Introducing: Ari Mor
Where can we find you right now and what are you up to?
I’m actually just in my room in my apartment while I do this interview. I'm based in Manchester right now juggling my day job as a nurse alongside studio and doing shows.
I’m meeting one of my managers later today and I have a music event tonight I’m going to watch in town, so I’m excited for that! In the studio we've been recording covers for my social media, people seem to really like them. We've been working on exciting new music and really finding my sound. I've grown and learnt a lot in the last 5 months of having management, growth is hard but you can't grow in your comfort zone.
How do you write your songs?
My songwriting has definitely developed and changed a lot since I started out. When I first began writing, it was mainly poetry and just jotting down lyrics that came to me. As time went on I'd be coming up with melodies and lyrics when I played beats on YouTube in my room. I've written some of my singles to no beat, purely acapella. Then I've taken it to my brilliant producer/ manager Sonus and we've got in the studio and built the beat and track until we feel it's got to where it needs to be.
Who is responsible for your mixing/mastering? The production is amazing.
I'm so glad you asked! I work with some of the best people/ professionals.
I mentioned my producer Sonus a minute ago, he is someone I've been working with from quite early on. I could see how he worked and how talented he was but also as a person I got only good vibes. I knew I wanted to surround myself with great people like that so I could learn and develop whilst also being appreciated and understood. He is behind both the production and mixing of my singles New Sound, WHERE U AT and Money Tree.
My mastering is done by the very special Grant Berry and he works through Fader Mastering. Grant, you can tell, truly cares and loves what he does. He's great to communicate with and the mutual excitement to work together is just fundamental.
What's the one thing you find difficult with today's state of the music industry?
I feel like the industry is changing shape right before our eyes. Social media has shifted everything. The upside is that we are free to release music without needing signed to a label or approved by people higher. However, it means there are more songs dropping than ever before and the industry is more saturated than it ever has been. This has created a need to catch people's attention quicker, to stand out in seconds. I guess I find it difficult to sort of process how short people's attention spans are now, and how music doesn't feel as valued or protected like it once was. One example is that artists are almost expected to be on TikTok in order to stand a chance, and you can see why, but it's another hoop to jump through and content creation can be very time-consuming and demanding.
I'm learning to accept the change and not let it overwhelm me. We have to adapt and I'm just focusing on my music, my team and our shared vision. Nothing really matters other than why you're doing this in the first place. Hold onto that and you'll be just fine.
What do you feel sets you apart from other artists?
I think it's easy to feel like you have to create a persona, to add extra interest or excitement to who you are. I just want to show myself for who I am, who I've always been. I just want to make something of myself and to follow my dream. The music I create has always, and always will, speak for me and give a little feel or insight into who I am, the things I've seen and really what I'm about.
Do you think music should be involved with politics or not and why?
Oh, this is an interesting question. I feel like as artists we play a very important role in terms of influence. To have an opinion is important but I also think you have to be conscious and think about what you’re putting out there. Music is a form of expression and sharing your point of view, and so politics is possibly going to fall into that. I guess my answer is yes, but cautiously.
What are your influences? Do you think pop music is coming back?
I have a lot of different influences and I feel you can see it in my music, growing up if a song had prominent strings or keys I'd absolutely fall into that song. James Blunt is one example of how guitars made me feel. My mum had the 'Back To Bedlam' CD playing all the time at home or in the car. I loved bands too, like Busted and McFly and I had posters of rappers like Eminem and 50 Cent all over my room. I loved lyrics and I loved real stories. I like lots of different sounds for different reasons. I think we should all try to dive into genres we haven't appreciated before, you'd be surprised what you like if you really listen. My biggest influences are artists like Rihanna, Lana Del Rey, Kehlani, Ariana Grande and TeaMarr. I'm finding new loves all the time and exciting artists that I can learn from.
Pop music never went away but I think it sort of lost its spotlight or wasn't as popular (oh the irony). I think there are some absolute fire genres and genre-bending sounds coming out now! Nigeria has ridiculous talent and artists like Wiz Kid, Tems or Omah Lay are paving the way. People are less willing to fit into categories and this lack of conformity is creating something different. Jim Legxacy is just one example of this, I'm so happy I found his music. To answer your question, I think Pop music is going to rise again, and honestly, I hope to contribute to that but with my own identity and style.
What do you think will be the future of music artists and creators in general?
I feel like the creative industry is undervalued and I think more input financially and otherwise should be given to support those who work in it. We saw how musicians and those in other creative roles suffered when lockdown hit. Live venues were closed and shows were canceled. What would we do without music? What would we do if art disappeared? People who have the power to protect these parts of our world should ask themselves this and act accordingly.
The future is always uncertain, we really don't know what's going to happen or where things will end up. I just hope to live in a world where people feel they can go for what they really want, to live freely and do what makes them happy.
Who is the most iconic artist of our time in your opinion?
This is a question that sparks quite a few names, some would be from my parents' generation. Artists like Bob Marley and Michael Jackson whose music did more than making people feel good, it guided them and sent a message people needed to hear. They had such an impact that still to this day they are played and missed. To think about more later times though, I feel Kanye West has to be mentioned. His career was built from self-belief and he achieved more than anyone thought. I listened to him a lot growing up and every album was just filled with individual flare and confidence. His fearless and daring approach to his music meant he shared himself without overcomplicating it or caring, even if it was seen as strange. I think some people liked to almost mock or criticize that.
Do you remember any strange or funny incident that happened to you?
How long have you got? Haha. You're going to think I'm a weirdo but if a car drives past and it's flashy or it's the high speed I have to stop or stare, I've literally ran onto my balcony or to my bedroom window if I hear a mad engine. Anyway, I think a Bentley was driving past me when I was walking with a friend, long story short I walked straight into a lamp post face first. PAIN.
Tell us about your latest or upcoming release.
Ooooh, we are so excited about the next release, we are in the process of finishing it right now. In terms of sound, it's different from what I've done before, we've been trying different sounds and really finding what fits me best. I can tell you that it's energetic, bouncy and sexy, all the good stuff! My second manager Alice is an amazing vocal producer, she's showing me how my voice and sound could be lifted to new heights by layering and using my voice in different ways.
