Tonight we discussing the 17 year old music hero, paving a new path for music – Lil Ink.
Finding this young powerhouse on my discovery playlist on Spotify, I could see the talent within the first few notes. After a short discussion I had Lil Ink on a zoom call discussing his recent release “Back then”
So let’s talk about this release.
Reading the lyrics of Back Then there’s a haunting beauty behind them. Words written by a head that is wise beyond its years.
“You were nothing, but everything to me” hit me especially hard. It’s something about that lyric which took me back. Something similar was said to me during the throes of my depression, a moment I wasn’t expecting to relive. That one lyric reminded me that when I thought I was nothing, someone saw more in me than I ever could.
I wasn’t expecting something so beautiful, so pure, so catchy. It’s been on repeat. It’s been my ear worm. I appreciate everything about this, I like everything about it. It’s clear that Lil Ink has unmatched talent. I’m excited to see how he grows and develops as an artist over the next few years. He’s certainly someone I will be keeping an eye on as he moves as an artist.
I find Lil Ink’s voice hauntingly beautiful. It’s got gravel and grit, it crashes through you and hits your core. It’s a voice that resonates with you, when you listen to it. Lil Ink gives me yungblud vibes.
Now let’s talk about this insane music video. It’s so beautifully created and executed. This was created by artist Brittany Campbell – you can check out her Insta here. The way she has given Lil Ink movement and characteristics within the video is simply inspired.
You can check out Lil Ink on Facebook here, Instagram here and Spotify here. I have also added Lil Ink to the Reviewed on Kiss of Beth’s Spotify playlist which you can check out here.
So now we go into the interview part of this. Once again; I am in bold because I am a bold bitch.
1 – Who would you say are your influences?
So my influences, I would say my favourite band of all time without a shadow of a doubt is My Chemical Romance. My favourite album, probably the most influential in music, The Black Parade. The reason why it’s influenced my music so much is because I am drawn to the concept of writing narratively. The way they mix high concept drama and heavy sounds, have been very influential.
In my mix tapes (Inky Tunes 1/2/3) I have made sure, just as a kind of writing test to myself, one song that is entirely in a self contained narrative. On one there was Night Life, that told a story about a girl who ran away from home, got murdered and raped and it tells it from different perspectives. On two, there’s one about two people that meet and it tells their whole life story. Theres a story about a bank robbery on the new one.
Another massively influential artist for me, Lil Peep. The other side of my trap and rap side. He really massively opened my eye and I think on a personal level as well he really opened my eyes up to if you are deeply honestly with yourself no matter how “weird” in relation to what average is, if you’re just yourself and a good person; people do tend to accept you.
2 – Tell me, what is your plan for 2020?
My big plan to get me through to July is my next and final mix tape. I haven’t released an album yet. It’s a trilogy of mix tapes, it’s a sonic journey. I want my debut album to be a much more cohesive record.
I’m really proud of it, I think Inky Tunes 3 is my best one yet. I think I’ve struck a nail, I think I’ve made something here. People have said to me that simultaneously it’s my most commercial while also being my most experimental. I have managed to really perfect the degree of connecting with someone whilst also being experimental. It’s got a heavy song, its got a garage song, theres a Dinsey esq chorus. It’s a very cool tape and I am very excited to get it out.
I’m going to spend the second half of 2020 writing my debut album.
3 – How did you get into music?
I used to go to a very religious school. This is more of I am shocked I actually got into music rather than how I got into music. I used to be up in the gallery singing, obviously I loved the singing. I saw commercials on TV and I’d asked my Mum to print out the lyrics so I could sing along.
I used to have to sit there in white robes after hearing a Priest tell me gay marriage is wrong, which is so far from my own beliefs. I had to sit there and sing praise to a guy who had just told me gay marriage was wrong. Alas despite the choir school vibes there,
I managed to hold on to my love of singing and got into less popular artists.
I think it was the connection of listening to One Direction / 5SOS and looking at their Wiki page and the artists they said inspired them were far better than them. Pop punk, finding my chem, finding As It Is.
I watched the lead singer of of As It Is on youtube a lot when I was younger and he did a cover on a ukulele and I was like.. I need a ukulele. I got one for my 12th birthday. Until Feb 2015 where my Mum was like, do you want to learn guitar? I got lessons, my teacher was a cool guy. I continued playing, worked towards Rock School pieces (graded pieces) – that helped me come up with guitar riffs.
I saw As It Is at their show at Underworld, then I waited for the lead singer after the show. We kinda look like cousins in the photo of us. I asked him what inspired him to start writing music and what advice would you give? He looked at me and said “Dude, you just gotta do it” and it had a huge level of impact on me.
I started writing music with my friend Harry in 2017, who is actually now an artist himself who is called Eghed. We work closely together still.
4 – How are you coping with lockdown? What have you been doing to keep yourself busy?
Well a lot of my friend and myself have been complaining, I haven’t been able to see my girlfriend. We still Facetime every night but it’s not the same. The same time, theres also been a part of me thats been like I don’t like socialising for the sake of socialising . People are realising the massive negatives and positives of being at home all the time, so I hope they appreciate the time with their friends more when we are out. It’s a very optimistic way of looking at it.
What have I been doing to cope with it? The same as I would do if I was indoors and had nothing else to do. Music.
5 – You’ve achieved so much and you’re only 17. Where do you hope to be by the time you’re 20?
I had my first show which was a headline show. I played my whole discography up to Inky tune 2. I have achieved a lot at 17 yes, but I was also that SoundCloud rapper for like a year.
Despite the fact I try my hardest no matter what others thought, I wanted to have that moment where I broke through. It was hard hard work. Now I’m on 5,600 monthly listeners.
I’ll be 18 in October, by the time I am 19 I would have given myself a year off to write and by the time I’m 20? I just want people to know I have released the best concept record of the 2020’s so far.
6 – If you could be any Disney character, who would you be and why?
Who would I be and why? I don’t know. I remember thinking Elsa from Frozen was really cool, so if I could have those kinda of powers.
Kiss of Beth 