[FEATURE] VIPER PRESENTS: LYAM
LYAM was formerly a mastermind of the ephemeral TTY network that gave the world John Glacier and Jeshi. Now LYAM is next up. Get familiar with this VIPER interview…
What five words define your sound?
Diverse, Interlacing, Seasonal, Crunchy, Genre-less.
Tell me something unique about your creative process
I really like to travel when I write records! Just being in other locations, whether by myself or with friends, connecting with new people creating bonds, educating myself on the scene to just observing things, experiencing a space different from my own and just existing. There’s something about being far away from home and ultimately soaking everything all at once in rather than trying to block it out which I feel I do here (London). I just feel cleared headed when I’m away from the bubble I guess, that time away allows me to draw inspiration so I when return back to the bubble it’s go time.
Which song of yours would you like people to hear first?
‘TATT’S IN JAPAN’
What inspired you to make that song?
I had the hook written in Japan from 2021! I had stayed there for a month at my friend’s grandfathers home in Hokkaido. During that time I was writing demos but not really solidifying much as I just wanted to the time to live life and embrace a whole new culture, but of course inspiration comes in the most random place. This track was formulated with me sitting in an onsen in Oiwake, I had come up with “in the onsen had to offset, that’s distance from the toxics.” I was really living out those words and that experience really formed the start of the record to which I would bring these ideas back to London and finalise into the record you hear now.
What’s the most vulnerable you’ve allowed yourself to be when writing/making music?
In 2020 I had my first ever solo project ready to be released but during the run up of the release the George Floyd incident had happened in America and shocked the world, I felt conflicted and uncomfortable to promote my music while something so much more important needed addressing. So I had put my project on hold and decided to create a four track EP, touching on my thoughts and feelings on the matter. I had then placed it on my bandcamp for purchase which and with all the money raised, I gave it to the black curriculum, an organisation that looks to implement more black history in the school systems. During my time in school black history month was reduced to an hour assembly and I’ve always felt disappointed in that as educating children on issues with race and culture is beneficial in the long run.
What’s the best/worst experience you’ve had on stage?
My best stage experience was coming back from a much needed hiatus due to personal reasons. My good friends and fellow collaborators Ineedsound had thrown there first of many events and had invited me to come down. Next thing I know there’s a mic in my hand, a bottle of Jack Daniel’s in the other and the rest was history. Only ineedsound can get me to do that but what makes it my best experience was there energy in the room everyone was glad to see me back on the mic and showed such gratitude and excitement
My worst experience comes way before that moment where I was somewhat just starting out in music. I was part of a collective/network of artists and we had thrown an event in London Fields, with the likes of Sampha doing a DJ set and (allegedly) RZA passing by too. I didn’t really get to see any of that because I agreed amongst my peers like a lemon to do door duty and essentially missed my window to perform with my peers and when I did finally get on stage the majority of the room began to leave and my set was cut short. I look back and laugh because it’s made me who I am but at the time I was vex.
What is your favourite song to perform?
‘M-3STYLE’ featuring Jianbo.
Which artist/song/album made you want to make music?
So I wouldn’t say there’s something specific that made me want to make music per se, I think my want to express a feeling/emotion through creative means just brought me to music. If I’ve ever been angry, in love, excited or just hungover, music has always been a medium to capture, package and communicate it. But, the first three albums I had asked for was 50 Cent’s ‘Get Rich or Die Trying’, Justin Timberlake’s ‘Justified’ and Maroon 5’s ‘Songs About Jane’. So essentially these three records were the start of my musical palette.
What’s the meaning behind your name?
There isn’t really a meaning behind my name, it’s just an abbreviation so LYAM stands for loveyouinthemorning. LY “love you” AM “the morning” and you can take from that what you will [laughs]. Fun fact though, my fellow collaborator and friend Jeshi came up with the name in a studio session and I just ran with it since.
If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead?
Furniture and footwear design.
What’s success to you?
Success to me is being able to free up my family financially while growing old gracefully as a black man in living London, you know that Kanye line on ‘We Don’t Care’, “we wasn’t supposed to make it past 25, jokes on you we still alive….” That bar is legit my mantra.
What moment in your life/career forced you to change direction?
I think when the music collective/network I was a part of was disbanding. It put many things into perspective in terms of the business side of music and ignited my solo career. It’s wasn’t the most amicable split but was heaven sent, not only was blood sweat and tears put into that part of my career a lot of trials and tribulations had occurred to the lead up to that moment but looking back at it now I’m somewhat grateful, because it formed this thick skinned no shit taking person that I am today and the majority of those who have come from the collective with me, I still have an amazing relationship with to this day and we are all thriving in our own lanes in the best way possible.
Where can people keep in touch with you?
Mainly on Instagram @loveyouinthemorning but I’m a people person so don’t be afraid to come up to me to chop it up! I love meeting new people in person too.
