Meet B. Newb

 

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to B. Newb. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

B., so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?

My optimism, albeit fleeting, comes from my Mom. I’ve seen her have to restart numerous times in life and never let it stop her from seeing the light in every situation. I try to have that same outlook whenever I face adversity, which recently has been a lot.

About two months ago, I tore my Achilles and avoided the initial slump by just getting excited over the fact that I could watch all of the movies that I hadn’t seen. This small thing helped me get through the first couple of weeks when I was afraid of doing anything that would set me back. For the first couple of weeks, watching that movie was like having a new experience, every day. It was me tackling the situation like my Mom would.

As you might expect, being locked in one place for so long, the optimism can fade, which recently occurred. After feeling great physically with the progress of the Achilles about two months in, I wanted to push myself a bit. Instead of catching an Uber to go to the store near my place, I wanted to walk. The result wasn’t terrible, but I definitely felt like a fool for doing way more than I needed to and I brought myself down. But after getting a chance to talk with her and clear my head, my Mom helped me see that I still completed the task, which was getting to the store and back, breaking expectations that I set for myself while setting a boundary for what I can realistically do in my current state.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am an Alternative Hip-Hop and R&B artist first and foremost, but I feel like I can do it all. I had a hard time coming to terms with my gift and talent and at 31, I feel like I have reached a point where I know that music is my truest form of expression. All I ask is for people’s ears because there’s someone out there who feels like they’re alone in their experience, they aren’t. And I just want to add to music being the greatest unifier.

I recently released a three-track EP, Now Get In. I had high hopes for being able to get out and really tackle Los Angeles in a way that I’ve wanted since moving here almost 4 years ago. I’m unable to with the injury, so just know that I’ve been plotting and even more is on the way.

Now Get In is available on all DSPs

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

So many things have impacted my journey…it’s hard to narrow it down to three. If I had to start with one, I would say that humility is key. I know that I haven’t reached this point in life alone. I’ve had immense help in obtaining equipment, vendors, performing spots, interviews like this, and the whole nine yards. So I always check my ego at the door in every situation and let the art speak for itself.

Next, I would say having a genuine love for music has impacted my journey as well. Bringing it back to humility, I love music so much that I consider myself to be a fan first. So, I have no issues giving other artists their just due. I fan out all the time at local gigs and I think that has helped because it’s not just like, “This guy is blowing smoke to kiss up. He’s explaining exactly why he feels this way about this part of the song.” I also know how difficult this career path can be. Even the slightest congratulations can keep someone from giving up on their dream and I’ve been there quite a few times. So I just try to show genuine love whenever I can.

Finally, I think experimentation has impacted my journey immensely. As I mentioned, I consider myself to be a fan first, so as my listening preferences expand, I get exposed to new sounds and ideas that inspire me to try and incorporate some of those ideas into my own music. When I first started, I tried really hard to make strictly hip-hop records and while those songs are great I was completely ignoring the fact that I grew up listening to a mix of Motown, gospel, pop punk, and post-hardcore, limiting my creativity. Now, I’m allowing the music discovery to lead the way for my creativity.

I think humility is something that we can all use, no matter where one is in their career. It’s important to know your value and never allow your skills to be devalued, but I believe that a lot of moments are ruined due to ego. As a sports fan, the Men’s Basketball Olympic team has been really inspiring because here, you have this group of superstars who are able to acknowledge that they have to put their individual superstardom aside to reach a goal. It’s something that I think we can apply to collaborating in the music space. As far as developing your humility, I believe that comes from just approaching every situation as “How is this mutually beneficial?” as opposed to “How can this benefit me?” Once you start seeing yourself as an equal part rather than the sum, that’s when you can really start seeing results.

When it comes to having a genuine love for music, that’s something that really can’t be developed. But I will say that by just coming to make a ton of money is not the way. With all of the new platforms, it’s easy to pop and disappear. So by loving what you do, whether it be creating music or another form of art, it makes the eventual payoff that much greater.

For everyone early in their journey, experiment early and often. Getting locked into one area is extremely limiting and will frustrate you immensely at times. Try that weird thing that you’ve been on the fence about. Who cares if it flops? What if it goes up? There’s so much cool, left-field things out there that there’s something for everyone and you’ll find your tribe.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I am absolutely looking for folks to partner and collaborate with! I am currently looking for producers with a more neo-soul or funk feel.

I can be reached via my Instagram, @Bdotnewb. Or email, brandonnewby1017@yahoo.com.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photo #1: Kyje
Photo #3: UnreleasedHQ

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