Continuing in our ‘Meet…’ series that looks to find out more about some of the newest faces in the North East’s music scene, we speak to KV$SHNOODLE, an experimental rapper from Newton Aycliffe and get an exclusive first listen to two new tracks from his forthcoming mixtape.
Who is KV$HNOODLE?
KV$HNOODLE is a 24-year-old artist raised in Newton Aycliffe, a small, grey town in the North East of England, currently residing in Manchester, who likes to think he’s the worst and best at what he does all in one… nah seriously though I’m just a bit of a weird dude who loves music, listening and creating in equal parts; and KV$HNOODLE is an expression of the slightly crazier, wilder and weirder side of that.
He’s like the side of me I love to hate being expressed in a way I love. I almost see him as a character, but more like me with some of my personality traits accentuated, someone who can talk about how he’s feeling with no holding back and not worrying about what people think. A version of myself I prefer in almost every way!
How long have you been making music?
I’d say since I was around the age of 14, when I started playing drums was when I started making music. Me and some close friends from school started a band when we were 15, made a few songs and played a few shows and it was a super fun period of life! We broke up after a short while for a few different reasons, but I think the overall experience of being in a band ignited my passion for making music and performing, I’ve been creating ever since! I’ve been making rap influenced music however for around four years but haven’t really taken it this seriously until around 2 years ago.
What got you into music?
Hmm, that’s a tough one! I always remember my dad showing me ‘Hybrid Theory’ by Linkin Park on a car journey once, and that feeling it gave me hearing something I’d never experienced before has stuck with me for a long time. My mam is also an incredible singer but has never pursued it further than just signing in the house, but she’s also a lover of music, and used to constantly have music playing around the house when I was growing up. So, I guess you could say my parents had a big influence on me being interested in music from a young age. I think looking back on it, the Linkin Park moment was definitely one of the first moments I realised I really loved music, or more the feeling listening to music gave me was an amazing one.
What influences your music (musical and otherwise)?
For musical influences I would probably say the works of A$AP ROCKY, Skepta, XXXTENTACION, Tyler, the Creator, Code Orange and Basement have had massive influences on me. I think historically my musical influences have varied a great deal, and still do to this day. What first made me want to rap is the fact that I loved stuff like Childish Gambino and A$AP and Tyler at the time, and they were doing something not only lyrically but also sonically great in my eyes and it caught my attention and inspired me to make my own version!
Before that, I used to listen to a lot of emo/screamo/hardcore/punk and like grungy, or more upbeat sounding hardcore bands like Title Fight and Such Gold, I think that influenced the way I listen and create music massively – with a bit more of an open mind I guess.
At the minute Ronin Clan are inspiring me a lot musically, 90BRO is insanely talented and a super nice dude and makes me wanna push harder and do more, DRIPSET from Manchester are dope and Ski Mask The Slump God is wild and inspires my music a lot! All of that as well as a lot of other stuff including A$AP ROCKY’S new album ‘TESTING’ – super sick project!
Otherwise, I think in general music has and always will be a release for me. It’s a chance to express locked up emotions when in everyday life I find it hard to release that. Growing up I always felt slightly detached from most situations and was always the one to sit at the back and take things in and not really say much and that has kind of progressed and stayed with me to this day. When I found the feeling of listening, or more importantly, creating music it just felt right. Almost like a calling, I guess. A moment of relief in an existence filled with inner tension.
How would you describe your sound?
I guess all of those things mentioned above smashed up into a ball, chewed up, and then spat back out on a canvas with a healthy sprinkling of my personality ha! I would say it’s quite dark, a bit strange, emotion-driven, trap-influenced music with a punk mentality.
Mainly though I guess the sound of a song for me changes depending on the mood I’m in when I’m writing it. It has to fit the mood I’m in or the feelings I’m feeling when I’m writing for sure! I follow the feeling to the core when I’m creating definitely, so I would say my sound reflects that.
What does the rest of 2018 hold for you?
Lots more music for KV$H, lots more music in general and lots more creative things! Videos are gonna be a big focus this year; I’ve never really done a video and one of my other super talented mates, Jordan M Paterson, is an incredibly sick filmmaker and creative in general and we’ve got some ideas!
I wanna play more shows also, so I’m gonna push for that in a big way! I’ve got two shows in the North East in September, one in Darlington as part of Last Train Home Festival on 22nd September and one in Stockton with Rhyme Molesters and Ceiling Demons. They both should be great so come along!
Interview by J.Ramsay
RIDE MUSIC 