Listening to Helio is like a breath of fresh air. His new single duh!/youth makes you pay attention. His intricate flow shreds apart normalcy and is equivalent to a triple backflip. Screaming at the top of your lungs doesn't do this song justice. You would be dumb not to consider Helio to be in rockstar mode right now. His fans will be rewinding over and over just to pick apart its lyrics and sound effects. This is the perfect rage song for any concert. Helio is just going to be Helio and that’s what makes him so special. He always is trying to have fun and put his best effort into life. I was fortunate enough to interview him and learn more about this talented artist.
When did music enter your life and how did it impact you?
Music has always been a part of my life. My mother is a Cape Verdean woman so there was always music playing in the house everyday lmao. If it was Hip-Hop/rap she was playing 2Pac, Diddy, or some R&B ONG, other than rap she used to play Selena around me, Bob Marley, Whitney Houston, and she loves Michael Jackson. Cultural Icons for music were heard every day in my home. The way it impacted me kind of gave me a push for having an ear for “good music”. And to be yourself when creating anything that involves art overall.
Are you from a musical or artistic family?
I’m the only one. Generational change shit.
Was there a specific moment that you made say this is what I want to do with my life?
A Lot of moments, especially situations when faced with adversity. And I had to overcome something in my life in order to grow and evolve. It made music more purposeful and meaningful and life less shallow and miserable.
How did you learn to sing/write/rap/play music?
Experimenting mostly, I mean I'm still not the best singer/rapper in the world “yet” lol. But I just have fun with it for the most part. I always memorized my favorite songs since I was a kid so it made things easier as I grew up. I already had the ability to conjure and put words together in some clever way.
Describe who you are as an artist and what direction you want to go with your image/ music.
I’m just trying to inspire and create cool shit, to be honest. Have fun and express myself to my maximum ability. The way the world views me is gonna be based on their own perception. Helio’s just being Helio.
What roadblocks have you had to overcome to get to where you are today?
I feel like everyone’s been through roadblocks n shit you know. I am blessed that I ain't have to go through too much pain, but I’ve had my fair share of losing friends/loved ones, real-life hitting evictions, poverty, sleeping in hotels, hungry sleepless nights, and racism in America, etc. All the trauma gets made into songs lmao. Pain is something we all share, Like how do we cope with it during hard times? You know Mine is music.
What artists do you draw inspiration from?
Kanye West, and Michael Jackson.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I’m 100% focused right now. I’m practicing mindfulness every minute I can. But my goal is always to be the best creator I can be.
How important are lyricism and wordplay to you?
They’re very important fr. I think overall cleverness in lyricism and wordplay is important.
Let's talk about your fashion style. Who or what inspires your style? Does it correlate to your music style or inspired by it?
Since I ain't had shit as a kid really all I've been looking up to for fashion was rockstars/ superstars of the 70s to 90s era. One day imma will have a closet full of raw shit for sure. It definitely inspires my music. Michael Jackson is the flyest mf of all time. NO DEBATE. I wanna be like that if that’s even possible.
Who would you most Like to collaborate with?
Kanye West and Travis Scott. I’m shooting for the stars for this shit bro. ONG
Talk about your new single. What's the story behind it and the process behind releasing it.
duh!/youth is just me having fun on Kaaj’s production, that man is crazy. Shout out to Kaaj. I can’t wait to perform that shit bro. It has rage elements with reverse and sped-up effects. It goes from rapid to slow, back to fast. It feels like a celebration almost.
It's a hard question, but where do you categorize your music? Are you blending genres or trying to fit into a certain mold of sound right now?
I’ve never really fit anywhere. Saying that I know it sounds cliche but real talk I’m a French Black kid from Boston who moved to Utah. I’ve always been different, no one can take that away from me. There’s only one version of You, and Me. I can only be myself and I’m mixing genres. I feel like I'm in a lab every time I make something.
IMMA GODDAM SCIENTIST. I mean where would music be if we didn’t experiment.
What do you want people to get from your new single?
CELEBRATE TODAY BECAUSE TOMORROW AIN'T PROMISED. The way the world is right now, we especially, the youth, gotta stand for ourselves. It’s our time The Youth Lead.
How do you feel the internet and social media have impacted the industry and yourself?
The internet has changed everything. It's made sounds more accessible. Renovation is constantly happening, and faster than ever. It pushed me to be explorational but most importantly to just have fun with it.
What's your opinion on the Utah music scene?
I think the scene has different sounds coming out right now. It's cool as hell to see. Because everyone is getting better at their crafts, and I see a bright future for everyone working their ass off. FR
What's next for you? Any concerts, music videos, or new songs coming in the near future you would like to talk about.
Nintendo Drive 2 is set to release next month! I can’t wait for that. I hope my supporters are ready, it's eternal rage. Filled it with some gems from the safe. New sounds never heard before and if you heard them before it probably came from the Gods.
Kommentare