On a mission to help listeners realize their full potential and provoke self-appreciation through his music, Isaiah Brown closed out 2022 has proven to be an artist to watch. In November of last year, the rising artist dropped his debut album, DREAMERBOY, which received widespread attention for its innovative soundscapes and genre bending tracks. One of our favorites was “Me & U”, a trippy, soulful track landing somewhere between Diplo and James Blake.
Now, Isaiah has released a visually compelling music to the song, packed with mesmerizing camera shots, transcendent effects, and vivid coloring, while centered around Isaiah himself. It seems to perfectly encapsulate the feeling you get listening to the song itself.
“Despite all of the hardships and obstacles life can bring, the best thing we can do is continue to push for our dreams. This song has been in the works and on the back burner for so long, it reminds me how strong our determination can be and no matter what we will always find a way to rise above.” – Isaiah Brown
We also had the chance to catch up with him and chat about the song and what’s ahead for this year. Check it out below!
What inspired your debut album, DREAMERBOY? What is the overall theme and message that is collectively present throughout the compilation?
The overall message of DREAMERBOY is to simply follow your heart, intuition and passion! Growing up in the small town of Ashland, OR – my biggest battle in music was overcoming self doubt and the people around me that brought me down. I was constantly bullied, told to stop trying and even kill myself. It took a long journey of mental battles and overcoming that anxiety/depression to fully embrace myself and my goal as an artist. Once I realized that the beauty of music is subjective creative expression up to interpretation, I was able to really grow in my own skin and explore all the depths of my mind and journey. If you pay close attention to the lyrics of the album (especially in “A Message for the Interlude” or “New Beginning”) you can hear that message of embracing your own self love and ability to dive head first into whatever sets your heart on fire. That ultimately is the goal of DREAMERBOY, to let that inner love and creative spirit LIVE!
What was the process behind creating the intro and outro for DREAMERBOY? What advice do you have for artists who are struggling with the order of an album and how to specifically structure it?
I usually always start my writing process with a few bars, a melody, and an instrument. “Seraphina (Into)” & “New Beginning (Outro)” both started with a few chords on the guitar. I think a lot of artists – myself included – tend to make things more complicated that they need to be. Every artist thinks or should think that their work is incredible and needs to be meticulously composed, however there’s a fine line between being structured and being over-analytical. My best advice to any artist struggling to structure a project would be to simply go with your gut, and your heart. The goal is to flow, and take our audience on an emotional journey. If your project does that for YOU, there’s a damn good chance it will for someone else, and that’s how you know your work is done!
Which track in DREAMERBOY pushed you the farthest out of your comfort zone as a producer and why?
Sheesh, that’s a tough question. Each song on DREAMERBOY was created in a different emotional state of my life, and each song pushed what I thought was possible in my own abilities. Each record taught me something new about production, and the collaborations I have on some of the records taught me that much more. If I had to pick one, I’d say ‘Snow Moon (Never Growing Up)’ or ‘Seraphina (Intro)’ really pushed my limits in terms of starting an idea from scratch and transforming it into an entire piece of work. I can’t put my finger on one particular song that pushed me more than others, as each song is meant to test my limits as an artist and breakthrough to new ground.
Do you typically write the lyrics for a song and then make the instrumental for it or vice-versa? How are you able to get a feel for the mood of an instrumental and write vocals that match up with it?
It really all depends on the vibe – which I know sounds cliché, but it’s true. Some days I’ll be walking around outside or in nature and a few lines or a melody will come to me. I’ll voice memo a hook or feel some sort of rhythm as I’m moving around. From there I like to imagine which instruments would fit each note and how my vocals can blend with it to make it all one flow. It comes with practice, and spending each day listening to the music that is all around us. A big inspiration for me in my early days was the film August Rush with Robin Williams and Freddie Highmore. What I personally took from it was that music is living and breathing all around us in this world, and to tap into it can lead you to your true self and your destiny. With that being said, I like to utilize the world around me and the frequencies it carries to create the music.
If you had to pick one, which song in DREAMERBOY are you most proud of? Which one is your go-to when you need your spirits lifted and why?
Another tough question man sheesh haha. There are so many songs on the LP that work for everyday life and the goal of the entire album was to lift one’s spirit. If I had to pick a current personal favorite I would say probably “About That Time,” or “Hope It’s Real,” and probably “Price” since they all have a fun upbeat vibe. They all kind of blend together to create an entire vibe of love, flow, and good energy. Not gonna lie to you, I shuffle through the whole album every day to get into a good mood and catch a ‘wave’ so to speak haha. As for what I’m most proud of, I would have to say “Please Be The One,” or “Criminal” as I stretched myself vocally most on those records out of all of the DREAMERBOY LP.
