Q&A: IDRYS
Nov. 18th 2019
WITH HIS FOOT IN MANY CREATIVE DOORS - artist Idrys Jones, known as simply IDRYS, taps into a variety of creative pursuits from music to screenwriting. From an early age, IDRYS was exposed to a range of music between his sisters and parents, ultimately leading to the unique sound he has found for himself now. The artist recently released his single "GOMA" and is currently working on a project to follow. Read on to learn about his latest project, his art collective and more.
LUNA: You grew up in a creative household, which I’m sure has shaped you to be the artist today. Were there any artists in particular that stood out to you growing up?
IDRYS: Growing up was interesting in terms of my taste of music. I grew up listening to my mom’s and dad’s music. Old school R&B for my mom. Old school rap for my dad. To the point that I wouldn’t even listen to any (at the time) new music cause I took pride in being like a “young old head”. I listened to a lot of Anita Baker and Tribe Called Quest. It took me until I was like 12 or 13 to actually start coming into myself and my music taste. When I uncovered artists like Young the Giant, The 1975, Two Door Cinema Club, oldies like The Smiths and other artists like that, It really opened up my creative palette. Exposed me to more sounds and possibilities outside traditional R&B or rap. That alternative scene at the time really influenced me a lot. I have heavy appreciation for both worlds I grew up with though.
LUNA: How do you think the rise of genre blending has impacted your music?
IDRYS: I think just the expansion of what you can do sonically and how your brain works when creating music. You can add weird sounds that probably aren’t as “traditional” and pull from any sorta influence you’re listening to at the moment. You can have like a (for lack of better wording) a “Drake type beat” but use a “Cocteau Twins type melody” on it. Can cause for interesting mixtures. So, for me personally, it’s helped me embrace that 13 year old alternative head I once was and put what I was listening to into my music a lot more.
LUNA: What was the creative process like for “GOMA”? Is it reflective of your upcoming music?
IDRYS: I was working on stuff for my project “Everest”… that might be subject to change. (laughs) But, I just felt like doing a song just to put out. So, I literally reversed a demo I was working on. Made the beat. Had my producer, Zonashi, come in and do his thing and recorded it in my room and yeah… That’s actually the first song I didn’t actually write, I pretty much freestyled the whole thing. Just kept punching myself in and recording lines.
LUNA: Can you tell us more about Noceur, the multi-faced art collective you are part of?
IDRYS: Noceur is a collective that myself and two of my friends founded. It’s pretty much just a shared creative space amongst each other’s mind… if that makes sense. But we all do something whether it’s styling, photography, producing, etc and we all help and build each other. I just want it to grow into bigger things. Businesses and lifestyles. I want my friends and I to all be our own Kanye West in sense.
LUNA: You also have a great passion for screenwriting, and have gotten to write for shows like Tyler. The Creator’s “The Jellies” and Kevin Heart’s “Big Heads”. What is the main difference between writing music and writing for TV?
IDRYS: I would say, music is more emotional. It’s more personal, whereas scripts you’re writing someone else’s mind and ideas. You can still put pieces of yourself in a script but it’s still someone else’s baby. Your music is your baby, you do exactly whatever you want with it. Either way, it’s all story telling though. Figuring out the scene of the script or song. The correct dialogue. Stuff like that. It’s all painting a picture.
LUNA: Moving forward, what do you want the rest of the year to bring you?
IDRYS: I just want happiness and inner peace. Being creative is therapeutic and just like everyone, I got a lot of issues to work out. I hope the music or whatever I’m working on helps me through the things going on…. Also money would be nice. (Laughs)
