U p & C O m i n g

Graves Talks livinG in Hawaii, BuildinG rouTines, and BeinG ComforTaBle and

ConfidenT wiTH HimselfBy DANIELLE IIAG

Christian Mochizuki, aka Graves, will tell you that he made his break in the music industry by being in the right place at the right time. The Honolulu native first came to prominence after working as an engineer on Kanye West’s Grammy Award-winning album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, in 2010. During this period, he earned credits on albums by music superstars such as Beyonce, Big Sean, Jay-Z, Justin Bieber, and Kid Cudi. The dawn of Christian’s career in music had started at the top of the industry ladder, but a hunger to pursue his own musical path soon emerged. It wasn’t long until Christian created his solo project, Graves, the artist we know him as today. How was music a part of your life growing up in Hawaii? What was your childhood like? For some weird reason, my parents never allowed me to play instruments while

growing up, so I would buy instruments and hide them in my closet. I would learn how to play them while they were at work.

How is the electronic dance music scene in Hawaii? It’s cool; it’s not too big or too small. There’s a scene for it if you’re looking for things to go to, but it’s not completely oversaturated (which can be nice). What are the pros and cons of being in Hawaii and living there full time? Does that contribute more or less to your music productivity? I feel like living in Hawaii is a great thing for me. I spend half of my weeks in LA, so being able to come home and decompress the other half of the week is important for my creativity. I can literally make music on my island and shut out all the drama, but I also try

I think, for me, I always try to create something that people can connect with

on a variety of levels.

to take advantage of working with as many people as I can on the mainland whenever possible. How did you go from creating hip hop beats for Kanye to getting involved with electronic dance music? What changed your whole perspective on things? I worked for Kanye, and then I started listening to drum and bass, Hospital Records to be exact. Shortly after Skrillex appeared, my view of music changed entirely, and i knew that I wanted to create electronic music. What is your vision for Graves? It’s something I’m constantly working on and imagining. I think, for me, I always try to create something that people can connect with on a variety of levels. It’s cathartic for me to have an outlet, somewhere I can let everything I'm thinking and feeling out of my heart and head. I want to create works of art and projects that give my listeners a world to escape to, something they can sink their teeth into, something they can drown in. How would you describe your sound? In a nutshell, I would say grunge electronic. Or, maybe emo electronic. I’m inspired by SO many different genres and artists—I find myself trying to incorporate a variety of tones and moods into my work. One minute, I’ll be listening to Kid Cudi or Oliver Tree, then I switch to Bring Me The Horizon and start thinking, “Fuck, I wanna make something that sounds like that.” Where do you find inspiration when

creating music? Do you have a regular routine where you schedule in time for music production? I usually go on a hike in the morning and turn my phone to airplane mode. Once that’s done, I’m ready to be creative and take on the day. Inspiration can come from anywhere and at any time. When it’s your job, it can hard to be creative everyday, but I think building routines, eating healthy, and maintaining focus are key. What is your process like when creating a song? I always start with guitar chords and a melody because, for me, those are the two most important parts of the record. Every song on my new record started this way. Most of the time, while in the studio, the vocalist will cut the track simply to a basic percussion loop and one or

two guitar melodies. I’ll then take that skeleton and produce it out until I think it’s ready. It’s been almost a year since you’ve released your first EP, Hilo. What were your expectations while producing this EP? What was the inspiration behind it? I didn’t really have any expectations except that I wanted to create a body of work that was unique and true to me. The sonic inspiration for Hilo came from a lot of downtempo and wave music happening in London. I think a lot of artists in the electronic space have a tough time making cohesive bodies of work, so I challenged myself to try and create something that you can listen to from start to finish. I wanted people to be able to walk away feeling like they were just a on journey, an experience rather than just a collection of songs smashed together.

Collaboration has been great for you! You’ve worked with industry producers like Myrne, Boombox Cartel, Hex Cougar, Rickyxsan, and many more. What is the best networking tip you can share to be able to work with artists in the music industry? Be nice, and be kind to everyone. Don’t be overbearing when it comes to writing music with others, you want the energy to be organic. Sometimes, you can hear when collabs were forced, and that is no good. How has producing changed the way you listen to music now? Everyone will say the same thing, especially if you’re mixing your own records. You hear a lot of things sonically that you would want to fix. What do you think your biggest struggle was in getting to where you are today?

How did you overcome this?

Artists making music today have everything conveniently obtainable, so the biggest struggle is being able to properly and tastefully separate yourself from the person next to you. We all use the same programs and have similar inspirations, so it can definitely be a challenge to form different sounds. It's being comfortable and confident in yourself to create something that creates a stream, rather than feed one. It’s easy to see something working and then let that dictate what you’re doing. Aaron (Carmack) is someone I’ve always been inspired by since he never ever lets anything dictate his art or process. What advice would you give your younger self? Drink more water. What advice do you have for artists just getting into music production? Focus on your niche. Don’t try to sound like anyone else because all that does is give the person who originated that sound more energy. In what moment have you felt like you lived up to your own expectation? Never. What goals have you set for yourself that you want to accomplish? Grammy, as an artist. I’ve got a couple as a producer/engineer, but until I win one for something I’ve built with my vision, I won’t be satisfied.

I think a lot of artists in the electronic space have a tough time making cohesive

bodies of work, so I challenged myself to try and create something that you

can listen to from start to Finish.

What do you love about your fans, and how do they motivate you? They are seriously the best. They drive or fly long distances to come see me, and just being around that energy keeps me motivated to keep moving through life. When you hear some kid on the other side of the world tell you that they love your music, it’s the most humbling experience imaginable. It’s something I never expected, and it just makes me want to work harder. What kind of legacy would you like to leave behind as an artist? A legacy stating that you can be who you want and can live life by your own rules. In 2019, you’re going on the Far From Here Tour. What can fans expect from these shows?

A lot of new music! Sonically, the show is going to be all my stuff. From new tracks and old tracks to edits I’ve made, from start to finish, it’s Graves. I’ll have some brand new merch that will only be available on the tour as well, of course. But more-so than all, it’s energy. I grew up going to punk and hardcore shows, and I remember leaving all those shows sweaty and exhausted. That’s exactly how I want everyone to leave my shows too. Is there anything you’re working on that you can tell us about?

“Arcus” with RL Grime, and “Reach For Me” with Party Favor are both coming very very soon. I’ve also been writing a ton of records with guys like Zubin and Lil Lotus that I absolutely LOVE! Those will be coming this year as well.

I wanted people to be able to walk away feeling like they were just a on journey, an experience rather than just a collection of songs smashed together.

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