RnB Music Gets a Breath of Fresh Air with Quincy Griffith
MUSIC | WAVYVIGILANTE
Quincy Griffith is a hidden gem from the GTA hailing from Markham, Ontario. Music was Quincy’s first language - being born into a Filipino/Caribbean household he had an abundance of musical influence to pick up on growing up. From Jazz, Hip Hop, and Soul to Soca, Reggae, and Funk - Quincy’s palate is eclectic to say the least. That rich background paired with undeniably striking vocals for his age led him to take his passion to an academic setting at Western University; however, after three years of singing opera he concluded that the classical route wasn’t for him. Quincy decided to discontinue his studies in order to circle back to his true passion - RnB music. He consequently enrolled into the Music Industry Arts program at Fanshawe College where he studied under Juno award winning and Grammy nominated faculty; in addition, he also won the award for ‘Best Male Vocalist’ in his graduating class.
Being freshly graduated and ready to come into his own as an artist, Quincy releases ‘Just Who We Are.’ An honest, captivating, and extravagant RnB Ballad that holds and cuddles you in the beginning moments only to send you flying into the stratosphere as this adventure of a song unfolds before the very ears of the listener.
We were able to ask Quincy some questions about the release as well as what’s next for him in his career- here’s what he had to say:
What emotions were you feeling while you were making the record?
I was definitely feeling a sense of relief and clarity. When I write music I try to write from personal experience because I think that the emotion and feeling behind a track is what makes it the most relatable. I don’t write from personal experience all the time but when I do tell my story, it’s therapeutic to me and this one in particular was very important too.
We started off with a simple piano melody that became one of the main ideas throughout the song. After that we decided to lay down those big choir-like vocals and a bass line and once we had that it really gave us a clear view of the big picture and where we wanted to take the story. That was kind of the foundation of the song and then we sat down, wrote lyrics and added other musical elements until we felt like it captured the emotion and feeling we wanted.
What is your favourite moment or element of the record?
I think a couple of my favourite elements in the song are the bass and the choir-like, background vocals especially when they are first introduced in the song at the start of the first pre chorus. I think the transition from the verse being very bare and minimal to the very full and exciting pre chorus is a big change in dynamics which really show the different emotions I was feeling when writing the song. One of the main ideas of the song is working to have someone open up to me and like the first line of the pre chorus - “show me you’re open”, I think the musical elements of the track open up as well and clearly show that message.
Who did you collaborate on this record if anyone, how did their contributions shape the final product?
I wrote and produced ‘Just Who We Are’ alongside my long-time collaborator, fellow artist/producer/engineer Nick Souza. We have a very good relationship when it comes to writing and producing. I tend to have a lot of ideas when it comes to production and lyrics but sometimes I find it difficult to express them in a way that people will understand and Nick is kind of my translator in a way. This song is equally his as it is mine. I had the story and he knew how to tell it so once we put our minds together the creative process felt very natural.
We also had our peers Hung Hoang (pianist), and Josh Milligan (drummer) lay down some live piano and drums and that just took the song to a different level. Those elements just added a sense of realness to the song
Finally the song was mixed by Nick Souza and Harrison Song and Mastered by Harrison Song. Once they finished with the final touches it was exactly how I imagined the final product to feel so everyone involved in the creation of this song had a huge part to play and I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to work with everyone.
How would you typically describe the music you create nowadays?
It's hard to say just cause I’m never really going for a specific sound or genre. I have a broad knowledge of music and I find inspiration from many different genres that I grew up listening to and studying. Honestly if I think it sounds good and I like the vibe then I stick with it and try to see where I can take it musically. Ive been on sort of a darker tip lately though so we’ll see where I go with that.
What is your creative process like, especially in your most recent sessions?
My creative process is always different. I just try to start wherever I find inspiration whether that’s from the music I listen to, the movies and shows I watch or the every day life of myself and those around me. Sometimes I have a lyric I need to put down and that’s where I start and sometimes I find a sound or sample that gets stuck in my head and I go from there. It really depends on that initial feeling of “ok I think I can do something with this”. Once I have that starting point I try to focus on the areas that I feel need the attention most whether its the lyrics or the beat and I go from there. Sometimes I get into a flow and things just fall into place and other times I have to take a break from the music and come back to the track later. I always base my creative process on what the song needs in the moment and every song is different in that way
What is the message you wish from listeners to take away from the tracks?
I’m really just trying to showcase who I am as a person as well as a musician. I feel like I have a different perspective on music and I want to share that with everyone who will listen.
Any exclusive information/announcements you got for the VibeNextdoor?
I will be performing at Waveland’s Everbloom Festival at The Great Hall on February 25th 2023. This year's theme is #BlackInCanada in celebration of Black History Month, and will celebrate Black Canadian musicians, Black Drag Kings and Queens, and a vendors market featuring Black-owned businesses.
Quincy is definitely a rising star in the world of music. We see this artist reaching depths and heights nobody has reached before and bringing that nostalgic, emotional, and passionately enamouring flavour back to RnB - but not by imitating what’s already been done the way majority of artists do - but by taking those elements and approaching them from a new-age lens that only someone with a mind like his can do. We wish this artist all the best for his bright future, and we look forward to featuring him on VnD sometime again soon!
Check out ‘Just Who We Are’ on Spotify and a link to his show:
