“But for Amaretto and Sauga City Slasher, the difference is like, one’s red, one’s blue. There’s emotion and fieriness in one, more like turn up music for Sauga City Slasher. Whereas the other one is more introspective, more intentional with what I’m saying. I had to balance out the two sides. Balance is probably the hardest thing to master in life, and when it comes to music, I’m still learning, but this is why I’m working on two projects at once. Because, I have one side of me that’s super amped, and always motivated and confident. That’s Sauga City Slasher. Then there’s the other side of the coin which is more grounded and more realistic with myself, and that’s Amaretto. So, I just try to take it one day at a time, and one beat at a time, and try to recognize how I feel. But after I step back from working, I’m able to assess myself and be like, hey, where does this fit? You know, does this fit with the more conscious audience? Or does this fit with more of a basement jam or even Lavelle.

But I’m still learning, and I’m very humbled by the process. I’m just trying to learn how to get more content out because if you’re getting too caught up in trying to figure out what’s right, especially with balance, you’ll be stuck in a moment like where I’m at, where it’s like, fam, I want to put out more content; but I’m super focused on balance. I’m super aware of myself. So, it’s like, you never know what side of the scale you’re on until you might plunge a little too deep. But you just got to take it one day at a time. Just being real with yourself. And being real with yourself is more like an honesty with yourself. It doesn’t take much thinking. When you’re real with yourself in the process of music, or writing in general, therapy, or literally anything in life! It’s just an honesty with yourself and where you’re at. And that takes a lot. It takes for you to be comfortable and in the right environment—to have the right supporting system around you to get there. But when you do get there, it’s euphoric man.

But that’s what the realness is. Just literally don’t overthink. Just pen to pad, don’t worry if it’s a hit, don’t worry if it’s a banger, or who’s going to receive it. It’s for you. And that always brings out the best product in my mind. There are different spaces though. Like sometimes I write for an audience; sometimes I write for myself. It just depends on the mood. I’m able to do that. Like, I’m able to be like, do we need a pop record or a hit? I can do that too. It’s not as organic to be honest. So, the realness is like, what’s present with you, what’s current.

And you have to be real. And part of that is realizing we’re always going to pursue perfection, because that’s what’s been advertised. The marketing dollars behind people, and the team behind people make them seem so unreachable. But realistically, it comes from you. When you’re making music bro, you’re giving a piece of yourself to the world. You’re kind of pulling back this this veil and being honest. You’re being vulnerable. I’d be a fool to say I don’t feel that anxiety anymore. You know? I’d be a fool if I was like, nah that doesn’t bother me. Especially the vulnerable shit. Like the stuff that you really sit down and pen and you’re really proud of, and you’re just like: ‘Oh, when this hits the streets? Trust me! Yeah, this is the one.’ But you’ve to got to recognize that it’s not always in your hands. As soon as you let it go it’s no longer your worry. It comes down to the people, to the audience, and just to the way things work. It’s going to be judged whether you like it or not; and it’s either going to be well received, or it won’t. But at the end of the day, you just got to be happy with it, and with yourself. And make sure that you’re always happy with what you’re putting out there. That’s something I try to teach and remind myself. But the nerves are always there. They’re never going to go away. Never.”