Australia, the land down under where every animal supposedly wants to maim or kill you. Most of Australia is said to be so arid that’s it’s largely uninhabitable. There’s no shortage of venomous snakes and surprisingly feral rabbits and cats as a result of failed social experiments.
Along the coast in the second most liveable city in the world; Melbourne, there exists an intriguing Australian personality. Whilst not native to Australia he has assimilated well and flourished alongside the natives. Requiring no further introduction, I present to you Australia’s former best kept secret, rapper, Neo Pitso: a modern melbourne man
What’s an essential ingredient when making the best Neo Pitso music?
My favourite number is 3 so I always answer that question like this;
3 Letters A Name (N.E.O)
3 Letters The Game (R.A.P)
3 ElementsofFaith(Father; Son, Holy Spirit)
In other words the ingredients are myself, the music and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Simple yet effective. Oh snap I didn’t realise that’s triple 3, halfway to hell, maybe that’s why my music is so hot *laughs*
What aspects of being an independent artist and the music making process excites you and what discourages you?
The creative control over projects and overall autonomy as an independent artist is an advantage. It allows me to have the final say regarding projects and their associated release dates. It also means I am responsible for any missed release date. When it comes to creating the song, finding a catchy melody for the hook is one of the most exciting parts of the process. I often find myself pausing and celebrating once the hook and melody match the vibe of the song. Due to splitting my time between a full time job and music, one of the more discouraging aspects of being an independent artist is the lack of time dedicated to creating and releasing music. Although I can adequately fund my dream thanks in part to my employment in the corporate sector, I am time poor. This has led to an opportunity where I can delegate tasks however the disadvantage of being time poor still exists.
How involved are you with the recording, producing, mixing and mastering process of your projects?
I am actively involved in the recording aspect. I also don the hat of producer and direct myself whilst in studio. The artist in me may be under the impression that the first take was excellent however, if Neo Pitso the producer says do it again, that’s what happens. A verse may be re-recorded up to 50 times to get the best take. This high level of engagement ensures I always produce music that represents the industry standard, quality wise. I’m also present when the audio engineer starts the mixing and mastering of the project. This is one of the most important tasks as it affects the overall quality of the songs.For this reason, I tend to work with patient engineers I trust, and ones that value quality above all else.
Name a questionable thing you’d be willing to do to help your career:
I don’t know about questionable but I would sell all my valuables including apartment and vehicle if it would help inject much needed funding for my career. All these things can be purchased again my dreams or goals have a time limit however, and I’m willing to make some big sacrifices to attain those goals.
What is ONE thing you are not willing to do in your pursuit of becoming a successful artist?
I wouldn’t sell my soul. When we speak of an artist selling their soul we mean he has compromised himself and the overall quality and content of the music in pursuit of financial gain. This is a great example of how some artists’ love of money can outweigh their love for music and lead to them releasing cookie cutter music i.e. Songs with no original melody based simply on a blueprint of what’s already trending. This type of music is churned out quickly and often lacks substance. It’s created in this manner in the hopes of riding the coattails of whoever is buzzing at that point.
What’s the biggest obstacle you have faced as an independent artist?
The biggest obstacle has been having to play the role of both artist and manager with my music career. There are only 24 hours in a day and I cannot be in 2 places at once, meaning at any given time, I have to be either Artist or manager. Having a manager I can trust would give me the freedom to focus on making music.
What should fans expect from you in the second half of 2022?
I’m dropping 6 videos and 3 Eps or mixtapes. Each project will be different to the next. I believe I will have dropped 40 songs this year alone.
Where can people find you online?
You can follow me online my Instagram and Twitter is @TheOnlyNeo. You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel:
https://youtube.com/user/NeoPitso
Listen to Neo Pitso’s latest jams on Spotify, link below: