It was just three weeks back when I first heard music from South African artist and producer namely known as Tino. And I just simply fell in love with the aesthetic and the unique sound. The song that really put me on to his unique musical approach and creation of modern age RnB is ‘Honest’ which he released visuals for in February. The production will definitely pull you into the world of Tino as you are left in need for more.
Below is an interview we did with him this past month as he detailed his life and music.
Who is Tino and what is the brand all about musically?
“A myth in the flesh, living amongst men…”. That’s the best way I can describe myself as an artist. Everything is surreal, and I’m a lucid dreamer. How that translates into the music is this dream-like story. And in this story I’m building this universe where I have the power to do anything as LUCIDFRVR, but I still go through love, pain, heartbreak at the same time. Overall, I’m trying to show the world that through faith, hard work, and good intention, you can live the life that you feel you were made for no matter what you face. You’re that powerful. This life is a dream, and we are all lucid dreamers.
What inspired you to go into music?
I’ve always been in love with music ever since I was a child. What really took me over the edge was when I started watching music channels when I was 8. I would spend all day trying to hit all the notes and copy all the dance moves they were doing on TV. That love for music just never went away. I started writing a lot, then eventually when I was older I finally managed to get some equipment, and the rest is history in the making.
You released your 4th EP titled DRMSTATE in 2022. How did this project come about and why the name DRMSTATE?
DRMSTATE is the finale in a trilogy of releases. LUCIDFRVR, HRTBRKGHOST, then DRMSTATE. Like the other three, it is a manifestation of my experiences. In this part of the story the title character LUCIDFRVR reaches rock bottom. He has lost his power and he has lost the love of his life, AMANI. The world around him begins to fall apart, but that allows him to realise that he has the same control over reality as he did in the dream world. He enters a dreamstate, where he begins to lucid dream in real life. That’s why it’s called DRMSTATE.
What message were you looking to illustrate through the artistic flow of the project?
The EP feels like a dream. From the beats, to the lyrics, everything. I was trying to show the dream within reality. Some would say we’re living in the matrix. If you realise that this life is a dream, then all you need to do is enter a dreamstate, become a lucid dreamer and elevate higher. When LUCIDFRVR enters the DRMSTATE it represents a higher state of being where you can achieve anything even at your lowest moments.
How long did it take you to finish the DRMSTATE?
It took me a couple of months to finish DRMSTATE. I made all the beats and recorded the songs, then I was blessed enough to spend some studio time with my brother Dominant One to mix and master the project. That was the cherry on top, he really helped bring the sound I was looking for to the project.
Who is the ‘Honest’ song about?
HONEST is about AMANI. AMANI means ‘peace’ in Swahili. That’s the name of the love interest in the story of LUCIDFRVR. The character represents the love and peace that I have for someone out there in the world…
What motivated the idea of the music video?
The video is a great visual that tells the story of HONEST and the EP in general. HONEST is the breaking point in the story where AMANI and LUCIDFRVR are in love, but they’re getting in their own way of being together. That causes LUCIDFRVR to break and enter the DRMSTATE. Which is why you see the visuals go from day time to night time, clear to trippy. Clout Cassette understood the vision and we were able to work together to bring something beautiful into the world in the form of the music video.
Can we expect more visuals for songs on the project?
I love the project and if I could I would do a video for every song I make, but we’ll see how it goes. I’ve already started working on more music and coming up with new ideas so we might see visuals for that instead.
Who is your dream collaborator musically?
It’s hard to choose because there are so many artists that I’d love to work with. Right now SZA, Travis Scott, and The Weeknd come to mind.
What can we anticipate from your brand this year?
More music definitely. More of me, more of Lucid, and more content in general. I think it’s important for me to really make a statement and introduce myself to the world this year for real. I am here.
Check out ‘Honest’ Music Video by Tino below:
