We. Almost. There. | Skewby Talks New Single, Performing at SXSW

Over the years, SXSW has become one of the most anticipated musical & cultural festivals At times, SXSW can seem a bit branded & commercialized (Jay-Z performing an AMEX sponsored concert? *scratches head* o…k*), but hip-hop artists like Skewby are the REAL reason the festival continues grow and inspire others in various stages of their career to attend. A hotspot for independent artists and fans alike to mingle with their creative peers, SXSW is an experience like no other.

Forever on his grind, hometown favorite Skewby spoke with NDLOOP about his new single “Almost There” (produced by DJ Charlie White), and performing at SXSW for the second year.

Your new single “Almost There” dropped a few days ago. My interpretation of the song is that you can feel yourself nearing your tipping point and garnering a more massive following. How does it feel?
The fact that more people are catching on to the music is a great feeling. I feel like I have a long way to go, but the journey thus far has been a blessing. “Almost There” is the moment where your dreams take control, ya know? Sometimes you can lose faith and your goals will literally tell you to keep going even when YOU don’t want to. That’s where I was at while I was recording a lot of this new material.

Now, I’m not a music critic, just a music fan, but I can definitely see the growth in your projects. I love the laidback approach to ‘Almost There” but your lyrics are still brimming with the excitement of what’s to come in your career. Besides the obvious, what’s the back-story to this track?
Honestly, I was just in the studio with my friends. Charlie White cut on the beat and I wrote what I felt. It’s been one of those songs that I’ve been listening to for a minute now. Just had to wait for the right time to release it.

Will there be an accompanying video?
Definitely. I’m working on the video as we speak. I don’t have a release date for it yet, but it’s on the way.

You will be performing at SXSW the 15th-17th; what appealed to you about performing at the festival?
It’s an inspiring festival. Whether you’re an artist or a fan, it’s inspiring to be around all of these driven individuals. People from all over the world attend SXSW so its hard to leave empty handed. I’ve always wanted to be a part of it so even though this is my second year, I’m still amped. As long as I have the opportunity I’ll be performing there for the rest of my career.

What can attendees expect from your show?
I’ve been working on connecting more in my shows. So when people leave they feel like there was a “moment”. There was a moment where my story connected with them and everything made sense. That’s what I’m going for this year and I hope people enjoy it.

Do you have any artists that you’re looking forward to seeing as well?
I’m looking forward to discovering something new. Seeing something that I’ve never seen before. That’s what I want to see the most.

What can we expect from your new EP?
Hmm.. Well it’s featuring 3 songs I’ve released this year. Ups & Downs, New Era, and Almost There. In total I believe it’s going to be 7 or 8 songs. I can’t say too much about it because I have plans on announcing the title soon and all that cool stuff.

Click album cover to listen to “Almost There”.