It was a pleasure to catch up with London hailing producer ManCub this week, not long after the release of his summer anthem ‘Sex You Up.’ With plenty more in the pipeline as both a performer and creator, you can hear all about his current projects in this exclusive interview.
Good to chat, ManCub! How long have you been making music for? Do you remember the first song you really loved?
Hey, Thanks for the opportunity! I’ve been been making music for 10 Years. The song I first fell in love with was MK – ‘Love Changes.’ Love the bass on that track.
How do you feel your sound and influences have changed along the way since you started, and are they constantly evolving?
I feel like my sound sonically is MK meets Kygo… My sound is evolving but I’m trying to keep a degree of homogeneity from project to project
What would you say your style is all about?
My style was inspired by 90’s R&B [Dru Hill, Bell Biv DeVoe, TLC..]. and modern dance/pop [David Guetta, Calvin Harris, DJ Khaled]. I love to fuse energies. I’m promoting individualism.
Which tunes are you particularly feeling right now?
I’m feeling:
S G Lewis – ‘Hurting’
Ina Wrolsden & Alok- ‘Favela’
RL Grime ft. Miguel & Julia Michaels- ‘Light Me Up’
What did you enjoy about making your new single ‘Sex You Up’ with Ray J? Where did the inspiration come from? How did you get to work with Ray J & Rich The Kid?
The process was really quick, I am fastidious. The demo started out from a few utters in the middle of the night on my phone. Then I completed the first draft on my lunch break the following day with my bro [Christian Jules]. Working with CJ is something I’ve done thousands of times and we have a great synergy. We improve each others ideas and I knew we were on to something unique when the studio manager came in and said, “This one is special.”
Ray J came onboard 9 months later, and I loved the energy his reinterpretation brought and new ideas he added. Having grown up in the scene that was the source of my inspiration, he brought real authenticity to the record.Rich was brought on by Ray J at that time, they did a few other records together. There is a warmth to Rich’s part that is a testament to true friendship. I remember first listening to it in a session with Erin Budina and reading the energy in the room and their expressions – knowing the song would be representative of music I wanted to make.’
‘Sex You Up’ is a mixture of nostalgic melodies from ‘Don’t Wanna Be A Player,’ ‘I Wanna Sex You Up’ and ‘Let Me Love You’ by Joe, Color Me Badd and Mario.
What have been the most fun parts of the year so far for you?
This year has been great – I’ve been working with great artists, songwriters and producers.
If you could give an artist just starting out one piece of advice, what would it be?
Stick to what’s true to you. Music comes around in cycles.
What do you most want to achieve this year, and why?
Well, I’ve started working on my live shows and touring, so it’s exciting to see that come to fruition. I wanna reach out, play my songs and connect with people – I’ve been locked up in the studio way too long!
Follow ManCub Via:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud
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