ADZii BOii, an alternative hip-hop artist from Wishaw, Scotland. New Single ‘ On My Own’ Is Out Now
For someone that is yet to discover ADZii BOii, in 5 words how would you describe yourself. A roller coaster of emotions.
When did you decide to go into music? I decided to give music my all during the COVID lockdown in 2020, after spending money on instrumentals and writing songs from 2017.
What’s the story behind the name? Growing up I liked to remix songs under the alias DJ Adz and ADZii BOii. Friends would often call me the latter and therefore it was a name I liked and was familiar with.
Where do you feel you fit into the music landscape? I am an alternative hip-hop artist. I don’t limit my creativity to a specific genre of beat, and I feel the best way to express yourself is not to be stuck under a specific umbrella.
What other artists or bands do you draw inspiration from? Growing up I listened to a lot of Eminem, so no doubt he had a massive influence on me. In recent years I listened to a lot of Juice WRLD, helping me adapt my style and be more confident in the emotional side of music. I love a lot of genres of music but the above probably inspired my sound the most.
What’s currently in the pipeline for the rest of 2023 & 2024 for you? I finish the year with 2 gigs at The Purple Orange Arts Venue, Bathgate, Scotland. Saturday 11th November. Saturday 09th December. I start 2024 with a single dropping early January, for which we have already shot the music video. I hope to complete my second album this year too and I aim to release it in Spring 2024. Hopefully, I can put on some shows not long after the album comes out and have some fun!
How do differ you from other artists/bands? I am not afraid to share my emotions and experiences with others. If one other person can relate and get a sense of relief from my music, then I have achieved my goal.
What can fans expect from your new Single? Raw emotion. Sad and suspenseful, ADZii BOii unleashes his battle with mental health.
Who would you most like to collaborate with artistically? I want to collaborate with many Scottish Artists and there is none bigger than Lewis Capaldi.
What was your worst performance? Thankfully there has been no major issues. However, when I started music I didn’t receive performance versions of my tracks, and after attending some shows I felt like I sounded very amateur compared to other local artists. So I invested more money to receive performance versions of all tracks, which basically removes most of the vocals.
What was the most difficult obstacle you have ever faced and how did you overcome it? I would say completing the track ‘You’re Helping Me’. I wanted to feature female vocals for the Hook, but being a new, unknown artist, there were few artists willing to work with me. I went a little outside my comfort zone and sang the Hook myself, having my engineer setup auto-tune for the first time.
I want to use auto-tune as little as possible and have only used it for one track to date, but it allows me to express myself in a different way when it is appropriate for the track.
How does your creative process work – do you work with others or is there just you? It is just me and I don’t share any information on the music before it is recorded. I work through a bunch of instrumentals sent to me by producers and I select my favourites, creating a playlist of 20 – 40 beats. At this time, I am an engineer, and when I travel overseas with work I listen through the saved instrumentals. The structure for most of my tracks were created when flying at 35,000 feet.
I don’t believe in forcing a song and therefore when I start listening to beats the track will mostly write itself within 30 minutes or so, with the odd one needing a little more work over the coming days.
However, before going to the studio many months later I always revisit every track and make tweaks so that it sounds as professional as possible. At this time, I may notice where a word has been too repetitive and needs changed, or I don’t like how I explain something and slightly alter my words.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music? None at all. As Eminem once said, music is reflection of self, and I just love to express myself. However, if there is an opportunity to create a song for the people to enjoy, I will write accordingly and not let it pass me.
Who would you like to see Live past or present and why? Being one of my inspirations I would have to say Juice WRLD who has sadly passed. His music is so relatable and his confidence brought an incredible energy to his concerts, as you can see from many YouTube clips. Thankfully, I got to see Eminem live on two occasions.
