Earlier this week Toronto artist Seth Dyer released his latest self-produced single titled “Lock” in celebration of the end of the first quarter of 2017.
“Lock” is a braggadocios anthem made to celebrate and reaffirm all of Seth’s accomplishments thus far. It also serves as a personal reminder for Seth that he is – in fact – doing the right thing by continuing to pursue music.
He recognizes his own potential and he’s reached a point where he knows he can only rely on himself to continue propelling forward. That’s kind of the best place to be at, artistically. The guy’s got in on “Lock” right now. And he’s gearing up to roll out the campaign for his forthcoming new project. Listen to “Lock,” and scope our Q&A with Seth.
Q&A: Seth Dyer
HipHopCanada: Start off by telling me about the significance of this track to you on a personal level.
Seth Dyer: This song is a reminder to myself that music is my calling. There were times where I thought about doing other things but I’m good at music and I’m going to make a nice living from it. I just have to keep up the tenacity and effort. Everything comes at the right time.
HipHopCanada: I like how you used this track to summarize the first quarter of 2017. Talk to me about the major milestones you’ve had this year so far.
Seth Dyer: I exceeded 500,000 streams recently and that was a milestone for me. It may not seem like a lot, in comparison to other people. But I push my music independently with the help of a couple friends and I’m incredibly appreciative of those who support me. I don’t really have access to a decent marketing budget or a bunch of crazy connections at the moment. At this point in time I have to win off the strength of my music. And as things progress I still intend to win off of the quality of my content. I also got the chance to perform in the U.S. I’m noticing that people are much more willing to work on my projects and people respect my consistency.
HipHopCanada: As much as this is a celebratory milestone-marker, I feel like it’s also pretty heavy on the braggadocio. And I’ve noticed a lot more braggadocio in your music lately. What do you attribute that to?
Seth Dyer: I guess I’m just in a really good mood, as of late. I’m attracting the right energy and good things are happening. Sometimes it’s OK to pat yourself on the back. This music stuff isn’t easy. It’s ok to recognize your grind. Also the braggadocio comes from hip-hop, in general. Everyone wants to be the best – including myself. HipHopCanada: Facts! Now let’s talk about the beat. I think “cinematic” is a really great way of describing your production on here, because it’s very much got a “movie feel” to it. Talk to me about how you built the beat.
Seth Dyer: I was looking to create something that sounded triumphant and horns are always a good place to start. I created the horn melody, laid down the bass line and drums and created a small synth and keys part. It’s a simple beat. It’s really the way I’ve arranged my vocals that keeps the movement of the song going.
HipHopCanada: “Ask who’s gonna put me on/ I just look in the mirror.” I think that line is really important because it’s a harsh truth that takes guys years to realize. Everyone is out here looking for the magic co-sign… but ultimately success all boils down to self-confidence and a lot of self-reliance.
Seth Dyer: Absolutely! You have to rely on yourself and your own strengths. What if nobody comes along and co-signs you? What are you going to do? Fail? Not me. I know I’m not relying on anybody else’s approval to put me on. If it happens it happens. But that’s not my plan for success. Self-reliance is a core value of mine.
HipHopCanada: Now that the first quarter of the year is done, what’s your plan for the next quarter? And what are some of the challenges you anticipate?
Seth Dyer: Now that first quarter is over I want to solidify the campaign for my next project. It may take time but we’ll make sure to roll things out when it’s completely ready. In the meantime I’ll continue to release singles, videos and whatever other content I can. I’ve developed a real love for releasing music lately so I’ll have more tunes on the way.
Interview conducted by Sarah Jay for HipHopCanada
