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, Tony Newbury. Tony is an artist straight out of Howell, New Jersey. His flow is smooth and melodic. When listening to Tony it's clear to see he's an artist with a message and the capacity to move huge crowds. Tony recently dropped a video for his track "Headspace" which is a complete banger. In addition to exceptional visuals, Tony's socials are jumping, too. We noticed Tony's momentum and we had to link with him for an On the Rise feature. Check out the interview below!
Westleaf Staff: What's up Tony? We love your sound. When did you start making music?
Tony Newbury: I started writing in middle school and started producing towards the end of high school.
Westleaf Staff: That's dope! What city do you represent?
Tony Newbury: Howell, New Jersey.
Westleaf Staff: Jersey stand up! How did you create your stage name?
Tony Newbury: So, Tony was my uncles name, who was like an older brother to me. And Newbury is the street I grew up on. The name means a lot to me. It's a big source of inspiration.
Westleaf Staff: Dope! I love names with meaning. So how did your early life shape your interest in music?
Tony Newbury: A lot of my family life is in all my music. I feel like all the things we experience as kids will usually get bottled up and neglected. I know I did that, and still do sometimes. I use music as a kind of therapy to keep me afloat. I remember finding my first IPOD on a plane before the touchscreen was even a thing. Since then it's just been such a major thing to me. I've always love music as a young kid. My early life plays a big role in my dream. Without what I went through I wouldn't have felt the need to be there for anybody else. I can confidently say that.
Westleaf Staff: Music is definitely therapy. Glad to see you doing your thing and using your story to shine! Who is your biggest Musical influence?
Tony Newbury: Right now I'm huge into Lauryn Hill. But I grew up listening to a lot of different stuff. When it comes to my beats... Scrim from $UICIDEBOYS is really someone I love to listen to. His beats are just so raw and the way he chops his melodies are moving. I love Kanye's production, too. Both of them have done a lot of great work. My favorite rappers are people like Cole, Kanye, and Mac. Im also big into bands like queen and I really love Frank Sinatra. He keeps me calm when I need to breathe.
Westleaf Staff: Those are some dope selections. What has been the defining moment in your music career?
Tony Newbury: The biggest moment for me has been throwing my first headline show at the House of Independents. It was an amazing feeling to throw a show independently on a professional level. Even more so to perform for a couple hundred people that were enjoying themselves. I want to perform on tours around the world for the majority of my career. Right now I'm at this point where I just need to grow the content more. My manager, Nino Liverani, and I really do the best we can to plan things out and push forward. It's a new stage I'm diving into. I'm really working on my new sound and taking care of me.
Westleaf Staff: Dope! So what makes you a unique artist?
Tony Newbury: I like to tell things from my own personal experience. Idk, I feel like it's hard to find an artist I can connect with. So why not be that person who can allow me feel like myself. Someone will definitely appreciate that.
Westleaf Staff: That's true. Can't do anything but respect that! What does art mean to you?
Tony Newbury: To me art is expression. Art is perspective. The beauty of it all is that every piece means something different to someone else. One person could resonate with a color differently. Another person could feel a sound differently. Art is when you're just deep in that flow-state creating what is most honest to you. It's habitual.
Westleaf Staff: Where do you see your music career going over the next few years?
Tony Newbury: I'm kind of taking it day by day. I see myself being one of the most well known names to ever enter the industry, but at the same time I want to do this because I love it. I find I lose myself in all the hard work and forget to remember I'm a human being. It's hard to not see myself going somewhere far with this. I put too much time in. I just love creating.
Westleaf Staff: Describe music in three words.
Tony Newbury: Passion, Joy, and Soul
Follow Tony Newbury:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/realtonynew
instagram - https://www.instagram.com/realtonynew/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/realtonynew
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@realtonynew
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_fjsLioMbVWfay6z10tWDw
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