Izzi Sneider— You just dropped “just want u to feel something”, Congrats! How are you feeling about the release? Has the rollout gone as you expected?
Artemas— Love this song. It’s the first time I’ve released with a relatively significant audience which is so weird. I keep getting dm’s asking if I’m okay. Don’t think I realized how desperate the lyrics were until then. I love that music makers are reaching out and asking me how I did certain elements of the production because I used to do the same thing.
IS— You’ve been releasing music since late 2020, how has the journey been? What led you to creating music?
A— I’ve been making songs since I was 16. I watched the Nirvana documentary on Netflix and just became obsessed. I was on the search for an identity at the time and I could always learn music from ear, so it made sense. I’ve had so many phases of different genres/artists. I’m drawn to people who aren’t necessarily trying to paint a pretty picture of themselves (Frank Ocean, Amy Winehouse and The Weeknd come to mind), and I feel really comfortable doing the same in my music. (In real life I’m neurotic.)
IS— How has moving to London impacted your music? Are there any artists or movements that you feel epitomize London right now?
A— I don’t know if it really affected my music. Since I’ve been doing this, I’ve sort of been in my own bubble and I look all over the place for inspiration. There are too many great upcoming artists in London at the moment to name but I got in the studio with Jim Legxacy last month and he’s the truth.
IS— You play with various genres and experiment with your stylistic choices in your music, so I imagine you have a unique way of songwriting. Can you tell me a little bit about your creative process?
A— I literally just sit down at a keyboard or guitar and then just try and speak a song into existence. I try not to be too clinical with what I’m trying to write and just spew out whatever. It’s a really cool process. Feels like I’m tapping into something beyond myself. Recently, I have been making almost everything with my guitarist Toby Daintree who’s just a musical genius.
IS— Being a self-taught musician and producer, how do you think working on your own developed your sound? Looking back, are there any standout moments that felt important to you as a musician today?
A— It’s everything, you can be endlessly experimental on your own. You can try things out with no judgment and develop your own sound. Around march I realized I had been in a bit of a creative dry spell. I felt too attached to what I had already released. I think it was an ego thing. I was making all these darker R&B inspired songs with no intention of putting them out cause it didn’t fit with what I had been doing. Eventually I realized this was stupid and I haven’t looked back.
IS— “if u think i’m pretty” has been going crazy online too! Are there any unusual uses of the song that you weren’t expecting? What/who inspired the grunge version?
A— Oh god, people have been getting freaky to my music. I’m on like the biggest ‘sex’ playlists on Spotify which is hilarious if you know me personally. The sound is everywhere on TikTok and I have seen some pretty fruity stuff. It’s what I always dreamed of.