Social media has allowed up and coming creative to share their work with a whole new audience. It has also allowed us to discover incredible talent that we would not have found otherwise. One of the latest artists on our radar is songwriter and recording artist YX.
Born of Puerto Rican and African American descent ,YX has been making waves in the industry with his signature sound and writing style. He has amassed over 2 million followers across social media and received praise on his work via Instagram comments from the likes of Maxwell, Justin Timberlake, and Shawn Mendes.
Celeb Secrets sat down (virtually) with YX for an exclusive Q&A to get to know the talented artist and hear about what he is working on next.
Take a read at the full interview below and let us know what you think of YX by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
You can connect with YX by giving him a follow on Instagram at @y.x.official.
Celeb Secrets: Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about yourself?
YX: “I go by YX (which stands for ‘Your X’). I’m a singer, songwriter and producer based out of NJ. I started creating music, several years back, as therapy for my anxiety and struggles with PTSD, which inevitably became a career for me.”
CS: Who did you listen to growing up and how have they inspired your writing style?
YX: “Growing up, I listened to everything I could get my hands on as a kid…new school and old; everything from blues, country, pop, RnB, rock n roll, to salsa. But I would have to say my favorite style of music is folk, mainly because of the stories but also the raw emotion in them.
Lately I’ve been listening a lot to a folk artist named Novo Amor. I love how he chooses melodies and sounds to sonically create his songs.
As far as my writing goes, I can’t say I’ve been inspired by anyone in particular. I write my truths in a way that others can relate.”
CS: Who are some artists you would like to write for?
YX: “I’d love to write for Chris Brown, Ed Sheeran, Julia Michaels, and Chris Stapleton.”
CS: What can you tell us about your original music? What is the writing process like compared to when you write for other artists?
YX: “My music is urban contemporary with a hint of folk. It’s very cinematic and emotionally driven. I want my feelings as well as my thoughts to project through my music. I write and sing with the intention of letting it all go, allowing myself to be vulnerable and not afraid of being judged.
The difference between writing for myself and writing for others depends on what kind of person the artist is…what are ‘their’ fears, doubts, or worries. I create music tailored to each individual artist, differently. The more the artist reveals who they are the more I can create a song suited for them.”
CS: Because this is Celeb Secrets, can you share a “secret” talent of yours that fans would be surprised to learn?
YX: “I wouldn’t call it a talent but it has been a gift and a curse for me. I’m partially deaf in one ear and because of that I had to teach myself to focus on the vibration of songs and not so much the sound. When I sing, I can feel vibration which guides me into finding the right note, key or ‘vibration’ I’m to be singing in. Often, people ask me how I’m able to come up with unique harmonies or bend notes with such ease. My answer is always, vibration.
Aside from that, I’m self-taught on several instruments but, oddly enough, I never learned to read music. Whenever I wanted to try a new instrument, I simply picked up the instrument and found it would take me mere minutes to figure out.”
