Artist Friendly with Joel Madden - Gavin Magnus

Episode Date: December 20, 2023

This week on Artist Friendly, Joel Madden is joined by Gavin Magnus. Magnus has created his own celebrity by uploading absurd videos, from staying in haunted hotels to marrying his crush for 24 hours, across his YouTube and TikTok channels. He’s also shared a slew of captivating covers, which makes the release of his debut EP, BLURRY EYES, all the more special. Produced by John Feldmann, the project features seven songs that range from pop-rock anthems to heart-on-sleeve confessionals. He’ll play a couple of shows in February, and you can grab tickets here. ------- Listen to their Artist Friendly conversation on ⁠⁠⁠Spotify.⁠⁠ ------- Follow Artist Friendly! IG: @artist.friendly TikTok: @artist.friendly YouTube: youtube.com/@artist.friendly ------- Host: Joel Madden, @joelmadden Executive Producers: Joel Madden, Benji Madden, Jillian King Producers: Josh Madden, Joey Simmrin, Janice Leary Visual Producer/Editor: Ryan Schaefer Audio Producer/Composer: Nick Gray Music/Theme Composer: Nick Gray Cover Art/Design: Ryan Schaefer Additional Contributors: Anna Zanes, Neville Hardman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey, what's up everybody? I'm Joel Madden, and this is artist-friendly. Wishing you all a very happy holiday and Merry Christmas. I hope you're having a nice Christmas break wherever you are. I hope you're getting a good holiday in with your friends, your family, and you're feeling loved. This episode, we're celebrating Christmas and the holiday season with social media star, singer-songwriter and content creator Gavin Magnus. Let's go. Gavin.

Yes. Thanks for coming. Thank you for having me. I mean, you're young as shit. Yeah. Which is crazy to me. 16? Yeah.

17? 16. When's your birthday? March 26. Oh, are you a Pisces? Aries. Aries. I'm a Pisces.

Really? What's your birthday? March 11th? Okay. Okay. So you're going to be 17 in March. So you're, you still have a ways to go. Yeah, like what is that?

Like four? You're like a true 16. Yeah. Yeah. When did you moved to L.A.? How old were you? 13? Wow.

13, yeah. No, 12. I think I was 12 years old when I first moved to LA. When YouTube first became big for me, that's when I started popping on there. And then we were like, oh, my goodness, this is like so hectic. We need to get closer to the city. So then we moved in like that area, which was like closer, but still not too far from where we needed to be. So where'd you go up?

I grew up here, like Orange County area. I was born in I think like Santa Ana. I grew up there for like two years. And then I moved to New York. I moved to Long Island, Lindenhurst. I lived there for probably like four, four and a half years. Because my dad had got a job there and my dad's family is there. So we lived there for like four years, four and a half years.

And then we would actually still be there if it wasn't for Hurricane Sandy. But Hurricane Sandy, since we were right by the coast, it took out our house. Oh, did it? So, yeah. So like that was like a terrible process and then we have insurance? I'm not sure. I was like six years old. Okay.

You weren't asking that question. Yeah. But I remember it was like a almost a week long process. We were staying in hotels with power out and there were like hundreds of people in these hotels and we're all like under the tables and there's no power in like the whole city. And like it was like the most insane experience I've probably ever been through. And then I moved back to California after that. My dad had stayed in New York for us.

I think like a year and a half, two years, because he still had a job there. And then this was before I was doing social media. So I was probably like eight or nine at the time, maybe seven. Yeah. And then after that... That's young, dude. Yeah, after that, my dad had moved back.

And then we bought a house in Orange County. And then that's when I started picking up, like, the cameras and stuff. And I started getting into, like, social media. And I was like nine or probably 10 years old. Maybe. I think I'd just turned like 10 years old thing I started when I was like nine. And I was like vlogging on, like, my eyes. iPod three or whatever it was.

Right. Like the most terrible camera, the phone was like the size of like half of my hand. And I remember I got an iPod for Christmas and I just started like videoing it. Like I would go to school and I would like be like, oh, you guys, I talked to my friends. I'd be like, you guys want to come over later? Like we can film a YouTube video. And I was doing that for probably like maybe a year or two. And I was just having fun being myself just filming the stupidest stuff ever.

Yeah. And I think one of my videos popped off. I was doing some stupid stuff. It got like, maybe like 100,000 views. Okay. And like 100,000 views when you have like 2,000 subscribers is like 100 million views. 100,000 views is good for me.

Yeah. When I get 100,000 views on something, I go, oh, that's good. Yeah, exactly. So I was looking at that and I was like, oh, shoot, like that's insane. And I was like 10 years old. And so I kept doing it for like a number. other year. And then when I was like 11, I had met a friend named Piper, Piper Raquel, and we had like done YouTube together for a few years. And we just like blew up together. And then we went

our separate ways eventually a few years later. And I was doing my thing. And then obviously we still filmed together now. And ever since then, man, social media has just been my life and music and everything like that. And then I eventually jumped into the music scene when I was like maybe 11 years old, 12. I started taking like vocal lessons. I've been singing. There's a video actually when I lived in New York. When I was like five years old, I was listening to Baby by Justin Bieber and I had like a dog tag on. I had like the Bieber bowl cut and I was wearing like his blue flannel.

I was dancing on the table and I was like this tall like singing baby by Justin Bieber. I thought I was him. And then when I had moved back to California, I started taking vocal lessons and like really trying to like make music a thing too because I'd always have like such a strong love for it. Yeah. You love music. Yeah, and then I made my first song when I was 12, 12, I think. It was called Crushin. It was some, like, goofy pop song.

But that goofy pop song ended up getting like 40 million views on YouTube and crazy. Yeah, and like, let's, like, before we call it goofy, right? Yeah. Maybe if we're 16 or we're 21 or we're, I'm 44, right? If we're being, you know, mean adults to a 12-year-old, calling it goofy because we're adults. And now, you may not do that song now. Yeah.

Because you're grown. But it's pretty cool at 12 to make a song and have it be received like that and have 40 million views. And so I just want to like point that out before you throw shade at your younger self. No, no, yeah. Ultimately, I think like I listen to all of this and I'm just. like receiving all of it because I think you're still incredibly young to be doing what you're doing. Yeah. So I think like you should get a lot of credit. Yeah. And that's not to say that you

won't look back at your yearbook pictures, right, and go like, damn, I wish I would have wore a different shirt. Well, 21 year old, of course is going to wish you'd worn a different shirt. Yeah, of course. But 14 year old is doing his best and living his best life. And so like I always reflect on but I started my band when I was 15 and from 15 to 22 I was just figuring out who I was there's definitely pictures of me that we could like put up and I could tell you that god damn that's embarrassing I wish I would have you know I wish someone would have told me yeah but then I think about I mean that's just me being mean to myself because I'm I'm I'm embarrassed or I'm worried that someone's going to like criticize it or whatever and I really should be like

damn i'm proud of those guys they came from nothing and they were just like putting on their best outfit at the time and making shit that made them feel good and trying to put good things into the world right yeah but i think we live in a harsh environment for sure full of a bunch of adults that don't have better things to do then probably like criticize what you kids are doing yeah right yeah i mean i think like things like that too like it definitely like builds you know it builds character like looking at yourself like back then or like even now looking at myself you know it feels like i always i always put it in like the weirdest way but i've been in this industry for like so long it feels like since i for like almost like seven years you know what i mean and i'm only 16 but

mentally i feel like i'm 25 because like at 13 i was having like label meetings with label executives at some of the biggest record companies so like um so one of the things i was thinking about on the way here was how the fuck does a fucking 12 year old, a 14 year old, a 16 year old, now 16 year old make sense of this fucking really fun,

exciting business in some parts, right? That's why you got into it. Yeah. You want to like skate to skate park. It's fun. But then it's also a really like grown ass, cynical, heavy world in other ways.

and you're doing things that 25-year-olds are trying to do at 16. Oh, yeah. You're going to, I'm sure, cause emotions around, right? It's going to be, I understand more from maybe like positive and negative, right? You're going to have people your own age. That's different. But like you're going to have people that are older than you that are trying to essentially do the same thing you're doing.

Uh-huh. 100%. You're going to have to like receive that energy. from people you don't even know. And I wonder how a 16-year-old who's obviously got an adult life's worth of experience already. Yeah. How do you manage and deal with making sense of all of that kind of?

Yeah. I think it's difficult to figure out at first, but I think for me, what works for me is just like making sure I also have time to be a teenager and like be or you know like go hang out with friends when I'm on my free days or like you know if I get on my work done in a day I'll go mess around I'll go to the beach or I'll go hang out with this person or this person like making sure that like I'm still keeping like a solid social life and I'm still like I live in with all my my whole family like my dad my mom my brother you all live together yeah yeah yeah so like obviously I still like am a normal human at home like just like

answer to someone at home. Yeah, like I still like do my dishes after I clean. I still like I do laundry. Like I'm a normal person at the end of the day is like as much as like this industry can be challenging. I feel like being so young and being in this industry and trying to be a normal human can also be challenging. Which is something that I later came to find out because from like 13 to probably like recently like 15, maybe like 12 to 14. and crazy young ages, I was just like a workaholic. Like, I was just go, go, go.

And I just, like, you get so lost in yourself and you're just like, you kind of have to take a step back and realize, okay, wait, let's not forget, like, who I am. Yeah. Let me, like, make sure that I can remember who I am as a person and still go out and have fun and make sure I'm not wasting my youth because I don't want to look back when I'm in my 20s and be like, man, I wish I lived, like,

I wish I did some teenage shit. Like, you know, I wish I would have done something. like cool like that so it's important for me to like make sure i still like make time for my friends family make time for like my social life and do all that stuff on the side did you finish school yeah i'm still in school actually i'm i'm hoping to graduate uh this year i'm homeschooled right now graduate early yeah i i stopped going to public school in sixth grade first first grade of middle school i think and um been homeschooling ever since because i think in sixth grade is when like I had like 30,000 subscribers and like I was the only kid in school.

How many subscribers do you have now? 6.4 million? A lot of subscribers. Yeah, that's a, that's a lot of subscribers for sure. And your mom is like, would you say she's the main force behind? Yeah. Everything. Yeah.

That's tough. My mom is like, she's always been there from day one. I remember, I remember how it all started is like I was in a Chick-fil-A-drive-thru with my mom. She took me. And we were just having a conversation. I was like, Mom, I want to be a singer. I was like, I want to be like a singer. I want to do this and that.

I want to be like, I really want to do this. And she was like, you know, most people like you think like, you know, if you're like 10 years old telling this to your mom or 11, you think like the average response would be like, you're funny. All right. What do you do your homework later today. Like, you know what I mean? Yeah, if you're not from an entertainment family.

Yes. But like my parents have always been super, super supportive of like, every single thing I've ever done. So her immediate response was like, all right, let's do it. Let's figure something out. That's cool. Let's try to do it. And I was like, oh my goodness, this is incredible.

So my mom is definitely, obviously she's been with me through every step of the way. But like, she's really helped me like navigate through life and just like figure out situations that maybe I don't know the answer to or things that like I just like couldn't do simply without her. And it's definitely good still having her like closely by my side and especially managing my career. So like maybe she sees something that I don't in somebody. Yeah. She can be like, oh, well, this person's, this person's not good for you.

And I'm, this is a lot of times she'll like make decisions. Like sometimes she'll make decisions for me. I'll be like, why are you doing that? Like this and that? She'd like, just trust me. Later on. Later on you'll thank me. And then a year later, I'm always like, oh, thank God you did this because like,

and she's like, yeah, I told you. It's like she always has like the right intuition. You know what I mean? Yeah. That's just living life for a longer period of time. You get kind of a gut on things sometimes that like, I'm the same. I'll tell my kids like, watch out for that. Yeah.

And you're usually right. Sometimes you've got to learn on your own. Oh, yeah, 100%. In some scenarios, you're going through your life. There's going to be lessons you have to learn from life. But then there's lessons you can, if you can get information from your parents, that's valuable that helps you avoid some potholes, some landmines. You get those sometimes and they do really help.

Yeah. But some shit you just got to learn because you're young and you're like, I don't care. I'm going to go figure this one out. No, yeah, yeah. I agree. Especially like with like my social life, like if I go talk to like a, if I'm like talking to a girl or something or like me and my homeboy

or like having an argument or something like she's just like I'll let you figure that out because like that's something you need to figure out. Yeah. That's going to like like those are things that like a human needs to figure out by themselves. and make mistakes so they cannot make them again. Like, oh, if I'm, you know, talking to this girl and she did me dirty or like this and that, like this happened, it's like, all right, well, now I've learned that. And like, I'm grateful I did because now I know next time going into, let's say, another

relationship. I know what to look for and this and that. And so, like, that's, those are good things and all. But I think it's super important, like, having her around and always keeping me, like, in check or, like, sometimes when I'm, like, not, like, on my grind or, like, doing what I need to be doing. And it's like, it's not because like I don't want to ever. It's just because like I'm 16 and like there's I, there's so many distractions around me. Like I'm always constantly being pulled left and right because of like certain things like, oh like because you know,

I still have like a social life and I still have got like friends I like to hang out. So sometimes she'll be like, hey, like you can go do this. But I mean, I would suggest like you get what you need done first. So then you don't have to worry about it later and you can just go have fun. And I'm like, oh, you're right. And then I do it. And then it. And then it. always ends up working out better for both us. Yeah. Yeah. That's cool. The new album is blurry eyes. Blurry eyes, yeah. I actually just got a tattoo of it yesterday. You got a lot of tattoos. Yeah, I do. For 16. 16, yeah. Where do you get him done? I have a tattoo artist. His name is Frosty. Tattoo by Frosty. Shout out to him. He's a, he's an amazing tattoo artist. He actually got my first

one when I was 15 right here in Costa Rica. It's a rose. My grandma's name on my dad's side is Rose. That's nice. And I also just like, I like the design. So I got it. And like every tattoo that I get, I make sure like has a very deep meaning. Yeah. Or like it's something special. Like this is my mom's eye.

Oh, that's my mom's birthday. Me and my brother have this matching one. How old's your brother? My brother's 18. Okay. So like we have, we have this matching one. And then upgrade. This was a song that I dropped with a good friend of mine.

His name's Nate Good. And like we both got the matching tattoo because like, this manager I had at the time, like, screwed me over and, like, tried to, like, ruin my career. And, like, he was like, I'm going to, like, make sure this song doesn't come out. And, like, he was, like, just some evil human. Like I said, there's, like, evil people in this industry. And so we eventually, we shot a music video for the song. We got it out.

Everything was good. And we were like, you know what? This is something to remember. We both got the tattoo right here. How old were you at the time when this grown man is threatening you not to let you put your song out? 15? 15. 15.

Yeah, that's funny. Yeah. It's funny when I hear stories like that, I'm like, you're going to stop me from putting my song out? Yeah, I mean, like, I'm like 15. You've got like 40-year-old men who are like just absolutely insane, know nothing about what they're talking about. And they just, and they're just like feeding this false information to you. And they're like, manipulative. Yeah, just manipulating you. And thankfully, like I said, like my family is like they see through that stuff. And they like, yeah, this isn't this isn't right. What do you like, we got to get rid of this. And like, I've been. I've been. through some like. There's a lot of clowns in this business. Oh yes. It is a little bit like a circus sometimes.

Yeah, I mean, I've been through like, I've been through all the circuses, I guess. I've seen so many of these clowns and like just been through the ringer so many times. And like I have so many good stories to tell like for when I'm older and someday I have kids. And like it's just going to, it's going to be an interesting. It's experienced. Yeah, it's going to be interesting telling them what my life was like growing up when I was their age when they turned teenager. I always wonder like the size of your life when you're doing what you do, right? Which I kind of feel like when you do what we do as far as making music and making art and making TV shows, content, things like that.

So I do all that. I have been for 20 years. Yeah. It's not that I necessarily always want to. It's that I kind of have to. I feel I feel like I have to. It's just what I do. And in some ways, it's just what I am.

I don't fight it. I just do what I do, right? At this age, I can make sense of it a lot. I don't wrestle with it. I do what I want, when I want. I do, I make stuff. I don't wonder what anyone is going to think of it. I don't, like, at this age, I'm kind of just like,

oh, I'm going to do this TV show, a tattoo competition called Inkmask. right? I host it. Now maybe when I was 22 I would have been like what is there people are going to think I'm a guy in a band hosting a TV show now I think it's a different time in entertainment than it was so you would get like criticized back in the you know 90s 2000s if you did anything outside of music it was still up for debate if that was okay now it's a different time I think we can do whatever we want because of your generation of people doing whatever they want. 100%. And I also think you get older and you just stop carrying. You're kind of like the guy on the front porch with the shotgun.

Yeah. So you get a little crazier when you're older because you're still in what I would say is the early stage of your career. You'll look back on this time. And like you said, there's some things you can be conscious of now. And then there's some things that you'll look back on and go, I wish I would have known this or I wish I would have. I guess I wonder how you deal with the stress of just being an entertainer. It's hard to explain that stress. Because, Most people, people listening to this would be like, easy for you to say. That's exactly what I say. Must be nice. And the way I like to put it and like how I like to explain it to people is like, for a lot of people, this is like a dream job. Or like, you could ask anybody who's not doing this and they'd be like, oh, my God, I would love to have that job. I trade in two seconds. Yeah, like you have a 12 year old who's like, oh, my dream is to be a YouTuber.

Like, that's what I want to do. And it's like, that's cool and that's great. Like, go for it. But here's what you should know. Yeah, here's what you should know. And also, like, people don't realize that when your hobbies and the things you do for fun go somewhere, like, a lot higher than your expectations. They become a job.

It becomes a job. And then you're like, you start doing it because, like, you have to. Like, sometimes you'll be like, oh, my God. Sometimes it feels like you're not even doing it because you want to anymore. It's like, you're just doing it because you have to. Like, this is like, you're just so disciplined and naturally doing this. And, like, there's days where like, I mean, there's days where I wake up. but I'm like, oh my gosh, I don't want to do this.

Like, I don't want to film this video or I don't want to go to this place or film this. And like, that's why like, I mean, I've been like transitioning so much, so much heavier into like music. Yeah, that's what I was going to ask. I was like that sounds probably why you went and made an album. Yeah. So like music, like I said, music's always been like a big thing. Like people are always sometimes like, oh, he's a TikTok or trying to make music. But it's like, no, I mean, I got 40 million views on my first music videos at 12 years old.

before TikTok was even an app. So, like, I've been doing music throughout my whole, from, like, 10 to now. So now is, like, where I'm really trying to, like, focus on that, especially, like, 2024 this year and the beginning of next year is, like, really where I'm going to start touring and just, you know, making that something. Because it's something I enjoy doing now, and, like, I'm happiest doing, you know, because, like, people grow out of things. Like, I was doing YouTube when I was, like, nine years old.

I'm doing for, like, seven, six years. and like people eventually grow out of things and like to switch it up. Like you can't do the same thing forever. You gotta evolve it. Yeah, of course. I think it's just about like. The music is good. Thank you.

Yeah, but I can hear that you've been singing a long time. I can hear that you, yeah. You're not just like, this isn't your first time singing. When I heard, when I listened to the album,

it doesn't sound like someone who hasn't been singing. And now there, you know, there is an uncomfortable transition into music. if you don't know how to sing. There's certainly people who have done it, you know, and we could look back across 30 years and pick tons of different athletes, actors,

people from different spears come into music and they want to have that like rock star experience or the musician experience. That's one thing. I don't put you in that category. It feels like music has always been a part of your like whole thing. And like now you're just focusing on actually developing your music and your brand of music in the world.

Yeah, I was impressed with it. It's good. It sounds really good. Thank you, man. I appreciate it. Yeah. Making the album was, it was super sick. I mean, we made like 20-something songs.

Yeah. It was only seven. We're put into the project, but, you know, it was an amazing experience, like working with everyone like Kay Thrash and John Feldman. Yeah. And his label, Big Noise, who I'm signed to. You know, it was an amazing experience. And like I genuinely feel like it's some of the best music I've ever made and it's a project that I put out with full confidence and comfortability and was like, you know what?

Yeah, you should be proud of it. I'm proud of this. Like this is something that I'm like genuinely excited for people to hear. And like I always know, I always know one of my songs is really good when like I catch myself listening to it. Yeah, yeah. Like there'll be songs I'll make and I'll be like, all right, that's cool. I'll listen to it one time. be like, all yeah, whatever. Listen when I play this.

But then there's some songs I'm like, you know, wait, that song I made is like stuck in my head. Let me listen to that again. And like, there's some songs on my album that I like to listen to. And I'm like, okay, like, this is a really good song. I should make more stuff like this. Or like, people really seem to like this. So I'm going to really try to make more stuff like this.

Like, I feel like it was just such a, it was a good experience because it allowed me to find myself a little bit more. That's it. And find my pocket and where I fit best. So I think I'm still working on that obviously. But I think I'm very happy with where I am. That's artist development. That's what that's called. It's just going through the process. It's making music. I always listen to my shit when I make an album, I will play that shit out for a month. Yep. And that's how I know the album is done. Yeah. Because I want to listen to the whole thing. And I want to, when I make an album, I'll play it until I'm tired of it. And I could play that shit for three months straight.

Yeah. That's just how I feel when I make an album. Yeah. It's a good feeling when you, when you, when it's done, when you feel it. Oh, yeah, of course. And then you'll be excited about it. You'll go tour it. And then by the end of the tour, you're ready to make another album because you're tired of. Yeah, you want to play some new shit. Yeah. So that's artist development. Oh, yeah. Old school. I mean, my artist development has been crazy the past like, five years. Yeah. I went from making, like, music just to, like, make the music. And then I went from, like, okay, wait, maybe I should try this because I kind of like this out of this. And then I was, like, doing that. And then I was like, no, maybe I should try this.

And then, you know, I'm like 13, 14. Like, obviously, puberty is a thing. And so, like, my voice is constantly changing. Yeah, yeah. And, like, as you get older, you find yourself being more keen to, like, certain things. So, like, I like this type of music now. So I'm going to make this type of music. Right.

And, like, and music is. And music is such a cool thing because you can make what you like. Period. And no matter what, as long as the music is good and it's produced well and you've got like just a solid set of songs, like someone will listen. Someone will find that and enjoy that just as much as you. Yeah. And you know, in your voice, and I'll tell you this, I'm a huge fan of Justin Bieber.

Okay. I love Justin Bieber. I mean, I've had Beaver fever since I. came out yeah so i hear like a lot of good of my like i love his voice but i also like him as a person yeah and um you know i think he's a he's a good guy and i think he's had to grow up in an incredibly um difficult difficult world um in front of everyone and and and do it with uh I think be graceful and find his own way in this crazy, you know, circus of a world and entertainment.

And I think, I'm proud of him. I think he's, he's landed in a good place. Oh, yeah, for sure. And I think he's gone through what not a lot of other people have to go through. He's, he probably has stories. I know he doesn't. I think he probably has a lot to teach a lot of people about success from a young age to growing up in it.

I mean, he's one of the few that actually made it out too. Yeah, he didn't become a complete mess of a life and a person. He's married and he's building a life for himself and I'm proud of him. When I watch from out here and any time I've ever interacted with him, but certainly when I watched from out here, I go, good, I'm glad. I'm happy. I'm proud of him. And I think he has a lot of class. He's not out there telling all his stories. And maybe one day he will share in a way that he feels like he needs to. But I watch someone like that. And I, so I'm a fan of his. But I hear a lot of good Bieber influence in your vocals, which is cool. Especially bringing it to a different,

a little bit of a different genre with this album. It's cool to hear. It's cool to hear. hear it with the parts of your voice that are are similar to his are all the to me like my favorite little beaverisms that are cool yeah thank you yeah he's always been an inspiration in mind like that's cool i think like my top three artists like the past like three four years have been like did you ever get to meet him um no i haven't met him uh i've talked to like his his little sisters though and like his little brother like they're like i guess like they watch my videos oh that's cool So like, they've reached out to me. But no, I've never actually met him.

I'd love to one day. And obviously, hopefully collaborate with him. That'd be awesome. But, yeah, like, he's been my favorite artist, you know, of my whole life. And, like, Kid Leroy and Juice World. Like, I'm super big into rap. And, like, yeah. Yeah.

I actually, it's so funny, I went to a Drake concert. Recently? Yeah, I went to his LA one, his most recent one. It's funny. someone on his team was like he like texted me he was like you Drake you come in tonight and I was like what he's like to yeah you coming tonight and I'm like uh Drake texted you no no someone like from his team and okay cool who I know and they were like oh yeah I was like how am I gonna what do you mean like he's like all right I'll get you tickets how many

people you want to come with I was like uh I'll go with like four three people because it was me my editor and videographer who no longer works with me but and my friend at the time and we're still friends but yeah he texted me was like all right I got you three tickets come tonight and I was like all right so we meet him at like the hotel we take a actually and we go through like the back of the Staples Center like the backstage and like we're walking through it

and we got like the VIP wrist fans and I'm like oh shoot this is like this is crazy and so like we walk up to like the VIP box and like all the biggest celebrities are just like chilling like Drake's dad is just standing next to me the whole time and I'm just like oh yeah his dad's kind of a celebrity yeah yeah and I mean it was a great concert but ever since that concert my kids went to that day late they said it was great yeah but ever since that concert I haven't listened to like another artist but Drake and probably like that's where that's when it's good yeah I literally added like 50 Drake songs 50 more and they said 21 Savage was great too yeah I mean I love 21 Savage

I'm not like the the biggest 21 Savage fan I love his music I'd love to like obviously obviously work with all these people one day. But, yeah, 21 Savage was great. All the people that performed there was amazing. The show was just incredible. It was an amazing experience. They just went to, my kids love hip-hop, and they go to all the shows that they can. They just went to Travis Scott.

They said that was a good one. Yeah. Here? The Travis Scott show here? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, crazy. Like, if you think about Travis Scott, a rapper is selling out like 70,000.

Yeah. 70,000 tickets. They're going to the Uzi show this week. week. Crazy. Thursday night. Yeah. That's insane.

They're like concert junkies for hip hop. I went to a trippy red concert. Then I went to two Yeet concerts. Oh yeah. Yeats' cool. I like trippy too. I almost like I almost passed out in the Mosh. And the Trippy Red, the Trippy Red concert was like insane.

Like you just can't even breathe in like those pits. And I was like, all right, yeah, I'm never doing this again. Went to a Yit concert. Stayed a little. It was cool. Like it was amazing. Like more of my favorite artists too. And then I went to a second Yit concert.

and I like got all up in the pit It was at the I have what's the venue called It's on sunset It's like a Not the rockity Rink no Or not on sun

Yeah it's on sunset But it's like further down Palladium Yeah the Palladium Yeah Yeah so he was there And I just like I just remember like

And I'm like I'm not a tall dude I'm like five six I'm just a short dude And like all these people are like Six foot I'm just like drowning And there's my husband

I'm like oh my God I'm like just getting squished around um but yeah i love concerts concerts are amazing i can't wait to like go on tour um when are you going to go on tour uh february 13th i think and then on the i think 19th so you got show in new york show in la and then any like bigger tours planned yeah i mean i'm just going to see how that goes and a lot of people seem like they're coming so if that ends up going good i'm just going to probably do a huge tour good which will be amazing i can't wait to do that. I've always been one of my dreams to like go on tour by myself and like really have that

experience. It's fun. It's fun. Touring is a lifestyle. Yeah. We did it for a long, long time and it's, there's nothing like it. Of all the different things I've done, touring is one of a kind. It's the best, it's the best when you make an album you love and then you go and you go around the world and you play it and you see and people that love it too. And people all around the world. It's a weird experience playing in Jakarta and having 10,000 people sing your songs and you've never been there before. And then you go back and you start to have these different relationships with these different cities because you have these memories of these shows. And it's a really, it's a great way to spend a decade touring. Oh yeah, of course, 100%.

Would you say that of all the music you've done leading up to this album? Essentially, it's like your, those are to me. me those are the development years it's like essentially it's like demos even though they're not demos but like this is the album this is where you're at do you feel like this is the first of like many albums oh 100% like i'm so like excited to like release this album and i think it's it's such like an inspiring thing for me like especially like sing sing how much people enjoy it seeing people listening to it or like you know i see like videos of like supporters like driving and their cars and like bumping all the songs and i'm like that inspires me to just create more and i've already like been working on new music since and

like yeah i'm gonna just like record probably like this whole week and just like hone in and keep making the best music that i can with the best people around me so you know christmas is coming up in a few days everyone listening they're either listening before christmas or if you're listening right now on your christmas break could be christmas day so me and you are going to just wish everyone out there Happy Christmas. Merry Christmas. And I'm going to ask you a few

Christmas questions. All right. What's your favorite Christmas like, is there something that your mom makes or your dad makes like, do they make cook the same cookies every year or the same pie every year or is it not really?

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I love sugar cookies sugar cookies are just like my weakness they're the best like the spot the map to my heart

or is there something that someone sins every year Yes, yes, actually reminded me. My grandma, my dad's side sends pumpkin bread every year. It's in this, like, vacuum-sealed bag, and it's, like, fresh homemade. She bakes it and, like, chips it over, and it's, like, best thing ever.

We get these cookies that are, like, these really thin ginger snaps, but they're in this red tin, and there's some lady that's been doing them for years that a lot of people know about. And someone's going to say, someone's going to comment on like Instagram or something what these cookies are. But we get the same tin every year. Really? These like really thin ginger cookies that are like wafer thin that are really, really good. I usually eat the whole thing. Okay.

Has you guys seen those? They're in like a red tin and they're like in the napkin. They like she wraps them in a napkin. It's like she does them in her kitchen or something. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like a popular thing. Fucking good. Yeah.

Danish style. I think so. I literally, I think I literally have a box of those in my pantry. Yes, I know exactly what you're talking about. Do you do stockings? Yeah. Yeah. I guess.

I mean, like... Do you do candy canes? Yeah, but I hate mint candy canes. I like the flavor, like the watermelon candy canes or like a brick and jolly rancher candy cane. I don't like the... Do you guys string popcorn? What? Have you ever done that?

Is that an East Coast thing? String? I don't think it's been done since 88. You take like fishing line or like, long string and you get a needle and you run it through popcorn and you make this long as you've never heard a string popcorn never really no that must be east coast you take a needle and a like fishing line type like wire type string fishing and you run it through the popcorn and sometimes like even like your mom would make or your friend's mom would make like colored popcorn green red

whatever what's the point of and then you string it on the long-ass string and then you wrap it around the whole tree. I would just eat it. Yeah, you eat it while you're doing it. Like that's the whole point. Oh, I mean, no, I've never heard of that. Wow. That's sick, though. Is that, it's just really old, like 80s shit? It's got to be. It's got to be. It's got to be. What is your gift giving style? Are you like a good gift giver? Do you go big? Are you like, or are you a bad gift giver and you're like last minute just trying to figure out what to get everyone so you don't show up empty-handed? What's your style?

I'm a gift giver for sure. It's, I don't, I usually, like, don't plan it crazy. I mean, there's sometimes where, like, I feel like I have so much. And there's, like, last Christmas, like Christmas before I was like, I don't want anything. Like, like, let's just give back, like, buy my other family stuff, like, cousins, this and that. Like, maybe someone, like, just, like, you know, do things for others on Christmas. Charity stuff? Yeah.

It's just like, opposed to just, like, giving ourselves stuff. because, like, we already have so much. And, like, it's hard because it's, like, well said. Every Christmas, like, my parents are, like, asking me and my brother, like, all right, what do you guys want for Christmas? And we, like, we kind of have everything. Okay, we have everything for our car. We have a, we have this.

Okay. I mean, no, not, not, they're like, nothing. They're, like, you want clothes or, like, we've got, like, too many clothes. Trying to, like, want to buy your own clothes anyways. Yeah, and I'm like, I don't know, like, I'm literally getting to the point where I'm, like, Oh my gosh, I would love just like a few boxes of underwear and socks. That'd be awesome. I'm always out of underwear and socks.

That's really what I did last Christmas. You know what you want for Christmas? You want like, oh, like you want some like Gucci this and that? I'm like, oh my gosh, please. Can you like the only thing I want for Christmas is a few packs of socks and Calvin Klein underwear. Because like I'm always like, don't get me some off brand shit. Yeah. I was like, I'm always losing my socks and like.

struggling to find clean laundry and like just just give me that I'll be the best Christmas and some good food I'll be there'll be good Christmas for me uh what's your guys is um family tradition for for Christmas for Christmas uh we just like to cook really really yummy food my dad's an amazing cook cool um so yeah we just make some savory or sweet I don't even know what that means I just like food spaghetti and meatballs or like pies like pumpkin pies oh I love like I've got a little bit of Italian in me, so I love, like, some mean pasta. Pasta, all that stuff, yeah. Don't even get me, I'm going to, like, get pasta right after this.

Like, don't even get me started. Like, pasta is, like, if you ask any, you can ask me any time, at least if it's after, like, 12. Yeah. Ask me what I want to eat. I will say pasta. Yeah. I will say something Italian. Anything pasta.

Something like that. I just, I love, like, I love garlic pasta, garlic this. I love salty things. Red sauce. Oh, I love a red sauce. Oh, you're making my mouth water, dude. Yeah. What's your favorite Christmas song?

Favorite Christmas song? Probably drummer boy by Justin Bieber. Oh, wow. So that version of it. Yeah, I did a cover of that song. Or Missletoe. I also did a cover of that song as well. That's probably my favorite Christmas song.

My favorite Christmas song is Nat King Cole, the Christmas song. I don't know why. I've liked it. Makes me feel like I'm like ate again. Favorite Christmas movie? You're going to hate my answer, but I don't really watch movies. Okay. I don't think I've ever...

Is Elf a Christmas movie? Yes, it's a classic. I think I've seen... And that would be a very cool answer. I think I've seen that movie. I'll go with Elf. Elf is a classic, dude. Yeah.

Will Ferrell. You know... Amazing actor. Heek Will Ferrell, although I think I like everything Will Ferrell does. Yeah. And I could quote lots of his movies. He's older now, huh? He's like...

Yeah, he's older. He's older than me. He's like 60? No, he's probably like 52. No. I'm kidding. I don't know how all these is. Adam Sandler is a good actor.

Adam Sandler is. I met him on the streets one time. Adam Sandler is one of my favorite of all time. Same with Will Ferrell. I'd say Will Ferrell. But Adam Sandler, I grew up watching him on Saturday Night Live and then watch all his movies. It's such a funny story. Yeah, it's such a funny story because I met Adam Sandler on Hollywood Boulevard, right?

You never think you'd actually meet a celebrity on the most generic. tourist place in Los Angeles. What was he doing? But Hollywood Boulevard, I think it's the pantages theater. I think him and he took his daughters to like a show. And I'm walking by. And he's literally dressed in like,

ripped up pants, ripped up shirt, like, sketchers on, like, yeah, he's located. He's like,

greatest dad ever. I literally, he's walking towards me with his daughters. And I didn't recognize him. And I was with a group of people, like three people. I was, we were filming.

I didn't recognize him. I was just like, oh, cool. Like, there's a bunch of people. And he walks by us, and he's talking to his daughter. And he's like, all, let's go cross the street. Like, he said something in, like, the most Adam Sandler voice. Yeah. And we all look like, we go.

Is that the sandman? Yeah, we were like, what the heck? And so we look where he's going. He's, like, crossing the street. He walks in this tea shop right across the street. We walked in there. We were like, can we get a picture with you? And he was like, of course.

It was like the coolest dude ever. Oh, yeah, sure, dude. Yeah, he was like, sure. Like, yeah, of course. And then he was like, he's cool. Yeah, he's like telling his daughter. He's like, order what you guys want one second.

And I was like, that was awesome. He would be, he seems like he would be the coolest dad. Ever, yeah. From what I understand, like, I've seen him around. He, like, it's like his wife and kids come first. And he's like nice to everyone. But he's just like doing his thing. Still like making cool shit.

But he's a legend. Legend for sure. American icon. National Treasure. Do you decorate your own Christmas tree? Yeah, well, you do. Yeah, I mean, my whole family, like, we decorate our Christmas tree. We have, like, a box of ornaments that we've had for, like, a decade now.

Yeah, yeah, it's nice. We just... It's great. Buy a Christmas tree and throw up the ornaments. Put the little star on top. Great. We do, too. We go, we get our tree.

We play some, like, Michael Boubley. Yeah. Over the weather outside. Yeah. Whatever. That's whoever it is. Bublai is the smoothest. Mm-hmm.

Man, what genre of music is that? He's jazz. Jazz? Yeah, he's a jazz singer. But he, but he's got like that, like, voice for, like, great. He could cover any song and make it sound just, like, smooth. It's beginning to look, yeah. Yeah, it's great.

Yeah. You could do that, too. It sounds like, yeah, good singing voice. Maybe don't gas me up. I might. I might. That's great. We go and get our tree the day after Thanksgiving.

Okay. Always. The Friday after Thanksgiving is like, oh, that's been. our tradition since my kids were this high. I have a same picture of them every year standing in kind of the same spot at the tree place. And at this, they hate it because every year I'm like, yo, we got to get this picture. And I got the same picture. It's kind of nice, though. That's sick. They'll be glad I did it when they're older. Yeah. Yeah. All right, dad. They still, they humor me and they do it, but it's funny. Good. I hope you guys have a good Christmas. Thank you, man. You as well.

Thanks for coming on the show. Thank you for anything else you want to talk about. Go stream my new album, I guess. Yeah. I mean, yeah, I think this is a great conversation. Album's great. Yeah, thank you, man. I'm excited to watch you what you do over the next couple years, too. Thank you, man.

I appreciate that. And we'll be watching you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thanks, bro. Thank you. Thank you for listening to this episode of Artist Friendly. I hope you enjoyed today's show.

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