Royal & The Serpent
HEYBOY Exclusive Interview
Instagram: @royalandtheserpent Website: royalandtheserpent.com
Photographer: @conner_sorensen
Q) Your name spread through the world like wildfire recently after the release of “Overwhelmed”! Did you have time to prepare for everything that came your way or are you still trying to catch up with everything?
A) On some levels, I feel like I’ve been prepping my whole life for this sort of career. However I’m still learning my way with a lot of aspects of it. Creatively I feel like I’ve never been more ready.. but on camera/radio interviews and press is an especially specific skill I’m still sort of figuring out.
Q) We saw your reaction video on TikTok when “Overwhelmed” was first played on the radio. It brought such joy to us seeing someone’s hard work paying off and being appreciated!
Can you tell us about your initial reaction when you started seeing your name start trending everywhere because of all your new fans!?
A) I think it still feels surreal. I have little cousins and they’re all like “you’re famous!!” and I’m like… still convinced no one has any clue who I am (which is mostly sort of true) – but there actually ARE people out there listening to my music that don’t know me personally and that’s still baffling to me. I’m just.. SO unbelievably grateful..
Q) If you had to name one thing about modern or past pop culture that has left the most lasting positive impact on you today, what would it be?
A) what a loaded question!!! phew… i mean … madonna kissing britney?! an iconic moment that will forever live rent free in my mind. taught me at a young impressionable age that GIRLS KISSING GIRLS IS A-OK BABY!!!<3
Q) Covid must have been a bit of a roadblock for you. With everything taking off how it has, we can imagine a musician with your inspiring level of energy would want to be out sharing your gifts with everyone in person more intimately!
It is difficult for many people to see the good when things are seemingly never heading back up… If you had to dig through the many crap cards Covid has dealt us, what good could you pull from this situation?
A) Wow! I love this question. I see so many silver linings around this year. I’ve really tried to use all the “extra time” to the best of my advantage. I’ve been taking guitar/bass lessons throughout most of quarantine and was able to perform while playing instruments *for the first time* during the Yungblud shows!! I recently started drum lessons too (which I’m unbelievably obsessed with) – so hopefully by the time shows kick back up again I’ll be able to wail out on whatever the hell I feel like up there. In general having all of the downtime is something I’m making sure to be grateful for and cherish and use wisely since I know how uncommon it can be in this industry.
Q) You have a new song out called Bad Kids ft. Yoshi Flower! Can you give your fans a bit of the personal meaning behind the song and what it means to you?
A) wow this song means so much to me. the first day I met yosh we hung out on a rooftop and wrote bad kids with our mutual Luke Wild. it was like this totally tangible magic that day – it all felt so familiar and natural. The song has such a sweet nostalgia to it, which is exactly what that moment in time felt like to me. getting to perform it for the Yungblud shows was soooo powerful and thrilling. like.. getting to scream “WE GONNA BE ALRIGHT” w ur best homie at the top of ur lungs??!? there’s no better medicine.
Q) You were asked to perform on a virtual tour called “The weird time of life tour” with Yungblud recently! What was the most amazing part of the entire experience that you will forever cherish?
A) oops was i not supposed to talk about this yet? oh well.. firstly, what an absolute HONOR it was to get to share a virtual stage with Dom. I think the most incredible part of the whole thing was being able to involve all of my friends – from styling, set design, lighting, hair, makeup.. you name it – I was able to bring together sooo many people I love (safely of course).
Q) When you are not busy creating music or doing anything related to business, what do you like to do to unwind the artistic part of your mind?
A) honestly?? relax and microdose on mushrooms…. am i allowed to say that?! me and my housemates/best friends love a good night full of belly laughter. it’s soo good for the soul. go ahead and add a vegan cheese plate, vinyl dance party, and a classic film – you’ve got yourself my favorite kind of evening.
Q) You can feel the energy so deeply within your voice when you sing. Your listeners very well receive the emotion you place into your work. You are setting yourself up for an amazing ride in our opinion and we cant wait to see what the future holds.
If you had to think of Royal & The Serpent in 20 years, what do you hope most for?
A) wow well firstly… thank you so much. that is unbelievably kind of you to say. I guess the only thing I can really hope for in 20 years time is that I’ve touched the lives of those whoever needed it through my music. I want to connect people and make them feel loved, heard, understood… the rest is just external stuff. Soul growth is what we’re here for baby!
Listen to Royals 1st viral hit “Overwhelmed” !
Now you really need to go listen to Bad Kids ft. Yoshi Flower
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