So I want to bring indie artists to you so not only that you can discover a whole new world of new music but also for the artist to help them get their product out there. I am pleased to introduce you to the artist known as Higgy. I had the opportunity to interview him and so let me introduce you.
Q: What name do you go by? Higgy, Jo Higgy, That Higgy? And where does this stem from?
A: I go by Higgy on stage and for all my music but my first name is Jo. The name Higgy is short for my last name, Higginbotham. it’s a long one, I know.
Q: You grew up in Denton, TX & while I was researching the town, it said it’s the hub of “indie band central”. I didn’t realize so many bands came out of this area (Dallas/Forth Worth).. is it just a cool vibe where bands are working, performing working hard just trying to get by doing show after show?
A: I actually grew up in Fort Worth, TX! My family moved there from south Dallas when I was a kid and I didn’t end up in Denton till I left high school. The vibe in Denton is definitely a unique one. The University of North Texas in town has a huge music program, so the music culture came naturally along with it. Roy Orbison. Don Henley and Norah Jones seem to be the favored alumni from the area. The talent and artistic identity here is unmatched everywhere else I’ve been in Texas. Denton frequently makes top US college music scene lists and that’s something I’m proud of.
Q: So growing up, was music a big part of your life? Was your family playing albums/cds around the house?
A: Music became a big part of my life when I was about 10 yrs old. A friend of mine and I tried to start a band in the 5th grade and that’s where I first got interested in learning it for myself. My folks were always playing music and their musical tastes (1960s-70s classic rock) mixed with my own (early 2000 hip hop & emo) pretty early on. I like to think The music I make now is influenced by those varying styles.
Q: Who were some of your musical influences growing up?
A: My biggest influence has always been Bob Dylan. In my opinion, he is the greatest lyricist in living memory and probably won’t be matched for a whole generation. It may be an unfair comparison but I try to use him as a standard for the points I get across in my music. Another huge influence is Kid Cudi. I was 14 yrs old when his first album (Man on the Moon) came out and that was the biggest push for me to what I do now. I already loved hip hop and to hear the emotion and vulnerability he had in his music was a big inspiration for me.
Q: When did you seriously think about becoming a singer/songwriter?
A: I think I was 15 yrs old when I first considered music as a career rather than a hobby. It was something that came naturally to me and with my ADHD was also the only thing I was actually willing to focus on long enough to get better. I’ve always been an expressive person and I think music just made a good medium for that. That was also the same age I wrote my first song from start to finish. It was called “Gold” and I’ve been actually meaning to rewrite it (11 years later lol).
Q: So let’s talk about your new single, Say So. I first learned of your song by going on Instagram because that’s what I do; look for indie artists who have great music out there but don’t necessarily have the recognition like they should and that’s what I’m hoping to accomplish with my blog & Instagram account @music_stylist. This song has this mellow hip hop vibe which is really enjoyable.. The lyrics, “ I’ve been stuck inside a box for half of my life, when I get too crowded I’d a make me knife (not sure if that’s the correct lyric) and I cut my way out.” What is this song about and what specifically are those lyrics referring to?
A: You got that lyric exactly right! Having done music since I was about 10, I settled in on an early identity that didn’t quite fit what I wanted to do, but what I thought fit for who appeared to be. Most of the music I made early on was on acoustic guitar and not as focused on hip hop influence. I stuck to that identity.
Q: What are your hopes for 2020? And the next 5 years?
A: I’ve gone through many music projects over the last few years so hopefully this one becomes more consistent. I’m planning to drop a new song every month so ideally a hear from now, I’ll have 12 singles it and streaming. I also have a recording studio based in Forth Worth called Studio Waveflo, which I also am focusing on at the moment, s hopefully that can lead to something as well. In five years, I hope to be making a living with music and ideally a LA resident by then. I have a lot of goals right now but I’m also trying to take life as it comes.
You can find his music on @youtube and SoundCloud.com/thathiggy
Music To Your Ears 