The Interview: Xolden

​AUTHOR: JUSTIN GROME

We had a chance to chat with artist Xolden. You could tell by his expressions how serious he was with his music. He delivers heavy hitters with deep meanings. These projects really make you contemplate some things about life. If you want to be in your feelings and hear about true emotions, Xolden is your guy. He really expresses what his music means to him based on his sound and in this interview we began to notice that. His background of the music scene was definitely not any way correlated to what sound he produces now. You can tell by the rhythm of each piece that it is highly influenced by multiple rock genres: pop punk, metal, and even somewhat screamo. 

• Where are you from? Have your surroundings shaped you in a creative sense, and in what way?I was born in Colombia but raised in Houston, TX. I wouldn’t say my surroundings shaped my creative sense because everyone liked things way different than I did, music wise, so I couldn’t really relate to what everyone else was enjoying back then. Plus my parents love Salsa and Spanish music so they weren’t influencing the type of music I was listening to either.

• What’s your background like? Where do you stand on the music scene in your area?
I did a year of college but I dropped out so I could pursue my music career. Right now I play small shows here and there, waiting to play some more in the future. Right now I’m just trying to get my name out there and find people who like my style.


• What did you start doing first, producing or rapping? How did you get started?
Music has always been my dream, I was in band for both middle school and high school so I already had that music theory in me to help start producing. I started producing first around fall of 2017. I got started because my friend and I wanted to do music but we didn’t really finish anything we started so I just started doing my own thing and started rapping later on. I started out doing different type of music though.


• Do you have anyone that you consider your mentor? How has their help or advice shaped you?
I wouldn’t consider anyone a mentor yet, but someone whose advice has really taught me things about the real world is my brother. He’s a really smart guy and we agree on most things so we enjoy having political/economic talks and things of that of that sort.

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• What is one experience in life that, without it, you wouldn’t be the artist you are today?
I’ve had many experiences in my life that have made me the artist I am but one of them was an acid trip. I kinda realized that there’s not one right way to live life and there’s not a right way to live life. I don’t want to waste my lifetime working or doing something that doesn’t make me happy or passionate me, what would be the point of living anymore if all you do is work and hate your life. Fuck that. 


• What do you hope to accomplish this year?
I wish to accomplish more streams in my music and meet people who are like minded as me. I’m still trying to find my scene here in Houston but I love performing and going to see other artists. It’s dope seeing talented people doing their thing.


• What does your work aim to say?
 I write about my feelings and the things I go through and have gone through. It was hard being vulnerable at first but I just said fuck it, it doesn’t matter. If people feel the same, then it’s comforting knowing you’re not alone.

• Who are your biggest influences and what do you like about them the most?
My biggest influences would be Underoath, Knuckle Puck, Senses Fail, Lil peep, Ghostemane and many more artistst. I always loved that vibe of early 2000’s pop punk and post hardcore music. Its all amazing to me and that’s what I’ve listened to basically my entire life.


• How would you describe your own style?
I don’t know, I guess I would consider myself Alternative Rock but mostly will say Emo Rap for simplicity so I’ll leave it at that. I combine my musical elements with what people would call emo but to me it’s just punk influenced. I don’t mind the names though. 

• In what ways has your newest music changed from when you first started?
When I first started producing, I was recording indie music and did that for a while, I release my first song “Guesser” and then my first album called “The End Days”. I wanted to do more of trap influenced music combined with pop punk/hardcore music and just started going at it. I enjoy making whatever I’m feeling at that moment. 


• What are the main inspirations for the lyrics you write?
The main inspiration for my lyrics are reflections of my feelings, experiences, dreams and chapters of my life. It’s my way of getting away from everything and getting as creative as I can. 


​• What would be your dream venue in which to perform?
I don’t have a dream venue that comes to mind, but playing at Wembley would be dope, but I also like smaller venues where you can interact more with the crowd. 


• What’s a song you have stuck in your head these days?
I have two songs that have really been stuck in my head lately, they are The Changing of Times by Underoath and One Eight Seven by Senses Fail. Both great songs and they really define what type of music I’m into.

REACH XOLDEN HERE: