We discussed growing up on rock and hip hop, emo and pop-punk influences, and more with New Orleans, Louisiana-based recording artist BEMO Rouge. With their debut single releasing on May 10th, the artist has a lot to share in this exclusive interview.
Hey BEMO Rouge! Introduce yourself. Where are you from?
I am an emo and pop-punk artist out of New Orleans, LA.
When did you start making music?
I started making music when I was 13 in Garageband on my iPhone 3GS and eventually started making beats on a computer with FL Studio and recording with Pro Tools. I was always actively playing drums in an assortment of pop-punk bands growing up.
Who inspired you to start making music?
Growing up I listened to an assortment of genres but was always influenced more by rock and hip hop. I’m a huge fan of bands like My Chemical Romance, Blink-182, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Taking Back Sunday, and Avenged Sevenfold. I started listening to artists like The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, Drake, and Wale in high school so I got a little more taste of diversity and really went through so many music phases growing up. I would say that the early days of The Weeknd really sparked picking up production and songwriting. That stuff just hit my soul a little differently.
How would you categorize or describe your music?
I honestly don’t know what category it lies in but it’s very heavily influenced by emo and pop-punk. I don’t like categorizing my art because I can be very versatile if I want to.
Who are you listening to now?
Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Mod Sun, Machine Gun Kelly, Maggie Lindemann, KennyHoopla, Dro Kenji, and JXDN. This generation of pop-punk and emo artists is absolutely amazing and I’m all here for it.
What makes you different from other artists?
I’m me. I don’t want to be anyone else and I just feel that it’s always great to have a sole connection to what you make.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your creativity and output?
It hasn’t affected my creativity at all. I try not to involve myself with politics and things I can’t control. It seems that most people today are more obsessed with finding reasons why they can’t get out there and work as hard as they can.
What is your creative process like?
I just do what comes to me first. I like to make a loop and then go from there in the writing process. I do all of my production, writing, and engineering myself so I think that’s what really sets me apart from others.
What are your plans for 2021?
I plan on releasing a lot of music for the remainder of this year. I have stuff in the emo-rap range to straight pop-punk full band stuff. I’m super excited to show my art to the world.
Any upcoming releases from you to look out for?
My first single titled Catch My Breath featuring Razzle will be out on May 10, 2021, on all platforms along with a super sick music video.
Interested in more from BEMO Rouge and the emo rap scene? Follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and SoundCloud and stay tuned for their debut single, Catch My Breath releasing on May 10th. If you’re looking for other incredible emo and pop-punk artists, check out these 5 emo rappers to watch in 2021.