Born Lance Howard, Lance Skiiiwalker was "discovered" by Kendrick Lamar and signed to Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) a number of years back. Lance's first full release, Introverted Intuition, and his recent album, Audiodidactic, are excellent examples of studio experimentation and cool anything goes music, full of interesting time signatures, sounds flying around, and some crazy echoed beats. TDE's Keaton Smith joined in as Lance and I talked about recording in kitchens and the beauty of an old piano.
You grew up in Chicago?
Yeah.
There’s a crazy history of house music, jazz, R&B, blues, and more. What else was getting into your ears?
Definitely the ones you mentioned. Also, some classical score music, punk rock, and a little metal. If the chords and the melody felt good, I would listen. That’s the kind of person I am with music. I love the sounds, and the sounds can bring me in. It's always whatever I enjoy, sound-wise.
Do you find it’s different being in L.A.?
Yeah, just with the people and the personalities; it’s something I still have to try to get used to in a lot of ways. I love the scenery though.
What was growing up in Chicago like?
I didn’t finish high school. Junior year was when I dropped out. Honestly, school was always a problem for me since the beginning. I was in special classes in most of my school years.
Was it attention and focusing issues?
Exactly, that’s what it was. Focusing on what they were trying to teach. My brain wasn’t interested. You can’t force that. You know what I’m saying? They weren’t teaching music, or if they were it probably wasn’t the type of music I understood or would have been into. I hadn’t figured that out myself. My brain didn’t find it interesting, so there was nothing I could do with that.
Were you learning how to build tracks and record when you were a teenager?
Around 17 that started, with putting down sounds on a computer.
Do you like to teach yourself?
Yeah, I love it. I don’t even know how to read music. When I play the piano, I don’t know what I’m playing. I’m just finding sounds with my ears. It’s fun that way, and I enjoy it.
Do you keep a process in place for yourself to generate music every day?
I do. Four times a week I get on my upright piano and play to myself to work on chords and build those out. I just play the piano; not recording anything. I’ll do that and work on production a lot. I'm trying to figure those things out. Then, when people do come with ideas they want me to be a part of, that’ll fall into the rotation.
What projects are you in the middle of now?
One of the guys from the group BTS wanted some production. It’s not K-pop production. He’s looking for more soul and that world, so he reached out. I’m working on tracks for him by myself.
Is that type of work is coming through the Kendrick Lamar connection?
I would say that it definitely helped in ways. Other work was from me putting tracks out and people seeing where I’m at with the music. The label helps. Keaton helps a lot in that world, and in making those relationships. It's a mixture of all those things.
Do your solo albums and EPs work for you like calling cards? Like, "Look, here’s some of what I can do"?
Yeah, you know what? That’s definitely a way I look at it. Another way I look at it is I grew up listening to a lot of different songs. It wasn’t one set genre. It was so many different genres I hopped around with. I love to display that in my work as well.
How does collaborating work for you these days?
A lot of times they’ll take what they have in their world and send it to me, and then I’ll work on it at home. I love to be in my space. I talk to myself a lot, and sometimes I just want to get the idea straightened out. Setting up times with other artists can sometimes interfere with ideas. They’ll send it to me in a lot of ways.
Are there certain ideas you’ve thrown out that aren’t getting used? Do you recycle them?
Good one. I don’t really work with a lot of people. To me, it has to make sense; and when it makes sense, it’s them knowing my style. Sometimes I have to send a couple things, but not a lot...
