An Interview With the Singer-Songwriter, THE REASN!

Get to know The Reasn! His newest single is called “Throw It Back.”

The Reasn skyrocketed in 2016 when his debut album, 70 West, landed him a supporting slot on B.O.B.’s North American tour. Known for his genre-bending ways, The Reasn fuses elements of rock, R&B, and pop to create his own unique sound and even more explosive live show. Since 2016, he has also opened for Tinashe, Estelle, PJ Morton and others.

Most recently, The Reasn has been garnering attention for his singles “Glow” and “Backstabbers” – which was championed on Beats 1 by Ebro Darden. “Throw It Back” is his latest single and he is slated to release a full album early 2019. The Reasn has a lot of exciting things coming and I’m really excited to see how much he grows in these next few months.

Learn more about The Reasn in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time today! Where does this interview find you now?

Just moved to Atlanta. Getting settled in and staying focused.

Now that 2019 has started, what musical goals do you have yourself this new year? Did you make any new years resolutions? Mine was to read more for fun!

My goals are always to outdo myself. Always bigger and better than the year before. I also want to trust myself more. Not depend on anyone else to guide me.

Growing up, how important was music in your life? Can you recall the moment when you decided that you wanted to be a musician? Was it an easy or difficult choice to make? Was there ever a time when you thought about doing something else?

There has never been one singular moment. Music has always been apart of me. From my mom singing in church to my aunts playing piano. I’ve never had to think about it. It just came naturally.

What has been the biggest surprise so far about making music your career? What has been an unexpected or welcome challenge to it all?

One of the biggest surprises is seeing how many people support you. When you choose this career you hope the support is there but nothing is guaranteed. Having people not only listen but buy your music and come to shows and continuously support your journey is one of the best feelings. My unexpected challenges would be finding out this business is not all about talent. It’s more about relationships. Unfortunately who you know is more important to a lot of people than how much talent you have what you’re trying to say. I’m trying to change that though.

How do you think you and your music have been influenced by your hometown and where you live today?

Growing up in Missouri made my music honest. It helped keep me humble but still confident enough that when I decided to move to LA and grow as an artist I was secure in knowing what I wanted my sound to be and how I wanted to get my message across.

What was the inspiration for your newest single, “Throw It Back”? How would you say it compares to anything else you have previously released? How does it prepare listeners for your next full album which will be out later this year?

When I heard the beat I knew exactly what I wanted to do cause it reminded me of a place and time in my life. I think that’s where a lot of my inspiration comes from. Moments in life that deserve to be more than just a moment. I don’t think anything can truly prepare my fans for my next project. I have a lot of things in the works. But It will be with the wait that’s for sure.

What has it been like keeping up with your social media accounts and all of the different platforms? Is it hard to stay up to date on it all? What would you say is your favorite way to connect with your fans now?

I always do my best to keep up with my fans online and hear their thoughts and opinions on not only music but life in general. My favorite way to connect will always be in person. There’s nothing like real face to face human interaction.

Who are some of your favorite artists or rather, what musicians have continued to inspire you and your music? Who would you absolutely still love to work with in the future? 

My mother probably influenced my music the most while growing up but some people I want to work with that influence me now…Pharrell, Kendrick Lamar, Paul McCartney.

If money and time were not issues, what would your dream music video look like?

A stadium. Sold out. With every person in the audience singing and dancing. I think a concert is one of the few places people can really let loose and live in the moment. To capture that and be able to replay it would be amazing.

If you were going to be stranded on a deserted island forever, what musical item would you take with you and why? 

Definitely my guitar. I’m trying to get better so I can play during my live shows but I guess that wouldn’t matter if I was on an island haha.

If your music was going to be featured on any TV show that is currently on right now, which would you love it to be on? Or if you prefer, what is a movie that you love that you wish your music was featured in?

I don’t watch a lot of TV but pretty much anything Jordan Peele does. The man is a true genius.

What has been a favorite show of yours in the past? What do you think makes an ideal show for you? You have toured with so many incredible artists so I am curious what you have learned from all those experiences? Does one stand out the most to you?

I can’t pick one show to be my favorite. They have all been so unique and brought great vibes. I think the most important thing I learned was on the B.O.B tour. He taught me that no matter the size of the crowd to still put your all into it. We had just come off of one of the biggest sold out shows of the tour the night before. And due to a scheduling mix up the next show wasn’t as full as we hoped, but we still went just as hard.

Do you have any tour dates you would like to tell our readers about?

Tour dates are coming soon. Still finalizing a few things before they’re announced.

At the end of the day, what do you hope your fans take away from your music? I’d like to know more about how you want your music to be timeless?

I want to be known as one of the most honest artists. I tell the truth from my lyrics down to my process of making the music. A lot of people don’t know that I don’t write any of my lyrics down. They all come to me in studio or when I hear a new beat. My family thinks it’s because I can’t read my own handwriting but the truth is it feels more real that way. More natural.

Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers about yourself or your music?

Don’t pressure yourself to fit into anyone else’s expectations or boxes. When it’s your time you’ll know. Until then give everything you do your all. The more you do on your own the better. As independent artist I know this better than anyone.