[FEATURE] VIPER PRESENTS: COMFY

Get on a deeper level with Comfy, the man responsible for the viral hit ‘Hoods Hottest’, as he talks us through his creative process and how he processes his vulnerable moments through music. The Manchester rapper just dropped the ‘Lost In Lofi’ EP with Kay9ine and Shiloh Dynasty…

What five words define your sound?

Raw, emotional, unique, purposeful and powerful.

Tell me something unique about your creative process

I have always preferred taking a beat home and writing in my own time. Studio is cool, but I love being in my own comfort zone. No pun intended. I don’t know what it is, something about me and the darkness with just my headphones brings out different thoughts. Another one is, maybe this is self-taught but when I started music I didn’t actually tell my family or even want them to know for that matter. So I worked 25/8 to get myself a car – my mum hated the idea of me driving so young. But as soon as I got my Punto, I’d drive round the corner to a field, turn the distorted speakers all the way up to the point I thought the car would explode and then start writing bars. Now, years down the line my driver’s seat is still my favourite studio. Honestly. I wish I could record in there.

What’s the most vulnerable you’ve allowed yourself to be when writing/making music? 

I think my first ever song, ‘Hoods Hottest’. I think that was my most vulnerable state yet mainly because it was surrounded by real life issues. Everything I said in the song was real and from the heart. It was a period of time where I lost my mum and so very closely almost lost myself. That’s why often people don’t appreciate the art that goes into it, I remember everybody expecting me to just write songs like that all the time but that was passion driven and reality driven. It was that raw and emotional because that’s genuinely the only feelings I had left in my body at the time. I used music as my therapy and vented into the note pad. Like they say, with bad comes good and vice versa. 

What’s the best/worst experience you’ve had on stage?

I think my best experience was coming out for Bugzy Malone at the AO arena and hearing everyone sing ‘Hoods Hottest’ together with me. I think for any artist that’s gotta be the most wholesome thing to see, seeing your art sang/ rapped back to you. Watching them rap all the lyrics word for word – no mistake. I was in awe, it really made me understand music is the most universal language there is. My worst on stage, one of my shows because it was so rushed. We had to end up switching DJs last minute which meant obviously my set would be a bit different. But it was for a huge crowd, so I was praying it went well. On top of that, as soon as I went out I’d realised my microphone was cutting in and out of sound and the output speakers weren’t switched on! Wow! Never the less we killed the show and somehow just made it work! 

What is your favourite song to perform?

My favourite song to perform I’d say would be ‘Left Back [Remix]’. The energy in that song is unmatched.

Which artist/song/album made you want to make music?

Gospel has always been around me from a young age, so singing and music has always been my thing even if I didn’t know it. But I think the interaction that made me actually want to do it was the rise of Bugzy Malone and Aitch. Before the mainstream sound, the underground in Manchester loved those guys! But for me it showed me it doesn’t really matter where your from, like literally. These guys were from down the road and round the corner! It gave me a sense of belief because before that, I thought people like me could never be noticed. But now I understand the smallest of voices can make the biggest of impacts.

What’s the meaning behind your name?

My name has a couple meanings, how I acquired my name was through college. I’d always come in late, in sliders, AirPods in looking trendy 😂 not really giving too much care about timing. I’ve always been the worst for timing. So one day i came in, sliders and a tracksuit with my AirPods in, I think 20/30 minutes after class had started. A girl from my class burst out into laughter as I entered and I asked why? She said to me “anywhere , anytime we see you, you just look comfy, like you don’t care about anything else.” After this everybody else proceeded to laugh too but after that day the name “comfy” just stuck with me. As this was around the time I’d just started music I was looking for a name that made sense for me, not for anybody else. After sitting on the word Comfy for a while, it started making too much sense to me. My aim in life has never been to underachieve nor overachieve but to always be COMFORTABLE in every sense, that’s the only way I will reach true freedom when I can live life comfy. So in itself it’s a manifestation. It’s also a play on words because I believe, I’m most comfortable when I’m uncomfortable, if that makes sense. As in, I need challenges in my life and things going on to live it to the fullest. Ever heard the term, “the devil is in charge of an idle mind?” It’s the same concept, I try to keep myself busy at all times. It’s when I have nothing going on with no routine that it starts slipping. I start to think too much and bad habits start forming again. But yeah, that’s what my name means and how I got it!

If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead?

Damn, I mean it’s always been about money for me and trust me, I know what having less feels like. So I’d be earning money however I could… I guess that’s all we can do. I was in uni but truth be told I was there to make my family happy, I hated it. But if there was no other option I guess I would’ve seen it through. I’m a very good communicator and socialist so I reckon I’d put myself somewhere where an opportunity would present itself and go down that route. I would’ve loved to be an investor/silent investor/ property sales man but of course you need money!

What’s success to you?

Success in my own terms is freedom and what I mean by that is me, my family and my close ones being able to live every day how we want because of me. Now that doesn’t mean me funding a million lifestyles but I really believe God sent me here to break a cycle. I’d invest in businesses that my friends were into, upgrade equipment for my media team. Buy properties in my family’s name so they always have an income no matter if I was here or not. To me that’s success, having the right resources and finances to live everyday to the fullest. I know if my mum could’ve, she would’ve give me more chances at stuff but we’re always restricted by money and opportunities where I’m from. I want to be the person that brings that all back for my family and friends and even beyond that. People that are less fortunate, I want to be a voice for people who get looked over. Build water wells in Africa, put on seminars with great speakers for the younger generations to come and learn new things. To me that’s success.

What moment in your life/career forced you to change direction?

I realised in uni I would need to get a job to make sure I stayed out of trouble and stay in the good books so I could finish to the best of my ability. But music kept calling, meetings with certain people, sessions here and there, shows here and there; it all got too much. I had to make a decision if I wanted to take music seriously I’d have to give it my all. This was a tough decision for me though, this was what my Marjay wanted me to do from young. But I had to come to terms that the time is now. 

Where can people keep in touch with you?

All over my socials ! Hit me up, my Snapchat is: Comfyofficial1. My Instagram is: @comfy.mcr. My Tik Tok is: comfy.mcr.