Back in August of this year I was able to chat with Justus Bennetts, a music artist with many talents from Seattle, Washington currently based in Raleigh, North Carolina. I had a wonderful conversation with him talking about the past, present, and future of his music career.
(Alanna) : If you had to describe your style of music in three words, what would they be?
- (Justus) Genre-wise I would say pop, rock, and rap. My music is a mixture of everything I listened to growing up because that’s the music I take inspiration from and what I choose to put into the music I create now.
Justus explained that growing up he listened to Linkin Park, Green Day, Pearl Jam, and other punk-rock artists when he was young because his dad loaded up his iPod with the music he listened to. When Justus got into high school he started listening to more Hip Hop and Rap like Chance the Rapper, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole among other similar artists.
(Alanna): How has the Covid-19 Pandemic affected your music?
- (Justus) Before Covid happened I wasn’t taking my music seriously, it was more of a hobby. I have been writing music since I was 14, but other than recording music every now and then in my bedroom, I hadn’t stopped to record any material until Covid gave me the chance.
Justus used the fresh start of 2021 to start releasing music on a consistent basis using the platforms of SoundCloud and TikTok to his advantage and then evolving into Apple Music while he was becoming more serious about his love of music.
(Alanna): What inspired you to become an artist, and what are some of your biggest musical influences?
- (Justus) Really what inspired me to become an artist is not wanting to work for anyone else. I would call myself more of a business person rather than a musician. On a regular basis I listen to a lot of mainstream artists like The Kid LAROI, Polo G, and a lot of Hip Hop stuff. I listen back to my own stuff a lot to keep improving.
Justus explained that he listens to his own materials more than anything because he critiques himself in order to grow as an artist.
(Alanna): I would love to hear a little bit more on your writing and recording process as well as your methods of creative decisions.
- (Justus) My songs are all reflections of my life. “Real Life Sux” is about real events that happened in my life. For my writing, sometimes throughout the day a phrase will come into my head and I’ll write it down. A lot of writing and creative decisions come during the sessions- finding melodies and matching them with the words. I love working with other writers but I also enjoy writing by myself a lot.
(Alanna): How have you continued your creative process through the struggles of the Covid-19 pandemic?
- (Justus) In many ways, the pandemic is one of the best things that ever happened to me. I wouldn’t be where I am today if the pandemic didn’t happen. I would still be in college, I wouldn’t have taken music so seriously, and when I moved home for a while I was working and making money to open my own studio which started during the pandemic.
Justus started his own studio during the pandemic. He got reconnected with an old high school friend and the studio started as a small business while Justus worked but then he decided to quit his job to spend more time at the studio and making his music. His friend from high school was helping Justus with his music (mixing and recording) and when they realized there was room for a studio, they decided to jump on the opportunity. They call the private studio One Media and it all started back in January.
(Alanna): What can you tell me and the fans about your upcoming release/projects/songs?
- (Justus) “Bad Day” is out now which is my most recent release and then I have an EP coming out later this year probably around November called “High On Life” with about 8 or 9 songs.
“Bad Day” is now a smash hit all over TikTok so if you haven’t heard it already, you will. A catchy punk-inspired pop song all about that one person that gets under your skin, its relatability is what is driving its success in my opinion.
(Alanna): Where do you see yourself in 5 years and what is the main goal for right now?
- (Justus) In five years I hope to be supporting myself fully off of my music. In five years I see myself going on tour and connecting with fans on a larger scale than I’m doing now. A main goal right now is to have my EP ready and out soon as possible while developing my writing and voice skills to become a better musician each day.
Stream “Bad Day” wherever you get your music!
Spotify- Justus Bennetts
Apple Music- Justus Bennetts
Soundcloud Justus Bennetts
TikTok: @justusbennetts
Check him out on social media!:
Instagram- @justusbennetts
Twitter- @BennettsJustus
Facebook- @benettsjustus
YouTube- Justus Bennetts
