Developing a lifelong passion for music, senior Justin Graves, also known as Macaiah, began releasing music this year.
“I’ve listened to music my whole life and I’ve always kind of had a love for it. I started making beats first, then, for fun, I would rap on them. I sent them to some friends, and they said it was good, and I just kept going,” said Graves.
Graves’s music process includes finding a beat and listening to it on replay “to try and figure out a flow” before going on mic. He describes his music as having “more of an experimental and chill kind of vibe to it.”
For Graves, his music is “an extension of myself. I don’t think of them as meaning anything to be honest. Whenever I’m making music, I just say what comes to my mind. I have songs with meanings behind them coming soon.”
Graves has released a total of five songs with multiple projects underway. His most recent release was “Purple Rain!”, a single that debuted on October 29. With the next drop expected within the upcoming months, Graves gives himself time to work on the final touches for his extended play and single releases.
Graves’s favorite part about producing music is “letting other people hear it. It just brings a smile to my face, makes me happy, when I see other people listening and saying they like my stuff.” He typically writes for a specific audience, catering to his “fan base and the stuff they can relate to.”
Graves’s favorite song is “Attached!”, his first single that debuted on September 3. “Attached!’ is based off of Plugg. The production makes you feel like you’re floating when you listen,” said Graves. Plugg music is a subgenre of Trap developed in 2010. It is commonly lower in tempo and relaxed in sound.
His favorite artists include “Juice Wrld, Lil Uzi Vert, Autumn! and Playboi Carti. My main role model would be Juice Wrld. If he was still alive, one of my dreams would be to have a song with him,” said Graves.
Graves’s music can be found on multiple platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud and more. He plans to continue with music into his future.
“If you have a dream don’t let anyone stop you from doing it. Stay focused on what matters because distractions come easily and in different forms,” said Graves.