TX2 – Vampire by Rumor

By starrymag | August 21, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) I would describe my sound as a conglomeration of everything Emo and early 2000’s, as well as a blend of hip-hop and traditional rap. I loved the golden age of hip hop, and I also loved the early 2000’s for rock music.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) Some of my musical influences include: The Used, My Chemical Romance, Falling In Reverse, Greenday, Eminem, Outkast and Nas.

 

Q) How did your time at University of Miami help mold you into the musician and songwriter you are today?

A) It allowed me to learn what “the box” is and figure out how to break out of it. Every rule is meant to be broken and in order to break the rules – you have to learn what they are first.

 

Q) You found your following initially on TikTok. What ended it up making it the right fit for you as an artist?

A) My first song “Pull the Plug” was about how messed up I felt, but how everyone else perceived me as put together. I wrote the song at a really low point and I guess that resonated with a lot of other people. Others felt the same way, and the song went viral organically.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Vampire by Rumor.”

A) “Vampire By Rumor” is about how I felt like I had traded my soul for work. I started feeling like a monster using substances and other people to fill the hole music was leaving inside of me. I stopped living life and started working from wake ‘till sleep, so I felt like I gave up everything for a dream that was so far from me. My relationships felt like bandaids at the time and I realized I was sucking the soul out of people I engaged in relationships with (metaphorically) by living my life this way.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

A) I feel like a lot of people feel like Vampires – like they are outliers and empty. Everyone feels empty from their work, especially when the path they are taking isn’t the most rewarding.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

A) The video was fun. We wanted to create a visual that portrayed the metaphor of vampires. I always wanted to make a video like this, especially with the swimming in blood scene. That scene alone represents the message of the song best – feeling lost.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

A) This song was written with the melody first. I just started humming it all of a sudden, and I realized it was really good. I immediately knew what I wanted to do with the song- I needed a sexy harmonic-minor vampire song. Originally, I wrote the song with much more comical lyrics, but then consulted Brendan Eisenberg who wanted me to go deeper with the meaning. I rewrote that song at least three times trying to make it deeper but keeping the vampiric theme. I don’t always need music before lyrics – it all depends!

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

A) So far, I’ve produced every song alongside Joey Barba. He really leads the production in these songs, but we always bounce ideas off each other. We make a really good team, like a dynamic duo.

 

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

A) We will definitely see an album and EP coming in the future…I’m just warming up.

 

Q) The “X Movement” is so powerful and such a helpful space for those struggling with their mental health. What do you hope your fans and those that join the movement take away from it?

A) I just want people to feel like they aren’t alone. While growing up I felt like I had no one else, and I didn’t realize so many people were struggling around me. This world is huge and it’s hard. I don’t want anyone to think that they are alone in their feelings or struggles to live; I want people to come together.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

A) The Aggie theatre in Fort Collins was always this huge monster of a venue and I used to tell myself one day I would play it. Last week I headlined it by myself for the first time. Felt like a dream come true.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

A) Gerard Way would be a dream come true or Tyson Ritter. They were my heroes growing up. I’m a big fan of Yungblud, too! Love what he’s doing.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

A) Currently I’m loving Motionless in White. They really know how to encompass a specific emotion with their music, and it’s really powerful. It speaks to me. I can feel the struggles and loss through their music. It hits me hard.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

A) I’m just a person. I’m no different. I want people to feel heard so interacting with fans is really important to me. I am literally nothing without them, and I feel very blessed to have anyone listen to my music after spending eight years doing this to radio silence.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) Thank you. You’ve given me purpose in my life and made me realize anything is possible if you keep going. Every time I get knocked over, I remember that people actually care about my art and me, and I am the luckiest person alive to have that.