Behind the Journey: Robby East
- Priior
- Aug 9, 2024
- 4 min read
Known for his emotive chord progressions and innovative melodies, Robby has become one of the go-to artists for labels like Colorize and Lane 8's This Never Happened.
I'm a huge fan of his music so it's a pleasure to welcome him to the 'Behind the Journey' series. Here he talks about some of his recent releases, what to do when you're not feeling inspired to write music, and a bit about how he tackled the challenge of finding his own sound.
Keep reading for all this, plus you can have a listen to his SiriusXM Chill guest mix...
Thank you for joining us Robby, can you tell us where are you in the world right now and what projects are you currently working on?
I'm currently in my studio in my new home in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. I'm working on tons of music at the moment but more excitingly I'm also working on my first EP! I've just released some new songs on Lane 8's This Never Happened (Melody For The Misfits) and Colorize (More Than This).
What motivates you to keep learning and making music?
Honestly just having new ideas always gets me back in to the studio. I’ve learned to not force it when I’m feeling uninspired, so I can sometimes go a while without making new music.
But sooner or later a new idea always comes that gets me all excited about producing again, and it makes me lose my sense of time as I work on it for hours on end just like when I had just started out. Apart from that, the feedback and messages from fans always means a lot to me. Some people tell me that my music helped them get through tough times, and that’s honestly one of the best things to hear.
Listen to Robby's "Melody For The Misfits" for TNH:
"I've learned to not force making music when I’m feeling uninspired"
What’s been your biggest challenge so far within music?
Honestly it’s been finding my sound. It’s been a journey, and it’s still ongoing and developing.
How do you tackle this?
Some might remember my future house days. I always felt I wanted to do something different within the genre and I was always looking for something new. Now with the more melodic stuff I feel like I finally have a non-restricted outlet for my creativity, as the biggest part of my music has always been writing melodies and chords.
Listen to Robby's song "Overwater" ft Jodie Knight, also on TNH:
"Always keep making what you love. I’ve seen so many people feeling like they’re stuck in a certain direction and can’t make what they enjoy making."
How do you balance pursuing music alongside other responsibilities and interests?
I have some less exciting side-gigs and hustles that offer me some stability, so I don’t feel stressed when I’m pursuing my ‘passion project’ which is Robby East music. For the social part it’s pretty natural luckily, as I’m surrounded by people in the music industry.
My girlfriend works in the industry, and so do a lot of my friends, so there’s understanding and support from all sides when I’m dealing with things.
Is there anyone who inspires you or has helped you out on your journey so far?
Right now the biggest help both creatively and on the business side has to be Lane 8 and his label This Never Happened. Daniel (Goldstein - aka Lane 8) has been so helpful in feedback on songs but also more general guidance. I’ve also been working closely with the label which consists of a small team. I really enjoy working with them and they have helped me a lot with getting my music out there.
Robby's also no stranger to Colorize label - check out his track "More Than This" (which is also my personal favourite):
Thank you Robby - final question, what advice would you give to somebody who wants to pursue a career in electronic music?
Always keep making what you love. I’ve seen so many people feeling like they’re stuck in a certain direction and can’t make what they enjoy making. This will definitely catch up to you eventually, I’ve also learned this the hard way. So always stay true to your own work and make a leap if necessary.
Listen to Robby's guest mix for TNH Radio on SiriusXM Chill:
Three takeaway tips:
Don't force it if you're feeling uninspired: I get this a lot too, I sit down to make some music but nothing is flowing, it can sometimes feel like you'll never make a good song again (haha). Just keep showing up and the inspiration will come!
"Less exciting side gigs" are often what give the stability to pursue what you love: we all need a financial income, and that means sometimes we have to do less exciting work to pay our bills. However if you strike the balance right it may just give you the freedom you need to keep making music.
Stay true to your own sound: it can be really easy to feel like you have to make music that matches the other songs in a particular genre, and on some level we do need to make music familiar enough for the audience of that genre to enjoy it, but don't forget the power of originality. People want to listen to your music because you made it and you put your spin on it, so stay true to yourself!
If you'd like to listen to more music like Robby's, click on the image below and save my 'Melodic House Mix' on Spotify:
Insta links:
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