaytramine’ and I’m like, okay, I need to put out a single off the album. It’s something I’ve been sitting on for a while, like 2021 since we started working on the album. It’s like, nah, this at least needs to be one to come out for the masses.
I think this album is going to be more hands-on, and it’s unapologetically like, we’re going to do it right. Even if I did it right before, I’m like, okay, I’m in a new phase in my life and I’m going to package it how I want it in a way, because I already did that.
KAYTRANADA on where he is on his new music
The ‘Lover/Friend’ is really the single stunning sound on the album. I put it as a beat. I really love the song. I didn’t think it would fit the album. And I have another one with channel threats on the album. Beautiful. I’ve been working with him. We were working on a EP that I don’t know if it’s going to come out, but we just love working together. We’re so many stuff that we made and him and Just [inaudible 00:32:25] and me, we just compliment our styles a lot. He has this house education, which I also understand and it’s very comes from the hip hop. It is just a mixture of Hip-Hop in House and Techno and I don’t know, man, it was just perfect. It felt right when we work, it was not even a lot of talking. It was just new. What we did and all the songs that, all the demos we have are insane. Really. I just hope that they see the light of day one day.
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KAYTRANADA’s thoughts on Drake’s ‘Honestly, Nevermind’ project
Yeah, I think the album was cool. It was a good experience too. Same thing for ‘Renaissance’, them stepping out of their comfort zone and then do that. It’s kind of cool, especially for Drake as well, who’s a rapper and doing R&B stuff, but then going to the house route. It’s interesting. We see him partying a lot, so it makes sense.
On how he creates his sound
I think rhythm is not even enough. It’s like it’s even a higher level. You can’t learn rhythm. But then there’s in between the notes, like between pitches and stuff like that. I think that has the same thing with rhythm. When I create, it’s really right in the moment and I don’t really think too hard about it, but the top process of turn the song in and arrange the song, that’s when it’ll get like, okay, I need to make sure that it’s glazed. Or when you talk about ingredients, we got to make sure it’s well presented, something like that-
On his hometown of Montreal
I think Montreal is still an inspirational place, the way it looks and the way it feels. Just Canada in general, you just have this different quality of air and that also inspires you. And just being home hearing French, the French language, I don’t know. There’s something about it. The Haitian culture is over there too, more present here. You go back home in Montreal and you’re one of the top people. I mean, I’m one of the top people that are known over there. So, it’s like you kind of see yourself not above, I don’t want to say that to myself, but it’s like you see how important you are more in Montreal and when it comes to LA, you’re not the only one. So, it’s more comfortable to be there. My family is still over there, so I love to see them. My dog sadly still over there, so I just love to go back and see. Still keep in touch with them.
Reflecting on the night he won a GRAMMY
It felt really, I don’t know. I really felt like I made it for real, for real. I always knew that I was who I was, and even GRAMMYs was not even a plan to win. But being nominated is like being nominated alone, it’s always like, oh my God. You get this recognition from an important organisation, music, which is a staple. You’re in history forever. So, even winning that, that means a lot. I didn’t win a lot of things in life. So, for that to win, the biggest thing is crazy. My cousin came all the way from Miami. Shout to Klaus, came all the way to Miami to even get this GRAMMY with me and then Will, my manager is always even, it felt like a whole team of us win. It really felt like it was only me. So yeah, it was a big moment for all of us. When I mean us, it’s like the people that was around me that rally-and the fans too.
I don’t think GRAMMYs, just whatever. I think it’s still, if you would beat my shoes, there would be totally a different opinions that change about the GRAMMYs. If you would win, you definitely want to win more. You definitely put in a place where you’re okay. It feels good, a different, it was like something you didn’t ask for, but you have it, but it’s like, okay, it makes sense. I don’t know. I don’t how to explain it fully.
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On the first song he remembers ever sampling
I’m still trying to keep [sampling] alive in a way, because I really miss samples, man. I really do miss the use of samples. A lot of people do it. Alchemist, people like that are still doing it. And I still want to keep that alive, and especially in Electronic music.
Oh my gosh. The first thing I ever sampled was… I think it was Jackson 5, ‘Lookin’ Through the Windows’. I was like… I used to make those… I made a really bouncy beat with it. It was also on iTunes. It came up with the Mr Scruff song. It has this Jazz Mr Scruff song. I forget the name of the title, but that’s one of the songs that… First chops I did.
