Manny King John
In this oversaturated market of music being put out daily, it can sometimes be difficult to weed out the bull. So, when you ask a question like, “Who do you think is the best?”, you end up with a lot of responses that make you question, “Do people even like music?” When I listen to new music, the very first thing it has to do is capture my attention. Whether it’s the beat or the very first line of the song, I need to want to keep listening. The second thing for me is, it has to be interesting and make me move, not necessarily dancing, but just move me in any typical way. Last, I ask myself, “Does the music have replay value and make me want to tell people about it?” It’s the last one that always gets me, not this time though. When the first post came in suggesting Paperwater, I did just like I do with any other act, went in with low expectations. I was blown away. Their music was different and refreshing, and their live performances were captivating. I had to know more about them. We sat down and asked them a few questions about music, their style, and their music-making process.
GRUNGECAKE:What has been the most difficult things you’ve come to realize as a new artist working to make a breakthrough in the 10’s? What will change for you in 2020?
The most difficult thing we would say is probably staying focused on the few key goals that we have as a duo. Being the founders of our own start-up label and creative agency has made it so that we have a lot on our plate at all times. Starting from scratch makes it so that you have a lot of trial and error. We spent the last ten years tinkering and learning a lot about how we want to be seen as both artists and entrepreneurs. So time management, getting in the studio, releasing content is what we really have to stay on top of to make sure our trajectory stays where it does. We want to bring that focus into 2020 and make sure we have a big push for our music.
Do you have a team of people who help you with your music career? What have you been able to accomplish with your team? (If you don’t have a team, what have you been able to do by yourself?)
Absolutely! We need a team to keep everything together. We have been working together since 2014-2015 and have just developed a really strong management and agency team that we are proud of. We just did a collaboration with SoundCloud over this past Art Basel that was an incredible activation. Our team joined forces and really highlighted the artists and influencers that make Miami special w panels, workshops, and a party.
If you could compare your live performance to a holiday dinner, what would be on the menu and why?
Jollof rice, griot, raw shucked fresh oysters and Don Julio… We are delicious, sexy, West African and Haitian, so it’s only fitting. Maybe throw in an expensive champagne too, if we don’t wear shirts, that performance.
Describe your creative process when writing a song. Do you have certain things you have to do with every song you write?
Our creative process when writing a song is all dependent on the day and place really. Daygee will stay up late and mess around w a beat for a few hours or an instrument, sample or Moog. Eddy likes to work on music right when he wakes up in the morning and will loop a sample for as many bars as it takes and just kinda work some bars over it that he’s had in his notes for a while. Whatever fits, whatever feels right in the moment.
With all of the changes music has had over the years, how do you see your sound evolving over the next few years? Do you think you have found your sound?
I definitely think now more than ever there is a place for us in music and how genres are now blending and the world gates are now open music is able to impact and speak to multiple walks of life. Equipment is now allowing the artist to do more with fewer people which will allow us to focus on other aspects of the performance.
Who are you?
We are Paperwater!
Listen to the ‘Slow Down You’re Moving Too Fast’ below; to see the post that made this feature possible, scroll down or click here to view.
