Ottawa based artist Vante Poems welcomes you to an in-depth look at his latest project, ‘Let Me Fall‘.
The charismatic poet discusses the lyricism on this 9-track project which allows you to envision the creative process behind ‘Let Me Fall’. Vante never shied away from opening up about the inspirations behind the project, as he even discussed his feature with Ottawa artist, Mischa Tate and why he worked with his fellow artist from the Capital city.
With a blend of Hip-Hop and R&B, ‘Let Me Fall’ is a roller coaster of different moods. As Vante discusses his inspirations, work and goals – seeing what the future holds for the Canadian poet will be very interesting!
Read the interview with Vante Poems and stream ‘Let Me Fall’ below:
XMPL: Can you talk to us about the inspirations behind your latest album ‘Let Me Fall’?
Vante: Yes, of course. “Let Me Fall” has many inspirations. First, I have to start with the sound. I’m really into the whole ’90s and the nostalgic aura it holds. For example, “Dead Wrong’s Sound (Produced by Jonny Brown) was inspired by Whitney Houston’s 1998 record called “It’s Not Right, But it’s Okay.” That song won a Grammy. The second track off the album is a rewrite/remake of Tevin Cambell’s 1993 Smash Hit “Can We Talk.” (Produced by Jonny Brown) The last Example far as what inspired my sound is “Go Splat” (Produced by Meelo Productions ).After watching The Evolution of Hip-Hop on Netflix. I realized that every artist has their own “sauce” or something that they do better than anything else. Big Daddy Kane stuck out to me the most. His lyrics were raw. (No Pun Intended) Bar after bar, he always does something to impress you. He still had an antic in his music, something that will make you laugh, or say “ohhhhhhhhh.” I dived deep into Big Daddy Kane catalogue from 1988-1998 while working as a cleaner for a condo. It took me three days to fully listen. On the fourth day, I made “Go Splat.”
Writing inspiration was a little more personal on “Let Me Fall.” I’m going through a phase in my life, just trying to be more humble and positive through personal development and growth. As an artist, that means that I needed to restart or reset my career. And start from the bottom (Let me Fall), losing views and analytics, I deleted my whole Soundcloud of songs. I then deleted like 20 songs off Spotify. I want to be known for certain things as a creative content creator. I took out all misogyny in music and all gunplay as well. I want my homies to be able to listen and vibe and take that same record and play for my mother without her being offended.
Which tracks on this project stand out to you the most & why?
The Real (Produced by Jonny Brown) – This song almost didn’t make the album. I’ll tell you why. I didn’t create this for it to be a hit. I made it as a response to a conversation I had with my wife. I called her my “Karen Queen” Not karen as a white girl, but Karen, a small village out of Thailand. My ex-girlfriend is also “Karen. My wife explained that she always felt like a replacement or a rebound. The next morning while I was at work, I wrote the real. I also had her shoe size wrong in the lyrics; when I showed her the song, she wasn’t flattered at all. So I had to change it before the song came out. But now it’s the number 1 streamed song on my album.
We got to know you throughout the nine tracks on this album; you only included one feature on this project. What was it like working with Mischa, and what would you say she brings to the project?
Working with Mischa is always blessed. But also productive. She’s not the one to be distracted in the studio. She helped with the packaging of “Let Me Fall”. Giving me that extra ear, she’s the one who gave the great idea to break up Moment of Silence into two parts. She has excellent organization skills and is a bit more calculated then I am. I’m the impulsive type, and she was there with the breaks like slow down.
You haven’t been shy with your releases, and this being your fourth album, how would you describe your growth from ‘Man Of The Night’ to ‘Let Me Fall’?
I believe I was a bit shyer with my voice, range, and control on MOTN. Let Me Fall I was a bit more compact with my writing, but at the same time, I wanted the listener to be able to digest, and my hand goes.
Your lyricism stood out on two tracks, ‘Moment Of Silence Pt.1 & Pt.2’, I felt a more rugged Hip-Hop sound. What was the meaning behind those two tracks and the mindset behind them?
I have an Identity crisis. No Hooks, on neither parts. I’m getting personal, talking about my dad, my daughters, etc. And I’m tapped into my childhood and who I want to become as an adult. My family and friends will understand everything I’m saying in Moment Of Silence. Big Shoutout to Utica, NY. My Hometown. Moment of Silence is lowkey the outro.
Can you tell us about the production process behind this album?
Let Me Fall was supposed to be released last year (Nov 2019). It had 20 songs on it, But I rushed it. They were the same songs, but without the TLC, the project has now. I’m glad I made that decision. I love the outcome of the album as it brought my brand and me.
Twigs The Engineer, from Platinum Studios Mixed every single song on the record except Go Splat. LJ from The Cave mixed that. I created a Moment of Silence a year ago, but Mischa implied that I could record it better. And as she sat in the studio with twigs there, and precisely that’s what I did.
Some tracks like ‘Can We Talk’ and ‘The Real’ hold a very melodic flow from you. How would you describe your versatility through different tracks?
I never go into a track, knowing if it will come out melodic. Every track is an equation for me. What can I do to engage the listener? Am I boring them right now? How can I be vulnerable enough for them to believe me? How can I translate this on to a beat in a way they vibe to it? What mood am I portraying with my voice? What type of energy and my giving out with the words? Can I perform this on the spot if somebody asked me to perform? And this is why every track sounds different. My Slogan is “Different beat, New equations.”
With this album releasing in a crazy year, are there any other projects releasing in 2020 we can look forward to from you?
Yes! Christmas Project Coming December 1st, Me and Motive Project releases on New Years’. Have a few singles coming. I still plan on releasing ten songs by December.
What is the goal for 2021, and how do you expect to meet it?
2020 is the year of the music videos for me. I released a year of music. Next year is all about visuals and picking up on my YouTube channel where I have 2,700 subscribers; subscribe to @itsvantepoems.
