Q&A: Meet notfortheo and Their Innovative Soundscape With New EP “half life”
BRINGING NEW LIFE TO THE TORONTO MUSIC SCENE — three-piece notfortheo is redefining the stereotypical Toronto pop and R&B sound.
Made up of Khalede Russell, Jonathan Kennedy Rogers, and Aaron Watkins, the group has moved into the vibrant soundscape of Toronto with debut single “just a little bit” and new single “interlock.” Mixing various genres into their newest track, notfortheo has expanded their own sonic universe to create an undefinable groove while discussing important topics such as dissociation and addiction. It’s a key component of their music they use to create hope and change, and with their forthcoming debut EP, the impact that notfortheo’s music can create is just getting started.
Read below to learn more about the trio’s formation, their creative process, and what comes next.
LUNA: I am so excited to get to chat with you all. Before we dive into “interlock,” I’m deeply curious on how you became notfortheo.
ROGERS: Hi! Thank you! We’re also excited to finally have a platform to discuss the group and our music with a little more depth than social media allows us to. As far as how the group got started, we all knew one another fairly well through the music scene before we cemented the idea for the group. I had been begging Theo [Russell] to come and check out this studio that I had been recording some solo music at, which is pretty far from the city. I came home from a particularly long stretch of tour and he finally relented. I think we both knew it was something special once we had completed our first song. We have tons of music that we can’t wait to show everyone.
RUSSELL: Making music with Jonny [Rogers] was always a topic of conversation every time we’d see each other. The second we made our first track we were like, ”Yep, this makes sense.” Notfortheo was an old IG handle of mine, which Jonny suggested suited the name of the group and the rest was history.
WATKINS: I first met Theo and Johnny in 2016 when I started DJing in Toronto. Me and Theo would regularly get booked on the same bill and we became friends and then roommates when we realized we both had a passion for making music. After Theo and Johnny came back from a trip up North and showed me the music they made, we all knew it was the start of something special. A couple months later we all went up to record more music together, and the rest was history.
LUNA: I also want to give you major congratulations on your latest single, “interlock.” This single discusses a lot of heavy topics, such as dissociation, isolation, and addiction. What inspired discussing this topic matter?
ROGERS: Living through the pandemic! Honestly, it was a huge shock to all of us. I had been touring in Europe when the virus started shutting everything down. When I came home, the stark contrast between these glorious, sold-out European shows with my heroes and the realities of the lockdown took me on a very scary and dangerous stretch. I lost my best friend to an overdose. I landed in the hospital by the end of the year. I always write about my real-life experiences and “interlock” is no different.
RUSSELL: “Interlock” started off with the simple topic being about technology. We were feeling like it had a chokehold on us in one way or another. The song was also made during the COVID pandemic [which is] where the isolation and addiction aspect comes into play. “Interlock” is a concise glimpse of how we were feeling throughout that time.
WATKINS: During the pandemic, we were all locked down. We couldn’t go outside and we felt like we were all depending on technology a bit too much. Whether it was phone addiction, drug addiction, depression, or getting sick from COVID, everyone in the world was going through a rough time. This inspired us to write a song that reflected the times we experienced. We also wrote “interlock” to help people who are struggling with those same issues to feel less alone.
LUNA: What is your songwriting process? Is it always the same or does it change with each track?
RUSSELL: Our songwriting process is always changing. It’s funny, we always go into the studio thinking a certain way is the best way and end up with something we aren’t excited about, but when we’re just jamming and loose we come up with some of our best work!
ROGERS: We also rely heavily on working with our producer, Mike Aber. He runs the studio we record at and really acts as a fourth member. I am a lifelong guitarist and songwriter so instrumentation, melodies, and lyrics are second nature. We usually start riffing around on some instruments, get a solid two parts going, and then I will take the loop away and write the words and melodies on my phone. I come back and check and see if anyone wants to change anything. And once we have agreed something is good to go, we record it!
WATKINS: Our song process varies — sometimes we start off with a melody, sometimes we start off with drums, but at some point we are all jamming together trying to figure out a solid loop or idea. Once we get down a rough structure, we all try to think of some lyrics. It’s a very collaborative process, and usually we like to keep loose, have fun, and work hard. We know we got a good song or idea when everyone is vibing and we can visualize ourselves playing it live.
LUNA: “Interlock” follows your debut single, “just a little bit,” which discusses similar topics surrounding technology, addiction, and burnout. What made these two songs and important societal discussions feel like the right introduction for the world to notfortheo?
RUSSELL: We really felt like those two songs were the most relatable to the society that we live in, especially during the times we were in. These topics aren’t touched on enough. It’s as if we’re supposed to live and accept the advanced era of technology that inflicts more harm than good rather than speak on it.
ROGERS: Once our (forthcoming) EP started to take shape, it was a pretty obvious commentary on living through the last two–three years of ups and downs since the pandemic hit. I felt like it was important to have a document of what living through these times were like for people, especially those like me who may struggle with being alone or certain mental health issues. I’m not sure many people know that a similar amount of people died from opioid overdoses compared to those we lost from COVID! If we combine that number with the people we lost from suicide, the number may even be greater. The other day, I listened to Elon Musk tell HBO he thinks AI technology will be the single greatest threat to humanity over the next 10 years. The topics just felt relevant and underrepresented. It’s never really a conscious decision to write about anything in particular, but it definitely felt like it could be relatable when the music was done.
WATKINS: I guess the two songs are just a reflection of the way we see the world. We are constantly thinking about the way that technology has changed the way we interact with each other and the way that people seem to be way more addicted to their phones than they are to other people. I think that technology is amazing and I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with it, but I do think that it needs to be used in moderation and that it can really be detrimental to the way that we interact with each other if we’re not careful.
LUNA: The music video for “just a little bit” seems to follow you through a fun day of adventuring in a beautiful and tropical location. Can you tell me more about the video and its meaning?
RUSSELL: Being that myself and Aaron have a Caribbean background and Jonny actually grew up in the Caribbean, it only felt right to pay homage to our roots in our debut single. From chasing that last bit of sun-beach side to preserving the final inch of a Blue Hawai’i cocktail, “just a little bit” means something different to everyone.
ROGERS: Kristie Muller, the director, is our friend from Toronto and we’ve all been huge fans of her work since we became aware of it. As Theo mentioned, I actually grew up in the Caribbean, and the song, while having some dark undertones, has a very playful, sunny vibe to it, which really worked with the imagery. The video was totally her concept but I’m assuming the juxtaposition of the vacation imagery and the lyrical content about slipping into addiction made for a great video. We’re very proud of her work.
WATKINS: Theo, Jonny, and I all have a strong connection to the Caribbean islands. Me and Theo being Jamaican and Jonny growing up in the Caribbean made a perfect location for our first video. “JALB” has a funky vibe and we thought representing that with a tropical-themed video would be perfect.
LUNA: I know you’re all from Toronto. Do you think that where you’re from has influenced your music?
RUSSELL: The world as a whole has influenced my music. I spend a lot of time digging for new music as a DJ and the evolution of sound in different countries is so inspiring.
ROGERS: I think wherever you’re situated, you have some local acts that will have a meaningful impact on you due to your proximity to them. But for me … I don’t think our group has anything to do with the hallmarks of the “Toronto sound,” be it the pop or [the] independent music scene that everyone associates with the city.
WATKINS: For me, Toronto is the only place in Canada where many different cultures come together. This brings a lot of diversity when it comes to music and I think this is the key. This diversity enabled me to find the right people who were on my same vibe. Toronto helped to create a great environment for us to make music and find subcultures and groups of friends that had similar interests — that's how Jonny, Theo, and I all kind of met. I'd say the city of Toronto helped bring us all together, and the diversity influenced our sound in a positive way. Most of my extended family lives in Toronto too, which makes living and working here really special for me.
LUNA: How would you best describe the style of notfortheo?
ROGERS: Genre-bending, alternative pop. We take from so many different styles of music. Our songs go from rock to R&B to a mixture of everything. I know everyone says their music doesn’t fit a particular genre, that’s not what I’m saying — as long as alternative is used somewhere in the description, I think it’s fitting. A lot of press so far has compared us to chill-wave, but I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a “chill-wave” band (unless Toro y Moi is considered chill-wave?). It was definitely funny to release our first single and have people call us “chill-wave” and then release “interlock” and see everyone struggling to somehow still fit that tag in… Now it’s chill-wave mixed with rap and rock. Music journalism can be very funny to read when you’re the artist being written about.
RUSSELL: Free. Fun. No boundaries. Be you!
WATKINS: Music with a meaning and purpose filled with love.
LUNA: If you could create the perfect setting for someone to first listen to “interlock” and “just a little bit,” what would that look like?
RUSSELL: Heaven.
ROGERS: I think as we release more music people will notice that every song has a very different and distinct mood. One song could work better blasting in your headphones when you’re running late, while the other could come on halfway through your night out and be a perfect fit. I’m happy we’re releasing our first collection of songs in autumn because I do think if there was a particular “setting” best suited for our music, this season would be it.
WATKINS: In the back of the car on a cross country road trip, sun shining and windows down.
LUNA: You’ve really hit the ground running with the lush and energetic sound you’ve created on your two debut singles — so what comes next for you?
RUSSELL: More music of healing with a real message that speaks to the people of our time and the generations to come. I love the idea of making music for the broken.
ROGERS: We have our first proper release slated for November! And we want to follow that up fairly quickly, since we have lots of unreleased music ready to go. We are super excited to start building an audience, and the prospect of getting back out to play shows is very exciting after all this time. We are enjoying the ride and are very much looking forward to connecting with the people who are listening. We really want to start building a relationship with them over social media and be a little more open than we have been so far. Getting to know one another. That’s how I fell in love with all of my favorite musicians… when I felt like I was getting to know them.
WATKINS: Working on more music and art and staying healthy. We have a second EP that is almost done so our main focus is to finish that and release more music and videos. Also, we are very excited to start touring and playing some shows.
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