Maxtallies Working On A New Single That Combines Hip Hop Elements And 90s Rhythm And Blues Sounds

The musician comes from a musical family.

At first, maxtallies used to promote his music by spamming friends, but now he’s become less hostile, he says.  The muso, who does Hip hop and R&B mainly, says his biggest influence is his brother, Martin. Martin taught maxtallies a couple of things: ‘how to make beats, how to sing, and how to engineer and produce for other artists’.

Good music is a matter of personal taste, he says. What he likes might be distasteful to others, he also says, adding that as long as a song is mixed well, ‘it’s all good’.

‘That is how I chose to define it because good and bad is up to personal taste. What I like; some might find distasteful so as long as a song is mixed well, it's good.’

The muso, whose favourite musician is Jay-  Z, is working on a single called ‘Sadboi’. The single is a mix of ‘Hip hop elements along with 90s R&B sounds’, he says.

L. SOJINI: Can you tell us about yourself? Where you’re from and what kind of musician you are.

MAXTALLIES: I go by maxtallies. I'm from Lowell, Massachusetts.

I would describe myself as an artist though I make mostly rap and R&B. The definition is complicated because I don't want to limit myself to one title. But to bring up titles, I'm a singer-songwriter, beat maker, and mixing engineer.

L. SOJINI: How did you get into music?

MAXTALLIES: I was fortunate to grow up in a musically inclined family. Though I don't know how to play any instruments fluently; my older brother Martin who's been one of the biggest influences taught me at a young age how to make beats, how to sing, and how to engineer and produce for other artists. 

L. SOJINI: What do you think makes good music?

MAXTALLIES: Good music is made when it's engineered right meaning it sounds like quality. That is how I chose to define it because good and bad is up to personal taste. What I like; some might find distasteful so as long as a song is mixed well, it's good.

L. SOJINI: What are your strengths and weaknesses as a musician?

MAXTALLIES: My strength is that I make what I want to make and have the freedom to create. My weakness is this modern age of social media and social presence that I need to work on. My friends tell me all the time. 

L. SOJINI: What are you currently working on? 

MAXTALLIES: I'm working on a single called ‘Sadboi’. It's combustion of Hip hop elements along with 90s R&B sounds.

L. SOJINI: How do you approach music? As in, what’s your philosophy when it comes to making music?

MAXTALLIES: I approach music like academics. When I have an idea or a melody stuck in my head, I try to record it on my phone or write it down in my notes.

When I'm in the creative space, I try to replicate the vision in my mind. Sometimes it comes out exactly how I imagined it other times....not so much.

My philosophy is just to create, create, and create. You never know, things might be better than the initial idea. 

L. SOJINI: What are you most proud of to have achieved as a musician? 

MAXTALLIES: I'm proud of the random messages that I get from people I've never met telling me how they enjoy my music.

When I first started making music, I just made it because my friends made it but as time went on I started to take it more and more serious and now I'm in a position where people listen to me and hear me. It makes me a little self-aware and careful of the types of messages I convey but at the same time it's really inspiring. I feel like I'm doing something right. 

L. SOJINI: How do you promote your music?

MAXTALLIES: I promote my music on Instagram and Twitter. I used to spam my friends all the time but now I'm learning be less hostile lol.

L. SOJINI: Favourite musician? Why?

MAXTALLIES: My favourite musician is Jay-Z. I think it's pretty obvious why but the fact that he's been in the game for so long and is still relevant speaks volumes. 

L. SOJINI: What’s your advice or message to fellow musicians?

MAXTALLIES: The love you get from strangers is sometimes more important than the love you receive from your close friends. Strangers will find you to tell you how much they love your music whereas friends are sometimes unsupportive. It's just something you have to learn to live with and accept. 

L. SOJINI: Can you recommend one musician you’ve worked with that The Musician can interview next? You can share their Twitter handle.

I recommend @Ryy. He's talented and has a really dope and unique sound. 

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