Travy is an Irish rapper based in Dublin living his life and carrying his music with it. Some artists may feel at liberty to create when they get to cool off and reflect on the past but for Travy, the experience is at the forefront of the creation. It's the balance needed to prosper sonically.
Slowing down isn't an option when the fast-paced lifestyle is lending the experience needed for creation. This isn't to be confused with fast-throwaway music. Travy's dedication and commitment to his sound and uplifting the people around him is something to be acknowledged.
Garnering inspiration from playing Get Rich or Die Tryin on his Dad's iPod Nano, Travy has been able to fuse a new lane for himself. From the grittiness of British Rap and the bounce of American hip-hop beats with a Nigerian and Irish flare, Travy has shown that his sound is universal.
Talking about where he gets his dedication to keep pushing and one-uping himself, it circled back to his upbringing and his family. Travy notes, "My dad was in the army. He was dedicated to what his mission was. The same with my mum. She flew to Ireland; had three kids with no job. She put herself through college and got into social work. I'm watching that so anything I then do the dedication follows through. Anything I do, I have to go hard. I can't not go hard!"
That lack of mainstream visibility is a challenge that artists from Ireland face. Travy loves to make music, but the question of coverage is still at the back of his mind as he refers to his number 1 album, Doghouse, which was released earlier this year with frequent collaborator, Elzzz.
The album garnered huge success in Ireland and had notable features from the likes of Monjola and Sello. Produced by his long-time producer, Liam Harris, Travy and Elzzz embodied the audacious spirit and claimed their own space and narrative.
"I just love making music", he shares. "So when it came down to it - I just got a number 1 album, why isn't anyone covering it? Why isn't anyone making this the topic of discussion?
"There are not enough people in high places who care to put our stuff on. I do think about it and when I see it, I'm like 'Oh this is mad' but I don't think that's my battle to fight. I think if I can keep inspiring people, they're going to have no choice but to take it in."
Looking at statistics that were released earlier this year from 'Why Not Her?', it's evident Ireland hasn't fully caught up with the listeners and artists of our time as Jazzy was the only POC to make it onto the list, with huge talents like Abi Coulibaly, Oliver Hatake, Monjola, and Travy, it's hard to imagine why the sound of Ireland isn't being pushed on mainstream radio and television. With some radio stations like RTE Pulse being the leading push for equality across radio play, there's still a long way to go.
So, what happens when there is no creative hub to attach yourself to? You make one.
Travy is the co-founder and member of the collective Gliders, a creative outlet for multiple artists that also releases apparel and throws huge parties.
Speaking about the importance of having a collective of artists around you, Travy said: "Everything just happened organically. We all were doing the same things anyway. Through that, finding like-minded people and finding people you can exist with creatively, [allows you] to grow. When I got asked to do Ballami, we brought Irish artists with us. It's going back to that thing of, if there's no industry create one."
Travy's upcoming body of work, Spooky, will be released at the beginning of next year and will act as a milestone for his musical journey. Spooky will be his first solo project, building off the success of Doghouse.
"So we made thirty-odd songs", Travy explained speaking about the process of creating the project. "We fine-tuned it and then the first [single] I dropped off was 'Forgive Me' which just seemed right with the stage I was in my life and to start this journey of a solo release.
And the next one to come, we made in such a quick space of time and because it's coming to the end of the year, I didn't want something too serious."
"I just have a lot of energy. I say what I wanna say and i do what I want to do. I want people to feel the same way. [My music] is a wake up button for anyone to not sleep on thelmselves. I just want people to come into my world and see things from my perspective."
When asked what we can expect from the new Spooky project, Travy didn't give too much away. From a number-one album to an On The Radar performance to shooting music videos in New York, Paris, and more, Travy is done proving to people what he can do. With 'Master Shifu', the third single, dropping, Travy is letting the music talk for itself.
"With this project, people need to just take in the fact it's been a while since a project like this has come from Ireland. I don't even want to do too much explaining. If you actually want to feel something just listen.
Listen to 'Master Shifu' below and be ready for Spooky soon!
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