Ahead of the release of his debut single, Mr General, on November 28th, we caught up with 21 year old Londoner Archeo to ask him a few questions about his music…
MTTM: How is the debut album going?
Archeo: It’s really exciting, but also really hard sitting on material and not being able to play it to people yet!
MTTM: What is it like working with top producers, like Fabien Waltmann and Ant Whiting, who have also worked with world class artists such as No Doubt and MIA?
Archeo: I think aside from the music we’re making, I’m learning a lot from the process and also really enjoying it too. For so long I’ve made bedroom music, and it’s great to be able to take my ideas in with established people who can help fully realise them and who also share the ambition of creating pop songs that comes from a different place.
MTTM: You’ve lived in different countries all over the world but which country would you say has had the most influence on your music?
Archeo: Not any in particular. Though I think it’s inspired me to want to create global music that can be enjoyed by many different cultures. That’s the mentality I have whilst making this album. I guess it’s about making music that comes naturally to me but also with an agenda to affect as many people as possible. Hopefully for the greater good, but I don’t mind polarizing.
MTTM: Your new single, Mr General, had its first play on BBC Radio 1xtra this week – what was it like to hear your song on national radio?
Archeo: It was damn cool.
MTTM: Were you pleased with the Donae’o remix of Mr General?
Archeo: Yeah. It’s hard.
MTTM: Was it important to you to release the single on your own label, Music Mantra?
Archeo: Yes, it means I can start to create my own path, which will lead to bigger and better things. Also the independence I have now whilst making the album really helps my creativity, and the only real sound board I have is myself, the producers I’m working with, plus my family and friends. So it feels like home, for now.
MTTM: What other artists have inspired you?
Archeo: I think from a performance side it’s people like Bobby Brown, Rick James, but then there’s The Neptunes, Kanye West, Swizz Beats on a production side, and classic pop song-writing throughout the 90’s and noughties. I have a mish-mash philosophy where little bits from here and there can work well together. So really it’s how I deal with certain influences, and spit it out into something that is my own. All I can do is write the best songs for me, and then put it through my filter.
MTTM: Are there any artists or producers you’d like to collaborate with in the future?
Archeo: I’ve got some ideas, but I’d rather keep them to myself for now…
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