The album was crafted during S-X’s intense training camp for his debut fight in the boxing ring at the Misfits Boxing Prime Card alongside the likes of Tommy Fury, KSI and Logan Paul. Working alongside the rigorous schedule and drastic weight loss, he continued to work on the album, culminating in a collection that resonates with its emotional depth and raw authenticity.
What Did S-X have to say about the creativity behind the album, producing music, working with other artists, and lots more chat? Find out with this in-depth interview with Music Promotions.
Your new album ‘Anywhere But Here, ‘ Can you talk through the process of making this record?
The process of this record being made, really, I’d say a few of the songs might have been, don’t quote me, but they might have been written, around the time when I was writing Things Change, which was my last album. This is my first album back independent, so I’ve really just tried to take my time, not rush it, you know? I wrote it about some personal experiences, like a breakup. And then I’ve also tried to adapt in some scenarios that my friends or family might have been through.
Sometimes I get inspiration from things that people close to me are going through and I kind of feel like it’s me who’s going through it as well, you know, so I can write about it. That’s pretty much what it is. It’s called anywhere but here and it’s about leaving a scenario or a relationship or anything, whatever you relate it to, it’s about just letting go of it and wanting to literally be anywhere but there
The two features on the album are ‘Blade Brown’ and ‘K.R.I.T.’ How do the calibrations happen? Do you approach them, how does that process work?
I’ve worked with, many artists. Whether I’ve produced for them or they’ve featured on my songs. It’s always through relationships, but on this project specifically, Blade Brown is a good friend, that’s like family, so I’ve known him for way over a decade, and that’s just in music, you know, and the same with Big K.R. I. T. That’s someone who I’d sent beats to a very long time ago, way over a decade again, and we never really met until I was in the studio with Rico Love and Jim Johnson and Big K.R.I.T in 2018 in L.A. and we just literally hit it off from that moment, so it was nothing to just be able to, you know, text him and say, you know, can you, can you jump on my songs?
The same with Blade Brown. I literally just texted him saying, listen, I’ve got an album coming, i’ve got some open verses for you. Do you want to jump on this song? And they’re like, yeah, it’s a banger. Let’s do it. So it’s been so organic and you know, it’s just been no headache and that’s why I liked doing this album independently as well.
I’ve learned how the process is different getting features on your projects, so It’s been really good to do that.
There is 10 tracks on the cd, which of them ten took the longest to write/produce and what was the easiest?
I know that the easiest and quickest song was Feels, that song, I just made it in minutes. It just came to me, you know, the beat is obviously very simple – a synth, an 808 bass and a little snap sound. So there’s like four sounds or something in that beat. It’s funny. But again, simplicity is the key. I always say this, a song doesn’t need to be made in days or months for it to be better than a song that’s made in five minutes.
It’s just about the vibe. I’d say out of the 10 tracks, Feels was definitely the easiest and quickest for sure. And then the longest, I can’t say, because a lot of this album has been made in demo form. I don’t actually create my music all at the same time, I do sometimes write a full song in the studio and leave with it there and then, but a lot of the time, like 95 percent of the time,, I’ll make the beat or like a skeleton scratch idea of the beat, and then I’ll kind of get my melodies going over it, and I won’t even write sometimes.
I might have the first or second or even just the third line or something, but I’ve got the full melody and the full cadences of everything, whether it be there, the intro, the verse, the hooks, you know, I’ve got everything there so that I do just kind of sit with the songs over time and I might write just one line a day.
It just organically writes itself over time. That’s pretty much how this project was kind of made. A lot of demos. I’ll probably show one day how I made them, and show the demos, but yeah. I’d say the longest song was probably Wasting Time.
I had a session with the Elements who produced for huge artists and it’s actually the only song on the album that I didn’t produce on as well, which is pretty crazy that it took the longest to, but, I did the hook at their studio like way over a year ago and then just didn’t ever write a verse and I kind of forgot about the song and then one day it just randomly came on in my iTunes while I just was listening to all my demos and it just hit me how I was feeling at the time, and that’s why I love to not rush making my music because it’s real, you know, it’s written about real stuff. It’s not like I’m just trying to piece what rhymes together.
It’s real feelings, it’s real stuff. So I think that’s why it connects with people so well and resonates with them.
As a songwriter who/what are your inspirations?
I love John Lennon. He’s my favourite singer, songwriter, probably from when I was a kid. Imagine is my favourite song of all time. That’s my favourite song. So I have to shout out to John Lennon. Phil Collins as well. I love how he writes about the same thing as me really. I draw a lot of inspiration from Phil. Just walking away from relationships, walking away from situations, love, the struggles that men go through.
That’s what I like to get my inspiration from and then obviously there’s the hip hop side as well. I love Kanye, Drake, I love The Weeknd, all of the people that are really shaping the last 15 years in music, I’m a big fan of. I’d say I get inspiration from everything.
And also just instrumental music, not just as a songwriter. I love just listening to instrumental music, whether it’s flute music, world music, stuff like that. I think you learn how to use and differentiate different instruments and sounds as well.
From the producer side of your career, what is your process and what would you say makes a song a hit?
I’d say making a hit is sounds that gel well together, understanding what to do properly, because a hit has to hit. That’s why I think we call it a hit. I’ll say one of my songs is a hit and they haven’t had even a million streams, for example.
So it’s not a hit physically in the public world, but to me, it’s a hit because it hits, like, damn, that hits. So I’d say a song needs to have all of the right components, you know, that make it just easy to listen to for people. There’s some songs that are good, but they don’t hit.
My process is quite literally, I always kind of start with synths and things, and catch my rhythm there and find the tempo and then I build the drums around that and I think that is what makes a song a hit, is the whole thing gelling together, the drums have to be right, the actual specific sounds need to be right, you know, it all just needs to gel well to hit.
Are there any producers/songwriters you’d like to create with?
I would love to write with Phil Collins. I don’t think that’s gonna be possible, but that’s just something I’ve always loved to do. I think we’d have some sick conversations as well.
I’d love to work with Pharrell, I think we’d make some amazing stuff. I’d love to work with Tame Impala, Calvin Harris, people like that, I want to branch out into the EDM world as well. I love house music and stuff like that. I love all music, to be honest, but I definitely want to work with more people that can expand my sound. Like I said, I listen to flute music and stuff. So, I want to incorporate everything and be a part of everything. I’ve made pop songs, like my song with KSI; we’ve got some trap songs, and then we’ve got a pop song. My song with Trippie Redd is a pop song, and then this album here is like a trappy sad album.
It’s all different. So anyone who can just keep me doing different things, I’d love to work with them, even if they’re not known, I’d work with anyone. As long as they’re good.
You have worked with everyone from Lil Wayne, Childish Gambino, Chance the Rapper and J. Cole. Is there anyone you will be working with you can talk about, and who would you like to work with?
Anyone I’m working with right now? There are a few people, but I don’t wanna, I’m not gonna speak. I’m learning now not to speak on things before it’s happening, but I have been producing for more artists, and that’s something I want to get more into as well or back into because I sort of stopped producing for others to really put the focus on myself as an artist, but now I am just creating beats, and I can’t just have them sitting on my computer. So, I’m definitely going to be sending those out.
I just really want to produce for Eminem. My goal as a kid was always to produce for Lil Wayne and Eminem, in America anyway. I did Lil Wayne, so I have to get to Eminem. It’s only right. So Em, if you’re reading this, you know, um, hit me up.
What advice would you give anyone wanting a career in the music industry?
I’d say consistency is always the key to anything that you’re doing in life, you know, so that’s a given you’ve got to be consistent with everything, you’re building up momentum, and you’ve got to stay consistent, especially in today’s time. Be ready to work hard, but also you can work smart. You don’t just have to sit there in the studio every day and drain yourself, but work smart.
I’d say also be optimistic, but only in the sense that you never know what could happen. What you want to happen might not be what happens. What comes from being optimistic could open a door to many other things, which then lead to what you want to happen, and don’t be naive. That’s another one.
Those are three tips from me. Don’t be naive in the music industry because it’s the same with any industry; you’re gonna get your heart broken if you don’t.
What have been the highs of your career so far?
I performed at Wembley Arena, that was pretty sick. My actual, personal goal as an artist while I’m doing this is to try and get to an arena tour, I can see myself doing it one day, just thousands and thousands of people singing my songs with me. I’d say, yeah, that’s one of my biggest ones.
Getting a top 10 was a big one, a UK top 10 song. I was 16, and I’ve been blessed to be in a great position with music. When I was 16, you know, I had one of the biggest grime songs of all time with The Woo Rhythm that literally brought back the grime industry.
That was a big high, and I was so young. There’s been so many since that age; it’s just mad. When I look back and think about it, it’s quite emotional. Even meeting Lil Wayne, producing with Lil Wayne, to be able to say all of those things, these people that I produce for, it’s not normal where I’m from, you know.
So, everything’s been a high. Even the lows, when I look back at it now, it’s a high because it’s a lesson learned, through the career of the music industry. So, again, back to the advice.
Have you any plans to do any live gigs for this new album?
I do want to do a solo show, but I’ve also got more music coming. I’m independent now, so I’m just in full control of what I’m doing and I am just taking advantage of that. So there is more music coming. I’ve got a joint album with someone coming next year as well. So there’s so much on the horizon, but I am going to be doing a live tour next year for sure.
If it’s not next year, it will be at the top of 2025, which is mad to say that we’re in 2024, but yeah, I will be back touring. I love touring, so hopefully I can do like a one off show for this album or something, if I can.
Plans for 2024?
Plans for 2024 are to literally drop music, and drop more content.
I think over the last year I’ve been very quiet for my own personal reasons and just, you know, even coming off the back of COVID was a mad time in the lockdown. A lot changed for me in my career. Both signed a record deal and a lot, a lot of, a lot changes, so my plans for 2024 are to just be consistent with dropping music, feed my supporters, lots of merch, hopefully lots of shows.
I’ve got some good collaborations coming as well. So it’ll be a good year, man.
