{"id":3618,"date":"2021-09-22T19:20:37","date_gmt":"2021-09-22T19:20:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/?p=3618"},"modified":"2021-09-23T18:53:08","modified_gmt":"2021-09-23T18:53:08","slug":"blog-interview-river-nelson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/2021\/09\/22\/blog-interview-river-nelson\/","title":{"rendered":"Blog interview: River Nelson"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"River Nelson &amp; AltoBeats - New View (Official Music Video)\" width=\"1020\" height=\"574\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3ZQgBOCCCPc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<div>\u00a0<\/div>\n<div><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3622\" src=\"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Properly-Sized-group-cover-1-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Properly-Sized-group-cover-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Properly-Sized-group-cover-1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Properly-Sized-group-cover-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Properly-Sized-group-cover-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Properly-Sized-group-cover-1-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Properly-Sized-group-cover-1-435x435.jpg 435w, https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Properly-Sized-group-cover-1-60x60.jpg 60w, https:\/\/platinummind.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Properly-Sized-group-cover-1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/div>\n<div>\u00a0<\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\"><strong>Hello River how are you?<\/strong><br \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif; color: initial;\">What\u2019s up, Derek? I\u2019m great. Thank you for asking. It\u2019s nice to meet and connect.<\/span><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">All good!<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">Congratulations on the release of \u201cNew View\u201d how does it feel?<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">Thanks, man. It feels wonderful. It\u2019s like being a little kid who spends months building his own bicycle and the day comes when he finally gets to ride it. There\u2019s nothing like releasing new music. It\u2019s crazy fun!<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">What\u2019s the story behind it?<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">So, I\u2019m always looking for better ways to live life and be the best person I\u2019m able to be, and over the past year I\u2019ve developed some new outlooks that have really helped with that. So, I wanted to write a song about having those new viewpoints and what it feels like. The song is definitely celebratory.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">You are an artist from L.A. how did it all begin for you?<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">I would say I started out like a lot of musicians by just being a fan of the greats. I currently live in Los Angeles, but I was actually born in New York City and spent my childhood in Norwalk, Connecticut. I then moved back to New York a few years after high school and came up through the underground hip-hop scene there. I moved to L.A. just a few years ago.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">What did you listen to growing up?<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">So many artists but the first ones that come to my mind are Rakim, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, and KRS-One. I always gravitated to people who could really spit. I was also a hip-hop junkie, which I still am, so I listened to anything I could get my hands on.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">You are a rapper and producer, who were your influences starting out?<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">A Tribe Called Quest definitely. De La Soul as well. Plus, OutKast, Nas, and The Roots. But I also love other types of music outside of hip-hop, so I\u2019ve been influenced by Sade, Bob Marley, Gil Scott-Heron, The Doors, and Radiohead. So many people.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">You\u2019ve toured with heavyweights like Common, Kelis and Talib Kweli, what was the feeling of being on stage like?<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">Common was a tough learning experience and it was early on in my career. I was flown outside of the U.S. to gig with him and do some other things for an album I just released. At first I found out my set had to be cut short due to the venue starting the show several hours later than they promoted. Then I was told I was only going to \u201cfreestyle\u201d with Common on stage and that didn\u2019t happen. It wasn\u2019t his fault, though, and he had nothing to do with it. He was gracious and showed me nothing but love. So that\u2019s my Common story, which I laugh about now. As for Kweli, It was dope to rock on the same stage with him, which was in Harlem many moons ago.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">You\u2019ve also garnered airplay in the UK how does that feel?<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">Really dope, man. I would say people in the UK are the first folks who really got me and supported my music and things grew from there. I\u2019ve gotten love and support from DJs all over the country, and the UK is such a trusted source of music around the globe, other countries pay attention.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">COVID has impacted the creative industry as a whole in a big way what has kept you motivated?<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">I would say just being reminded of how fragile life is and how we can be here one day and gone the next. Being reminded of that made me want to immerse myself in what I love to do most, which is to write songs. Los Angeles producer AltoBeats produced the whole album and his beats also inspired me to write and compose. He\u2019s a gifted producer and we had a ball putting this project together.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">2020 was a time to reflect what did you learn about yourself?<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">I was always a person who loved the hustle, bustle of city life, but during the pandemic I learned that I can thrive just as much, if not even more, in a quiet setting. I also bought some new music equipment in 2020 and taught myself how to use it and learned that I\u2019m way more technically savvy than I give myself credit for.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">Being from L.A., what are your three favourite things about the city?<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">I\u2019m still relatively new to the city but the weather is the first thing. I thrive off sunshine and it\u2019s sunny most days here. The second thing is the variety of things you can do in L.A.. Because one minute you can be in the mountains \u2014 like where we shot the video for our latest single \u201cNew View\u201d \u2014 and 20 minutes later be at the beach. Then 20 minutes after that you can be in a bustling part of the city. And the third thing is the beautiful nature and surroundings.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">What are you listening to at the moment?<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">Hmmm, let\u2019s see. A lot of Kota the Friend, who\u2019s a rapper out of Brooklyn. J. Cole\u2019s latest album, a lot of Black Thought from The Roots, The rap clique Spillage Village, Benny The Butcher and Griselda, J.I.D., a lot of Kendrick Lamar, Freddie Gibbs, and Blu &amp; Exile. I\u2019m a huge fan of their work.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div><strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">What\u2019s next for you?<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<div><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, sans-serif;\">We\u2019re going to release the album \u201cLike the Sun Didn\u2019t Sink\u201d next month, on 29th October and we\u2019re getting ready to shoot the video for the next single. Then it\u2019s getting the word out about the album, and traveling to as many countries as we can to play shows. It\u2019s really an exciting time right now.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\u00a0<\/div>\n<div>\u00a0<\/div>\n<div><strong class=\"\">New View <\/strong><span class=\"\">is out now- <\/span><a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.catapultdistribution.com\/magnet\/River-Nelson\/New-View\">https:\/\/www.catapultdistribution.com\/magnet\/River-Nelson\/New-View<\/a><\/div>\n<div>\u00a0<\/div>\n<div>&#8216;Like The Sun Didn\u2019t Sink\u2019 is out on Friday 29th October.<\/div>\n<div>\u00a0<\/div>\n<div>Special thanks to Mike Woolridge @\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.steamingkettlepr.com\">Steaming Kettle PR<\/a>\u00a0for the connection.\u00a0<\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify wp-embed-aspect-21-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Spotify Embed: River Nelson\" width=\"100%\" height=\"380\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/artist\/211wj8qqQnY4p3sMN3O513?si=A2Y9I6dfT0WUZDoyJQasCA&#038;dl_branch=1\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0 \u00a0 Hello River how are you? \u00a0 What\u2019s up, Derek? I\u2019m great. Thank you for asking. It\u2019s nice to meet and connect. \u00a0 All good! Congratulations on the release of \u201cNew View\u201d how does it feel? \u00a0 Thanks, man. It feels wonderful. It\u2019s like being a little kid who spends months building his own &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3622,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[172,131,132,30,130,142,182,150,35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3618","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hip-hop","category-los-angeles","category-lyricist","category-music","category-new-york","category-producer","category-rap","category-songwriter","category-touring"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3618"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3618\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3625,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3618\/revisions\/3625"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3618"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/platinummind.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}