EZOW Has The Whole World Listening

1) what inspired you to become an artist?
-My interest in music started at a very young age I remember at 9 I would wrap a shirt around my head pretend I’m grabbing a mic and rap along to 50 cent or Eminem or when I was in class I’d get in trouble for not paying attention, but in reality, I was always in my own world. With time I realized I have a strong passion for music. I wanted to make my own songs, rap my own words and so I slowly started getting the tools I needed. That’s when I knew the passion was real. I had to sell my Xbox to get what I needed. I was adamant and taught myself everything I needed from setting up the mic & recording to mixing and mastering my tracks … as for why I make music it’s not a question to answer it’s an instinct in me that I can’t stop or deny.

2) As an Emirati artist who has a huge fan base overseas. What’s the experience been like for you?.

There are times when I can feel the pressure of catering to both sides of my audience but it comes back to me being: I’m just a person at the end of the day telling my story, and I’m going to do it in a way that I believe sounds good and something that can inspire people as a whole, no matter where you’re from or no matter what age group you belong [to]. It’s the kind of feeling I got growing up listening to hip-hop, and any kind of music I used to listen to – that feeling of being so inspired. I always want to give that same feeling to the people that listen to my music.

I think it’s a great position and I feel very blessed to be in it.

3) You have a very unique sound in your music. We would like to know which artists or music inspires you to create your own style and sound.

– I am inspired by different genres of music, Hip Hop wise I can say Drake, 50 Cent, Travis Scott , Kanye West definitely inspire me. However, I am also inspired by many bands from different genres one of my top favorites would be Bring Me The Horizon.

4) “Concrete Jungle ” your first EP and breakthrough tell us more about it.
– I think it’s because a lot of the topics in Concrete Jungle are very personal and introspective, which a lot of my music is, but I feel like in this EP, specifically, I wanted to have it be, like: This right here, it’s about my experiences and everything, but it’s mostly just seeing things through my lens. And being as honest and vulnerable as possible. So I felt that name kind of just fits perfectly.

I wanted to keep the roughness in this EP, I want to keep it sound very raw, I want the feeling of a Concrete Jungle when you listen to it.

5) Why did you decide to release it as an EP as opposed to doing a full album?

That was something that I just felt that it was the right time to put it out. I made a lot of songs at this point, but I wanted to know what it feels like to have something that was shorter and more compact, and simple. Even though a lot of the songs are pretty simple and easy listening. It’s only 6 songs, but it’s still very deep and personal to me. That’s how those 6 songs kind of connect to me. Even though they sound super different, they touch on very similar topics.

6) What is your visual process when you’re making a new music video?
– I am usually very hands-on with everything related to my music and just as much as I love making music I love the process of visualizing the song and bringing it to life with a visual story, I sit with my team, choose the song we see fit then my director creates a mood board and then we run it up.

When I make music videos, it’s a collaboration between me and the director, when we’re working on the treatment. My creative director Sydney Miranda, and I feel like he did a great job at creating amazing music videos together. I didn’t do much on this one. When I got there, he kind of was just doing his thing. I feel like there were a lot of things that he learned about me. And so many little things that I didn’t even tell him.

7) How do you feel about working with big names in rap and hip-hop?

It’s always really cool when I get the chance to collaborate with big names in hip-hop. I’m in the music industry now and it’s crazy how these guys are my peers now. But at the same time, I used to listen to these guys growing up. And I was such a big fan of all of them, and I still am now, even though I am one of them, which is still weird to me. It’s really cool.

And if I were to collaborate with someone, I would collaborate with Drake, Future, Travis Scoot, and Metro Boomin.

8) How has social media impacted you as an artist when it comes to branding yourself?
– Social media has become an important tool in every artist’s career and I make sure to utilize the platforms I am on by connecting with my audience and pushing my music. Back in the days, artists had to physically push their tapes or go to radio stations etc. Today you make a song you are one click away from the whole world, the term local artist is now fading because once you are on the internet you are open to everyone everywhere. That’s the power of social media and you have to learn to use it wisely.

9) you are a Global Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations, tell us more about it.

We were all put in the world for a good reason. It’s up to all of us to make the world a better place. I’m proud to join IIMSAM as a Global Goodwill Ambassador in support of the United Nations’ decade of action 2020-2030 sustainable development goals and fighting malnutrition.

I will be raising awareness and mobilizing support, and galvanizing advocacy for the IIMSAM mandate in the fight against the world’s number one killer acute malnutrition UNICEF. It’s an essential role in accelerating and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals-Decade of Action 2020-2030, which were agreed upon by world leaders at UN Headquarters in New York in September 2015 to protect the planet and make a brighter future for all.

10) From the beginning of your career until now, what are the 3 most important things you’ve learned?

In today’s highly competitive music industry, aspiring musicians face numerous challenges in their quest for success. In this regard, having a team is of utmost importance, especially in areas where support for music is limited. As a first suggestion, I highly recommend building a team of professionals who can provide guidance, support, and expertise to help you navigate the music industry successfully.

Secondly, we advise acknowledging that nobody knows everything, and it’s essential to take the initiative to learn and figure things out on your own. Seeking knowledge through research, mentorship, and learning from other successful musicians can help you achieve your goals and realize your potential.

Lastly, it’s crucial to be cautious about the feedback you receive as it could have a significant impact on your career trajectory. It’s important to listen to advice from knowledgeable people in the music industry, but it’s best to avoid taking advice from those who lack expertise or knowledge. Ultimately, your success in the music industry will depend on your ability to make informed decisions and seek guidance from the right sources.

11) What was your Dubai fashion week experience like?

– I felt honored to collaborate with Martin Victor Al Masri for The House of Victor at the Dubai Fashion Week. This is my first runway show which is just crazy to me. I didn’t think people were gonna take me seriously. I thought people would always see me and say, What are you wearing? You look insane right now. No one I’ve ever met dresses like you. But I think being confident in yourself as an individual is what makes people so stand in fashion. I’m like, Nah, I’m EZOW, I’m going to wear this and everyone’s going to look at me. Would you rather conform or dress however you want?

12) what are your upcoming projects?

A lot of interesting things. I’m still making music. Concrete Jungle Ep just came out, but I’ve been recording a lot, so to people who are wondering what comes next, I’m always working on stuff. I just like making random stuff and going back to listen to them all the time and doing a lot of different experiments to listen to.

But outside of music, I’m just exploring a lot of opportunities. Hopefully acting in the near future. I can’t speak too much about it, but it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do for a long time.