Hello FeenX999 and welcome to College Radio Charts! How has your 2025 been so far?
2025 has been great so far! A lot of things to look forward to in the new year for music and I’m excited to see what this year brings.
Congrats on your new single “27/21 (dust to dust)” which just dropped at the start of the year. What inspired the track, and how does it set the tone for the rest of the EP?
27/21 was inspired by artists that passed too young. Between 21 and 27 artists like Lil Peep, Juice WRLD, Jim Morison, Jimmy Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, and more passed away prematurely due to various reasons. The song reflects my drive to be a legendary artist and make a meaningful impact on others. I also wanted to remind people that they are not alone in their mental health struggles.
Can you tell us a bit about your creative process while making this new EP? How long have you been working on these tracks?
The creative process that I had for this project took a couple of months and possibly longer. I have to give it up to my producer Zolonaribeats who was right there with me throughout the creative process. Zolonari is from Germany and it has been incredible to see that when it comes to music, a beautiful collaborative relationship can take form. I always save up ideas for songs, like messages, tones, lyrics, etc. but the songs truly come to life when I find the right beat. For this EP I wanted to create sad songs that people can get lit to. Sadness and mental health is all a part of life perspective truly matters.
The tracks on 27/21 – “We think/drink too much,” “Face tatts and heartbreak,” and “Suicidol” – have such evocative titles. Could you give us a glimpse into the stories behind these songs?
I have struggled with my mental health for as long as I can remember and these songs are no stranger to that influence. The EP I’m fact was originally titled after Suicidol until I created 27/21 and gave more meaning or substance to the EP. The story between most of these titles are a glimpse into why I am FeenX999. In my mind, we all have addictions along with highs and lows. This EP was a way to encompass all of those feelings and make emotional, but upbeat sounding songs.
Your music has been described as a fusion of emo and rap with hypnotic beats. How did you discover and refine this unique style?
Artists like Lil Peep, Juice Wrld, XXXTentacion, Killstation, Brennan Savage, and so many more have inspired my music heavily. I am certainly not the first to dabble in this genre, but that being said my music is still raw and unique. I emulate the music that has gotten me through tough moments in life, and even when I felt no one was there for me alternative music from hip hop & R&B to Rock have always been there. As far as the beats go I rely on producers, more often than not Zolonaribeats and make a creative vision from their musical expertise.
Your lyrics dive into vulnerability, heartbreak, and resilience. What’s the process of translating such personal experiences into music?
The process changes depending on the song. Sometimes it is finding a beat, hopping in our home studio and laying lines down. Other times I have lyrics and an idea for a song and I work with Zolonari to put the magic together. The raw emotion comes naturally in my music, it doesn’t feel forced at all. At the end of the day we all struggle with something and art often reflects the artist. Painting the picture is where it all comes into play, having beats that evoke particular emotions along with lyrics and tone is where the magic happens.
Alternative music often walks a fine line between raw emotion and artistic expression. How do you balance staying authentic while crafting something universally relatable?
I think that the art speaks for itself in a sense. My music is a reflection of what I feel but it does get difficult at times to turn something emotional into something catchy. At the end of the day I make music for me and the people that can relate to the emotions I put into my craft. I also encourage people to make their own meaning out of my art, the perception of my songs aren’t limited to my own.
How did you get your start in music?
I was lucky enough to have a friend that was already making rap/hip hop music. I started right around 16 or 17 making lofi-rap music which highly reflected the music my friend was making. I remember when I was 18 or 19 I would go to his house every Tuesday at like 6 or 7 in the morning just to write and record music. My music just grew from there, but I only started taking it seriously at the beginning of last year.
Do you come from a musical family? What are some of your earliest musical memories growing up?
I don’t come from a musical family per se, but some of my earliest memories growing up are from singing with my mom or dad in the car. Both of my parents had a diverse sampling of music in their taste profiles which I think has helped me create my art. My brother is incredibly talented and I think he’s going to make waves as an artist. I think that I draw knowledge from him at points even though he is younger than me.
You’ve collaborated with artists like SpaceMan Zack and Opandaman. How have these collaborations shaped your sound or perspective as an artist?
They are both incredible artists and both phenomenal to work with. Collaborating with Zack was a life changing experience. To create a song with an artist of that caliber is an amazing accomplishment in my mind and he just so happens to be my best friend’s favorite artist. Opandaman is always a pleasure to work with we actually have more collaborations on the way so stay tuned. It is always fun to work with other artists as you learn new styles and grow as an artist with every collaboration.
Your Instagram and Spotify presence has been growing steadily. How has social media impacted your journey as an artist?
It is my least favorite part of the gig, but I do love engaging with my fans and friends etc on social media. It is difficult to keep up with posting and promoting my music and my image but I’m getting used to it. As I said before I love connecting with fans so I also see it as an opportunity to have real connections with the people that support my music.
Rhode Island isn’t typically seen as a hub for emo-rap. How has your environment influenced your music, and what’s the creative scene like there?
It hasn’t been a huge influence on my music if I am completely honest. There is a good music scene for bands ranging from alternative rock all the way to country. There is also a pretty big scene over here for more traditional style rappers, but I haven’t seen too much geared towards alternative music besides rock. I hope to one day bring more of that sort of interest to RI. A local artist I take inspiration from as far as drive and commitment to art is Slitty especially since he is so involved in the community.
Who are some of your biggest influences and how have they shaped your sound?
My biggest influences are Lil Peep, Juice WRLD, Xxxtentacion, Brennan Savage, Killstation, and other alternative artists. Lil Peep by far is my biggest inspiration the way that he and the other artists I listed were so versatile and so groundbreaking in the 2010s was amazing to me. I love the alternative sounds and I take a lot stylistically and vibe wise from Peep. These are the artists that got me through tough times, and I consider all of their music as influences to my music in terms of beat selection/production style, as well as tonality.
What advice would you give to someone chasing a career in music?
I would say to keep chasing and don’t let anyone stop you. Most importantly take criticism! The people telling you that everything is perfect are the ones who hurt your career the most. Utilize other artists and things like live review shows to get legitimate feedback on your craft. I can’t tell you how many times I was frustrated when I first started receiving advice, but it has made me a much better artist!
2025 feels like a big year for you with the release of 27/21. What’s next on the horizon for FeenX999? Tours, collaborations, or new projects?
There is always new music in the works! I am also trying to book shows locally in 2025 so definitely stay tuned. Never before announced: I have an upcoming single featuring Shinigami and can’t wait for the world to hear it!
Thanks so much for spending some time with us today, FeenX999! Where can people go to find out more about you and your music?
All my socials are under FeenX999 that’s instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. My music is available on all platforms! For frequent updates please follow my IG. Thank you so much for your time!
