451Pyro, aka Kyle Stoker, dropped his first single “Lost” back in April – a track that now boasts over 40k streams on Spotify. Based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, Pyro was surrounded by a talented bunch of friends that were already making an impact in the music world, like Scapegoat Avarice, HOLLOWVOID, wrongtvrn and NATO. This inspired him to get behind the mic and pursue his dream of making it in music, and if bouncy dark trap banger “Lost” is anything to go by then Pyro is an artist full of potential.
Get to know more about him in his first ever interview below…
First off tell us who you are and where you come from?
My name is Kyle, but I’m more commonly known to people as Pyro or simply 451. I’m an artist/songwriter and I come from near the heart of Newcastle, in the NE6 (Byker) area.
How would you describe your sound?
To me, I feel like I can vary my sound across different genres. Versatility I feel is a big part of me, I never just want to conform to one style. But to give a description of my current sound, I’d definitely say trap beats with a bit of extra edge on them. That hard but bouncy sound I feel sticks to me.
What inspires you to make music?
I use my music as a form of venting and just to get my voice/message heard. I’ve struggled with mental health issues for years, and I was always just looking for a way to convey how I feel. As time went on and I started going to local shows, making friends with other artists, the vibe I was getting kept feeding all my emotions, I remember just thinking “This is it. This is how I get my feelings out.”
I want to make music where people can listen and realise that they’re not alone with their depression and anxiety issues, and see that I know what it’s like. And then on the other hand, also having the support by my friends anytime I drop a vocal or instrumental teaser is always a huge boost to me.
How did you first get into making music?
It was actually last year, August I believe, I was unfortunately in a very low place in my mental health, I was talking to Ben (KV$HNOODLE/Wrongtvrn) over messenger, asking him how he copes when life feels like it’s falling apart, and he told me that he turns his emotions into music, and suggested I try writing just 4 bars about how I was feeling. And then from that point I realised how effective it is to use music as a way of venting.
Tell us about your latest release
My latest (and as of writing this, only) release, titled “Lost” sometimes stylised as LO$T, details my battle with abandonment, disassociation, and depression. With it being created at one of the lowest points of my mental health, it’s almost like a dive into how my brain was actually processing the world around me at that time. Every word in that song is true to how I was feeling, no sugarcoating, I genuinely felt like I was stuck in some human shell just travelling on autopilot, screaming for help.
Why ‘451’?
This is a fun one. Most people will have a number or a sequence of numbers that’ll just pop up out of nowhere, almost like they’re being followed by it. With mine, It first started when I read the book Fahrenheit 451. The main themes of that book is censorship, ignorance and the use of mass media to control society. I remember seeing that number as a defiance against people trying to stop you being you, trying to silence you, trying to end what you enjoy because it’s not “hot right now”.
And then the next thing I knew, 451 was appearing all over the place. It’s linked to both my parents for separate reasons, one of my best friends, I’ll literally just walk around and that sequence will just pop up somewhere. I just kept thinking that it couldn’t be coincidence. Even my friends started calling me 451, telling me it had a ring to it, so I’ve just decided to stick with it.
How have you been dealing with this pandemic?
It’s a very 50/50 affair. I’ve been at my wits end with not being able to see my loved ones, I only saw my grandma for the first time since like February last week. But on the other hand, finding out NATO and Scapegoat Avarice live so close to me has probably been the main factor of me coping. Those lads have definitely been a huge help to me during this time, always checking up on me, reminding me to be creative and stuff, I’m proper appreciative of them. I still miss drinking firebuckets in RISE, but I’m sure there’ll always be another time for that in the future!
Are you releasing any more music in the near future?
Hopefully, yes! I actually have a song that just needs a few more takes before it’s mixed and ready to be released, and then I have some other sets of lyrics which are pretty much finished. There’s also some sick collabs I’m looking forward to. In summary, there will be more 451Pyro tracks dropped before 2021, have no fear.
Finally, why should people listen to your music?
I’m more versatile than meets the eye. Lost is a bouncy trap banger with a hard beat, but then some of my new stuff I’ve got planned is harder sounder and the other half is more mellow. I feel like I can make something people can vibe with, even if they don’t like *this song* by me, they might like *that song*. Regardless, I’m always just gonna be honest, be humble, say what I have to say, and keep it 100. I’m also hoping to make music that takes people by surprise, more than meets the eye kind of vibes.
RIDE MUSIC 