The Westleaf
What's up Leafers? Welcome to the latest edition of On the Rise where we interview upcoming hip hop talent. Today's guest is hip hop artist, Froyo. Froyo is straight out of Melbourne, Australia. Froyo makes hip hop music with an animecentric approach. Froyo's been making waves in Australia with his sound so we had to tap in with him. Check out the interview below.
Westleaf Staff: What's up, Froyo? Your vibe is awesome. When did you start making music?
Froyo: I started making music during the peak of covid. In Australia we had many lockdowns where we couldn’t leave our house for weeks so I decided I would start writing and recording music and not just let my love for rapping be thrown away.
Westleaf Staff: It's cool to see that you can create something beautiful in such a trying time. Salute. What city do you represent?
Froyo: The city of Melbourne. But I always rep my area Kensington or what we call it, K-Town.
Westleaf Staff: Dope! Shout out to Melbourne and Kensington. So how did you create your stage name?
Froyo: It’s basically my nickname that I got in elementary school that was just frozen yogurt mixed with the first two letters of my first name Yonas and that makes Froyo. I remembered it cause a girl I was into kept calling me it and it just stuck.
Westleaf Staff: Nice. Shout out to her! So how did your early life shape your interest in music?
Froyo: During my childhood I would be embarrassed about singing but I was pretty good at it and could hit some really high notes and that was what got me into music and listening to artists like Bruno Mars and Adele. It wasn’t until high school where I was super into rap and creating punchlines and unique flows with rhymes, plus my voice was not as high as it was when I was a kid.
Westleaf Staff: Nice. So who is your biggest Musical influence?
Froyo: My biggest influence musically would have to be Big Sean. I think his wordplay and flow is super underrated. He’s definitely been super successful throughout his career but it’s something he doesn’t get much attention for and it’s something I have admired about him and have incorporated a lot of what I do with my flow from him.
Westleaf Staff: Nice. Big Sean is a legend! Next question! What's been the defining moment in your music career thus far?
Froyo: Releasing one of my best songs "Eren Yeager". That was the first song where I felt that I had really upped my quality in recording and lyrical ability. Everything about that song from the hook, to the flow and the anime references in almost every line felt so good and is what I think was a huge jumpstart for me.
Westleaf Staff: Wow! That's super dope. Congrats brother.
What makes you a unique artist?
Froyo: I know that there are rappers that like to drop anime lines in their raps but it usually comes off as surface level and makes you think they are just doing that just to let people know that they know about anime. But I wanted to make it a focal part of my songs from the titles to the lyrics and even the instrumentals used in my songs, it’s all anime incorporated with rap and hip hop.
Westleaf Staff: Fire. Anime and rap is a dope combination! So what does art mean to you?
Froyo: I think art is just whatever you think looks and sounds cool. You can make it as analytical and pretentious as possible but at the end of the day it varies from person to person but the overall consensus that can’t really be denied is that art is subjective and to some people it could mean the Mona Lisa but to me it’s just stuff that people make that’s interesting.
Westleaf Staff: Facts. I feel that! Where do you see your music career going over the next few years?
Froyo: I feel like I still have a lot to go through as an artist and I will definitely keep evolving my music and throughout the next few years and see where that takes me. It’s a slow grind for sure but that’s what makes you stronger is being able to not get detoured by slow progress and just take things step by step.
Westleaf Staff: True. A slow grind is better than no grind! Before we go, describe music in three words.
Froyo: Expansive, Creative, Important.
Follow: Froyo
Instagram : @froyorl
