YUNG PICASSO INTERVIEW
Artists aren’t taught to get their timing right. With focus often given to the perpetual motion machine of TikTok and other social media, it is common for creatives to invest their energy into the wrong aspect of their brand, often at a premature stage. Timing seems to be something that happens accidentally, like a viral video or a random shoutout.
Yung Picasso (YP) [@off_yung_picasso] dismisses this notion.
With a sizable vault of music at his disposal and a childhood full of musical training, the Western Sydney talent has carefully chosen his time to emerge from the studio and present his artistry to the rest of the world. I met YP and his team (‘team’ would be an understatement, but more on this later) to talk about his plans for the year, but didn’t expect an artist with no releases under his belt to be so convicted about his craft.
It’s My Life - Music Video
Image Credit (taken from video)
Yung Picasso is indeed young (still a teenager) but speaks with a measured understanding of the industry around him. His personal brand is built on authenticity and sonic-shapeshifting, a trait that many claim but few really capitalise on. His debut single with Lihini Rose (@lihinirose) titled It’s My Life, seems like a ChatGPT generated dream. The star-studded collaboration features a guest verse from none other than Sean Kingston, who not only contributed his verse but also worked closely with the artist’s team for the visuals.
The serendipity of this partnership is a team effort, and the support from Yung Picasso’s production crew/management/mentors The Banton Bros (@bantonbrosofficial) was a key factor in bringing together the seemingly disparate parties. The Banton Bros themselves need no introduction, having topped the charts across the globe with their writing and production for years and years. Despite all their previous success, their money's on Yung Picasso now.
Working closely with the young artist for the last two years, the YP/Banton Bros synergy has produced a substantially different sound. This kind of artist/producer bond is a rare thing in such a transactional industry full of BeatStars celebrities and type-beat placements. Arguably, this trust is what has enabled YP to grow so quickly as an artist, as the relationship between him and the Banton Bros predates their musical collaboration.
There is an emphasis on meaning within Yung Picasso’s music. His lyrics are clean, which will sound jarring upon first listening to his music. It’s difficult to imagine a rapper delivering their bars with no profanity, especially over instrumentals where certain words are a given. It’s My Life may be a summer party anthem, but the artist’s wealth of demos and unreleased tracks hits at an endeavour to inject as much meaning into his craft as possible. From love songs to personal journal-style cuts, the catalog provides a lot of depth for Yung Picasso to choose his next release from.
A typical day in the office for YP
Image Credit: Taken from It’s My Life music video.
As most artists grow in the local scene, they tend to associate themselves with particular postcodes or groups. Yung Picasso is adamant that he is on his own journey. Opting to stay away from the cliquey nature of the Sydney scene, the artist is setting himself up to choose his own company rather than aligning himself with the few options around him. Besides, with such a strong network around him already, YP doesn’t feel the need to go community hunting for the time being.
2023 is going to be a year of massive growth for Yung Picasso. With the Banton Bros producing and guiding his opening run of singles, the artist can focus on consolidating his identity and position within the Sydney music scene, and by extension, the world. The explosive debut track might seem like a lucky break, but the Banton Bros are adamant that Yung Picasso works harder than anyone else they’ve seen.
Most people will look at It’s My Life and say it’s perfect timing. The Banton Bros would say it was a lifetime in the making. The truth is somewhere in between.
Watch It’s My Life here.
