From Drama School To Music: Azuki Talks About Balancing Both Of His Passions.
I sat down with artists Azuki to talk about who he is, what inspired him to start music and what it’s like balancing drama school, being in a new city and picking up on music.
I first found out about Azuki at a meeting I had with a client where he was showing me inspiration for videos, I got shown a few videos that meeting, but Azuki caught my eye.
There was something different about him, his music and his style, which intrigued me. I dropped him a follow and not expecting anything I got a follow back so I dropped him a DM of an Interview idea and he instantly agreed to it.
Azuki is originally from Northampton and moved to London to chase his dreams, which we related on so I knew I would enjoy this Interview with him. The Northampton star moved down here for Drama school and not to pursue music, I asked him a few questions about this as I was intrigued to how he ended up making music and why drama school?
What made you chose to move to London?
University, I go to drama school so that’s why I moved here. Obviously, music was part of moving down here as well. But mainly I moved here for drama school.
I started my music journey whilst being here.
Why drama school? Tell me more about that
I’m an actor so that’s another profession. I’ve been doing it since year 11 so around 4 years, but yeh I always loved to act that was more my passion before music. I’ve done music since I was like 5/6 because I used to play instruments in church but in terms of acting, I’ve been doing it since I was 4 years old and I just auditioned for a drama school in London because I wanted to get out of Northampton and just explore.
What made you start music then? And how long have you been doing it for?
My housemate. So when I moved to London in my first year of uni, I wasn’t actually recording, I wasn’t actually making no music and then I went to a @Reckypacks work shop studio where he would have loads of creatives in the studio and I went to that for a bit but I wasn’t making music I was just going, and then I started recording and locking in with one producer called @Roddybeatz and then yeh I was just showing my music to my housemates and he was like “yh drop” but when I first moved to London music wasn’t the first thing that was on my mind acting was, so I wasn’t really taking it serious, it was only when I showed it to my housemate and linking up with Recky and them man that they took me under their wing and then I started to release. I’ve been releasing for about 3 years now.
I went on to ask him a bit about being a young creative in London, especially one who did not grow up here. A lot of young creatives are struggling with staying creative, the cost of being a creative or simply creativity not paying them enough and having to balance their passion with a 9-5. I wanted to know Azukis take on this and see how he gets through hard times and what keeps him going.
How does it feel to be a young creative in London? Especially when you don’t come from London.
It’s cool and I like it but sometimes it’s challenging.
How comes?
Staying inspired and doing what I want to do, I feel like a lot of people just think being a young creative is just always going at it and always doing it but sometimes you just need to chill and get inspired again and go see things and just chill with friends and family and balance is the hardest thing for me because I’ll just do everything in one set and try get everything done.
Do you think London helped you explore with your creativity more?
Yeh it did but at the same time I feel like coming out of the environment you’re in is always going to make you explore different stuff so like when I went to LA and I was making music out there it was totally different because I’m in a different headspace, like the weather was different, people around you are different so I think the space and the people you are around it all factors into what you make not just as an artist but with whatever you’re doing.
advice would you give to somebody scared to chase their creative dreams because it might not pay well etc?
I think you must know that that is what you want to do. You’ve got to know deep down that that’s what you want to do and know in yourself that there is no one that can do what you do.
Like as a creative everyone is different creatively, saying not to be scared would be hypocritical because there’s times where I’ve been like fu*k this, like I’d say early on in my career there was times where I was just like I can’t be asked. But everyone has something special within them and if you harness that and you’re around the right people like I said you’re taking the time with your craft; you’re learning about yourself and putting energy into yourself.
Obviously, it’s great to know what the end goal is but baby steps. Even when I started, I never was thinking like ahh I want to be at this point I was just going with the motion and the flow and whatever was happening I would just take it and go with it and the next thing would happen, so like just f*@king go and do it, live it’s an experience. As long as you’re enjoying that experience then that’s all that matters. I think you just must have faith and believe that everything will lead up to this thing that you want. If you’re having fun, enjoying it making what you want to make you’re doing the right thing.
I decided to ask Azuki some questions that would get his brain thinking about his future etc.
What would you say to 15-year-old azuki?
That’s a good question, just keep trying new things. I feel like when I was that age, I wasn’t that open to trying new things as I am now, like music back then was very different to what music is to me now just in terms of listening to it and taking things in, so just be open and try everything and keep exploring sh*t.
There’s no substance when you stick to one thing and you don’t grow as a person and as an artist and even with being an artist, an artist means that you try loads of different things and in my eyes, you can’t be an artist if you don’t jump into different things. It might not work for you but at least you’ve tried it and then can incorporate that into your style.
Where do you see yourself in the next two years?
My answer changes every day and I’m glad you asked this question because I don’t think about this enough. I want to go somewhere like LA again but for a long period of time and make a lot of music.
Like I want to go on a trip for a long time, live and make a lot of music. But I also want to act so depending on how that goes I could be in a movie, but I will never stop making music so.But also, if I was in a movie, I would stop music for a bit because going drama school and making music is difficult because I’m there from 9-5 every day and then I would record from like 12 at night till 5 and then wake up and then go straight to uni.
What kind of movies do you want to be in?
I like psychological movies; I’ve told agents that I would be on it to be in them type of films but for me anything that has a good story. I just like a good story I don’t care if its action or like horror if it has a good story.
Azuki has very recently dropped an album called ‘The beauty of emotions’ that includes 11 songs that I think you should all go and check out. My personal favourite is ‘Simulation’
On his Instagram he wrote.
@Kidazuki:
“The beauty of emotions” Is a project that touches heavily on feelings and the idea that every emotion you feel whether it good or bad is beautiful. During the time of putting together this project I went through a lot mentally and really felt like this project saved me and opened my eyes to a lot about myself and the people around me. Proud of myself for sticking thru it and creating this project for u all, thank you to all the people that helped me on this one and another thank you for waiting.
Love you all.
Zuks
Thank you for reading.
Miss Bea x