By: Karen Steinberg
Photo By Cedric Jones Photography
Q) Your music is a bit pop, R&B, rap and electronic, but how would you describe your sound?
A) I think the way it was described in the question is a really good description of my sound, but if I had to sum it into one thing, it would probably be just pop. It feels like nowadays, pop encapsulates all of those genres.
Q) Who are some of your musical influences?
A) My musical influences range from Pharrell and Timbaland to Coldplay and Panic! At The Disco. I had phases growing up where I was super into hip-hop and rap, and long phases where I was into pop punk and alt rock.
Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Playlist.”
A) “Playlist” is a record that I made one night without any prior thinking. I wanted to make something that was fun, uplifting and super catchy. I really never intended to release it, but it was my wife’s idea— thank God she insisted.
Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?
A) I think people connect to the energy that’s woven into the production and top line. It’s a record you can dance and move to, but with a super uplifting message lyrically.
Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?
A) The video starts with me in my childhood bedroom— I wanted to tie it into the origins of how I started making music. The lyric “here’s something pretty for your playlist“ is a message that I’m singing to the listener, but also that I believe God was saying to me when He gave me the command to make this album.
Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?
A) There are rare occasions where I come to a song with the lyric first, but typically my process is that I start with the production. Whether it’s drums or keys, I flush out the track a little bit and that’s my main foundation.
Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?
A) I produce it all! It’s really fun to produce my own stuff because there are no limits or rules to what I can do. The vision I’m carrying out is my own.
Q) With “Playlist” coming out, is this a prelude to a full album or EP?
A) Yes, there is an album coming. It feels like the lyric “hear something pretty for your playlist“ is me speaking to the audience – letting them know that I have something coming that’ll live on their playlists.
Q) What can fans expect from a live Tenroc performance?
A) Energy, energy, energy! I’ve been thinking about my live show a lot recently and, aside from ushering in the presence of God and allowing him to breathe through me during my live show, something I’m really aiming for is to have it be full of energy at life so that whoever is in attendance leaves changed.
Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?
A) At this point in time, the only place I’ve performed is my church. Performing at my church means the world to me because it’s where I learned how to play every instrument. I know my church really helped foster my talent and gifts.
Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?
A) It’d be really sick to collaborate on a song with For King & Country. I grew up listening to them and I feel like our styles would mesh insanely well.
Q) What artist/musician are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?
A) I just discovered this artist named DJ Suzy. She’s absolutely insane. There’s a sort of whimsical ethereal sound. I’ve been into lately and she’s able to mess that really well with really bouncy drum beats.
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?
A) Thank you so much for lending your ear to my art, and I can’t wait to see you guys in person when the live shows start. I pray the album I’m about to drop is life-changing and does something positive for you.