Wesson Desir: Innovating A Music Career Never Before Seen

Wesson Desir is the rare form that comes from the Gen Z generation. After three songs in I became an everlasting fan that would fight for him like a little brother.

His appreciation for music allowed our conversation to be more than just his recently released "Apollo Archives" album; but about his favorite female R&B gems, and the legacy that he's still trying to figure out. His transparency was greatly appreciated and allowed us to have such an authentic conversation. Enjoy the read:

Nia Rice: You made music when you came out here? (Los Angeles, CA)

Wesson Desir: Yeah, I made a couple of songs.

NR: Who do you work with?

WD : I was working with some artists.

NR: Yeah, I was reading up on some notes; you were kind of a loner growing up. Is that how you like to record?

WD: Yeah, for the most part. I'm used to being in my room constantly making music. There was a time where no one was able to be in the studio with me.

I have grown out of that, I would rather collaborate with people. I feel that's my next step because I'm getting jaded to the idea of being in my room alone doing music.

NR: Are you thinking a Kanye West or Ty Dolla Sign collab or, just more so like Bryson Tiller? A few collaborations here and there.

WD: That's what I prefer. I'd rather make the initial ideas by myself and then share it with people.

NR: Why do you feel that way? What makes you want to have so much control over the record?

WD: I think it's being in a situation where I really like this track. I feel compelled to do it because I'm surrounded by people that do it - do it! I like to actually think about it before I do it. It just feels like it makes more sense.

NR: I've been vibing to your music all day and even more now...Truly love your sound, it's definitely up there with the Kanyes, the Drakes, the Kendricks.

WD: Stop...You're giving me too much hype.

NR: As far as your lyrics, the construction of the song; it's amazing for you only being 20 years old, and a loner in the studio. To captivate your audience in a way that is really powerful, through music.

WD: Thank you. Those are the people I looked up to growing up.

I don't want to just make music. I don't know, it seems like the climate.

Now, it's just like making music let me try to recreate that feeling that I got when I was growing up

NR: Okay. Is that the same with your visuals? Your visuals are really graphic.

WD: Everything you see in Dirty Dan is crazy.

NR: Where are you pulling from with that one?

WD: Remember that whole era where everybody was like “Illuminati everything”, that era? That's low key where I was pulling from.

NR: Low key, people still believe in it.

WD: I'm not feeling the new Illuminati, it's just graphic. Before It was a whole bunch of elites in power controlling the way our culture shifted and how things are perceived... da da da da - now they are eating kids. I'm good on that.

NR: Right? I feel you. I have friends and family that try to debate me about music, artists, and Illuminati and things. I say listen, “Are we done with this?” Black people actually can make money without selling their souls.

WD: Yeah, somebody said Rihanna's on there. It broke my heart.

NR: Who's your favorite female artists?

WD: Female artists definitely inspired me. Let me think of who... I definitely love SZA, she captures the essence of the situation so well and explains the imagery like you're there.

NR: I definitely think you and SZA could make some good music.

WD: I like lots of different types of music. Amy Winehouse, I feel like she’s a real fan and if we started dating we would talk on the phone all-day

NR: Listen, I am a huge Amy fan!

WD: I used to listen to a lot of female artists when I was younger, seeing the other sides and then...

It felt normal cause my sister was more like “ it’s a woman's thing” when I was younger. I don't know why, I think it was my dad that introduced my sister to music, and I started feeding off her taste first.

NR: So I want to talk about Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000-hour rule. You know, when you first came out with your music, it was the only song out because you really wanted to make sure you perfected your craft.

And that's something that a lot of artists are not doing right now whereas more so just feeding the music to fans. Talk about how that rule has helped with your entire music career, from the way you create music, to the way you present yourself in business, and within your team.

WD: I overthink, I over-analyze, I'm technical and I really dig into stuff and try to view it from many different perspectives and angles. What I wanted to do was make sure that the music itself was objectively good.

This makes sure I understand what melodies work with other melodies, how they contrast, make sure that the lyrics have substance and values no matter what, even if it's some ignorant shit... okay, the music is good, people are listening and I'm gonna just keep making music until eventually, it gets out.

So when I got older, I realized marketing has to be more involved and there was a lot more that goes into it. I feel like I'm always going to be doing quote and quote 10,000 hours, not necessarily 10,000 - but it'll always be that vibe.

I feel like even down to presentation, like the cover art music video, I feel like there should always be something more to it. It's never like I'm presenting with surface level.

I usually don't explain a lot of things because I want people to try to interpret or understand what I'm going for. I just want people to have their own idea of who I am or what kind of music I create.

NR: I feel that a hundred percent. Is that the approach that you took on Apollo archives? First of all, is that an EP or album?

WD: It's an EP.

NR: Well, she says it's considered a debut album, but I feel like it's absolutely amazing. Like I can listen to it fully, all the way through although it was inspired by Greek mythology, talk to me about that.

WD: Supernatural and Greek influences, but I wanted to make it modern-day. Roman samples and songs and Greek God music, but it was more like the way I wanted to do it.

I combined two Greek Gods, I figured it’s more of a figurative language. Just like combining everyday life with Greek God.

I don't know, I'm trying to get more weight based on how you look at it.

NR: No, no, you're fine. I heard that you were really into fashion and so I want to hear... Who are some of your favorite designers?

WD: I liked Eddie for Men Dior collage. For Dior at one point, I think he did his own thing.

And then started putting out his own products or alternative versions of products that already existed out the front line. I like Jean Paul Gaultier, I think his signature thing is like the fitted shirts with like...

They'll have like this crazy, crazy graphic design on it. Like sometimes there'll be like some Greek shit like there'll be like some gods fighting on a shirt. I think it's from like 2016, it's like a cream, short sleeve button up like that.

NR: Will I see you down a runway sometime soon?

WD: I've never been to a fashion show.

NR: Wow. Yeah. Fashion week is so fun. I'm pretty sure you're gonna enjoy it.

I definitely appreciate your time. Your music is absolutely amazing. I always like to wrap up my interviews with a question that a lot of people sometimes take for granted because a lot of people try to create their own legacies for people, but what's the legacy that you're trying to create?

WD: I'm still figuring that out, like I said before, I want to innovate. I want to help start a new era of hip-hop.

I mean, I feel like this is the present time, it's 2020, we're in a whole new decade. Everything is going left so I might as well rebuild, but I'm going to create different methods of creating music and finding different ways to tell my story.

I know other people would be able to do the same while being themself. Emphasis on being themselves, if you want to access a career in the music industry it just makes sense. I've seen other artists basically pulling their hairs out, to get rich, to make music. Why would you hate your life so much?

I try to help people, to be themselves because you can't lose if you're confident in yourself, nobody can't tell you anything.