Photographed by Breyona Holt.
In today’s oversaturated music, it’s hard to stand out as a singer-songwriter. Insert [Giveon](https://www.instagram.com/giveon/?hl=en), who does just that. The Long Beach native has created his own lane in R&B, with his signature baritone style of singing and lyrics telling stories of real-life experiences we can all relate to. This is contemporary R&B at its finest.
Inspired by 60’s and 70’s jazz music, the 25-year-old’s biggest fear is to be like everyone else. When it comes to his sound and style, there’s truly nobody that defies the boundaries like Giveon does within musical genres. Originality is key, and this is something that sparks his creativity like no other. After he discovered Frank Sinatra… it was a wrap.
One thing that Giveon has that the majority of artists seek in their lifetime? A Drake feature. Giveon is the vocalist on Drake’s “Chicago Freestyle” — which funny enough, everyone thought was Sampha at first. But Giveon just sees this as a compliment. Most recently, he unleashed his critically-acclaimed _TAKE TIME_ EP, which has everybody in their feelings during quarantine. If you want to vibe out, hit play and let the 8 tracks play all the way through.
Flaunt caught up with Giveon over the phone to discuss how his musical journey got started, the making of “THE BEACH,” working with Drake, his dream collab, and more!
**Being from Long Beach, what was the household like growing up?**
I grew up on the Eastside of Long Beach, it’s a low com area. A lot of gang activity, but it’s also a lot of warmth and art. I got the duality of having the culture and the gang culture. Really, you can take it either way. For me, I took it as a muse to pull soul from and pull stories from. It’s pretty cool.
**What point did you realize the music thing was forreal?**
I didn’t really realize it until my mom started making me sing at birthday parties. I didn’t know I could sing at first, until my mom pointed it out and that was around elementary school. I still didn't take it seriously, until high school when I did a program with the Grammy museum. The Grammy museum has this week-long camp where they teach kids music history, songwriting, how to set up for a live show. I was a part of that. That’s a vital part of my story because that's where I discovered Frank Sinantra, he’s the first baritone singer I heard.
Photographed by Breyona Holt.
**What did you like about him?**
The way I’m talking now, that’s how I sing. I’m not used to hearing singers like that, especially since my inspirations are Frank Ocean and Miguel. They have a higher tone and a higher register. Hearing a baritone singer for the first time let me know that I could just be myself.
**Congrats on _Take Time!_ How’s it feel to have the world vibing to it during quarantine?**
Thank you, we worked on it for a year so we’re glad it is finally out. One of the songs is 3 years old: “Vanish.” It’s bittersweet because I want to get in front of people now. Because it’s a short project, a lot of people have digested it a bunch of times. Before they get tired of it and play it over and over and over, I wanted to sing in front of them. But I’m really excited that people are receiving it the way they are.
**Bring us back to when you created “THE BEACH.” It’s such a vibe.**
We had a song camp for a couple of days. We had a bunch of amazing producers from the song camp. After the song camp, we still had music that was untouched. I went in one day by myself with “The Beach” and the day before, my mom had left me a voicemail about some sketchy stuff happening in Long Beach. It hit me like “yo I don’t have any songs about Long Beach on here, so I’ma make that today.” That’s why I have her voicemail opening the track.
**How often are you going to the beach being from Long Beach?**
I try to go a couple times a week but now that we’re in quarantine, I can’t really go. As soon as it’s up, I’ma pull up. 2 or 3 times a week. I might disappear in Long Beach for a little bit.
**How has quarantine affected your artistry? How are you coping?**
Well fortunately for me, I’ve had stories I’ve been wanting to tell for awhile. Now it forces me to sit at the piano and write those stories. It’s a good kickstart, it forces me to create.
**Did you work with Boi-1da on that one? What’s your relationship with him?**
For “The Beach,” yeah. He’s one of those legends who doesn’t mind reaching out to the next wave of creators and just giving advice. It was a blessing. I was a student of it all, absorbing all the information.
**What did you learn from working with him?**
Be humble at all times. He pulled up to my camp too, that was fire. No matter what accolades you have, how big you are, stay down to earth and be humble.
> [
>
> View this post on Instagram
>
> ](https://www.instagram.com/p/B-bKNdanifv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)
>
> [A post shared by GIVĒON (@giveon)](https://www.instagram.com/p/B-bKNdanifv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading) on Mar 31, 2020 at 9:11pm PDT
**How’d it feel to have “LIKE I WANT YOU” hit a million streams monthly?**
It was crazy. We made “LIKE I WANT YOU” a year ago. I’ve probably listened to it a million times before it came out, but that doesn't count. To hear other people... I honestly wanted it to get to a million streams because “Like I Want You” would be my third release in the last 4 or 5 years. \[chuckles\] I wanted to slowly build up the pace. Once it got to a million, I was excited. Then to see it get to a million monthly was crazy.
**What’s your favorite song off _Take Time_?**
My favorite is “Favorite Mistake.” I’m really vibing with that one right now. I don’t know if it’s because I made it and it’s a newer song, or if it’s because that’s the only song I had any form of production on. But I’m a big fan of “Favorite Mistake.”
**How is it producing your stuff? How involved are you?**
Usually when it comes to production, I’m more collaborative. I let everyone else do their thing. Lately, I’ve been having time to learn piano. Sometimes there's ideas that I hear and want, but I don’t know how to articulate it. I’ve been trying to learn those ideas myself, then being able to tell a fellow producer is pretty cool. It’s still the beginning of it though, I have a long way to go.
**Why do you say that? Are you teaching yourself?**
Because I’m just getting started. I’ve really been figuring out chords, sounds, and structure all recently. On piano, I’m just teaching myself. I’m learning everything by ear. Learning on YouTube. It’s super DIY, but it’s a vibe that way.
**Is Giveon dating?**
I mean, yeah. These songs have to come from somewhere. I’m writing from a past situation, so _Take Time_ is from a previous relationship.
**What was your reaction when people thought it was Sampha on Drake’s “Chicago Freestyle”?**
\[laughs\]. I was surprised but then again, I wasn’t surprised. I was surprised because I’m so used to people saying my voice is unique. This was the first time people were saying I sound like someone else. I wasn’t surprised because Drake and Sampha collaborate often, so people automatically assumed this voice was someone he’s always collaborated with. At the end of the day, it’s still a compliment for me. I’m a big fan of Sampha.
**What’s your relationship with Drizzy?**
I’m just a fan. At the end of the day, he’s the biggest artist in the world. I’m still just a kid excited to be a part of anything he does. It’s still that relationship there.
**What are some goals for yourself at this point of your career?**
Short term, I want to lock in and work on my album. Finish that, then hit the road. Just me because there’s been a sudden birth of new fans, so I want to meet as many people as I can. Have a sold-out tour, maybe bring my mama along so she can hear people singing the lyrics.
**Who’s your dream collab?**
I want to work with Frank Ocean, easy.
.jpg)
