Photo: Jake Hicks
Following on from a batch of fresh and exciting offerings over the last few months, Cincinnati-based artist Ibbi Too Vicious has now returned to deliver his next uplifting single 'Closed Doors'.
Channelling a bold and driven pop-rock aesthetic from start to finish, 'Closed Doors' sees him continue his impressive ascent to date. Filled with vibrant textures, soaring hooks, and his own engaging vocals throughout, he is certainly heading for big things in the years ahead.
So with the new single available now, we sat down with him to find out more about his background and influences over the years.
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What was the first band or artist you fell in love with?
When I was younger, I only listened to the radio and knew very few songs. The two I distinctly remember I would play on repeat were Single Ladies by Beyonce and Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams. Then when I started listening to my own music, Maroon 5 was my first ‘put on repeat’ artist. It’s kind of an embarrassing first, but as a middle schooler they were my jam, and my playlist was filled with Adam Levine’s falsettos.
Did you ever form a band when you were younger and if so, what did they sound like?
I never formed a band, but I was in my middle school’s choir. It was a strange mix of pop songs like Unwritten and Fireflies with religious songs in between.
What has been your primary inspiration in writing music?
I find inspiration in a lot of things. When I’m writing, I always pull from my real life and love telling a story through music while also making it catchy and fun. So far, every song I’ve written is inspired from events in my life and for me it is easier to write when the subject is something personal. In terms of people that inspire me, I think of my mom, Steve Jobs, Young Thug, Jaden Smith, and 380 Melo. My mom is an extremely talented singer and her whole side of the family is very musically inclined, so I’m sure part of my love for music is genetic as well. I admire people who have created something new and innovate within their industry and synthesize new concepts from previously existing things. I think Young Thug and Jaden Smith are two artists whose music I really enjoy and who exemplify that idea. Steve Jobs is a big hero for me as well as he pushed multiple boundaries in multiple industries and was a creative spirit in a field that hadn’t seen that level of creativity before. 380 Melo is another artist who is also one of my best friends from elementary school. He started making music much earlier than me, and when I was first starting out gave me a lot of advice and helped me get through my learning curve much faster than most beginners.
What is a song you wish you had written yourself?
I wish I had written a lot of the Baby Keem and Jaden songs. Keem is one of the most fun artists out right now, and some of his lyrics are really enjoyable and I wish I had come up with them myself. I actually just said yesterday I wish I had written Trademark USA just because some of those lines are so much fun to sing. Jaden also has a lot of songs that I feel super relatable and close with which makes me wish I had written them. When I hear some of his songs, it really feels like we have a super similar perspective. Off the top of my head, Distant is a song I definitely wish I had written, there’s a line or two in there I love a lot.
If there was any moment in your career you could relive, what would it be?
Definitely my first show. It confirmed for me that music and performing was what I was meant to do. I usually have a little bit of nerves when doing anything under pressure, especially doing something for the first time, but I had no nervousness or hesitation in me at my first show. The turnout was great, the energy was great, and the show went really well. The whole day was super intense because about 2 hours before my first show I recorded my first released single and came up with my artist, so I was running on a crazy high for 24 hours and it was a big day for multiple reasons. I’ll always remember that day and what it changed for me going forward not only in my career, but also my life. It was great having all my friends there in the crowd as well supporting me and now seeing that crowd grow over time.
Which artist would you most love to share a stage with?
I love sharing a stage with 380 Melo. Just because we also have a strong friendship, our chemistry on stage goes really well together and it's always a lot of fun performing with your friends. We have a couple collab songs in the works as well, so that’ll be even crazier. In terms of the future, doing a show with Playboi Carti would be crazy. I went to his show for the first time on the Whole Lotta Red tour and he has this awesome guitarist and energy on stage that would be super fun to perform with. The crowds at his show are super fun as well.
And is there an artist you would love to collaborate with as well?
A lot of the artists I’ve mentioned before would probably be my dream collabs as well. I think me and Jaden could mesh super well together on a track. Carti would be a super fun one as well.
Where do you see yourself in five years time?
For the past three months, I’ve built an amazing team around me that helps support every move I make. We’ve been turning our team into a record label, If We Die We Die Records, and are planning our launch within the next three months. My next goal is to drop my debut tape and then get signed as an imprint label under one of the big three. In addition to music, I also love the business side of the industry. I’m a Marketing and Entrepreneurship student in college right now, and love leading a team, building marketing strategies, and creating brands. So within the next five years, I definitely see us getting that record deal, establishing ourselves as a prominent label, having other artists signed to our roster while also maintaining and keeping up my own musical career. I plan on being the next Artist/CEO in the music industry and fully believe we will reach that point. Our team is something phenomenal and I have no doubt 2022 will be our year.
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Ibbi Too Vicious' new single 'Closed Doors' is available to stream now. Check it out below.
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