Hattie’s Boy isout on all platforms now.
Georgia native Elijah Rosario, currently residing in Raleigh, North Carolina, is making a name for himself with a distinct sound that is bound to get your attention.
The artist wants nothing more than to connect with his audience. He wants to make music that makes people feel content when he makes a love song and make you think when he makes a conscientious song. Ultimately, hoping his raw and vulnerable sound relates to others.
This vulnerability and raw sound are shown in Hattie’s Boy, in songs like “Hattie’s Boy Into,”‘Still (Interlude),” and “Going Up,” which showcase his style and the thematic direction of the album.
What city are you from/ Where are you based now?
I’m originally from Augusta, Georgia. The hometown of the legendary Godfather of Soul James Brown. Currently, I reside in Raleigh, North Carolina.
What is your artist name? What is your real name? How did you get your artist name?
Elijah Rosario is my real name and my artist name; I decided not to give myself two different identities because I wanted to think beyond being just an artist, and when I see my name on paper. I can see it as a multifaceted brand, and that is how I carry myself everywhere I go.
At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music?
Oh, man. I began to dabble with music back in 2010. I was on and off with it because, for years, I was trying to identify my sound, and become confident in myself to be an artist, and really stick with it. In 2017 I took a break from making and releasing music. At the time, I had graduated from college and moved out to Houston, TX looking to find work and get a feel for something different. I never thought Houston was going to be such an impact on my sound today. There is so much variety of sound and genres merged, and I fell in love with that concept of music within the Houston underground scene. That is what gave me the drive to pick the pen back up and working on my craft again.
Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your soundtoday? If so, how?
Most definitely! My upbringing plays a huge role in my sound and who I am today. I grew up in the church. My dad is a pastor, and my mother was a school teacher, so I’m sure you could already imagine that my parents ran a tight ship around the house. I mentioned earlier that I’m originally from Augusta, GA, but when I was seven years old, we moved to this small military town called Kingsland, GA. Growing up in a small town taught me how to be more aware of how you move because, in a small town, everyone ends up knowing your business, and you can become easily predictable. Also, I had to learn how to have an imagination because it can get boring fast, so when it comes to my sound, I take those things I’ve learned and applied them. I try to make it my mission to be a refreshing listen, whether it’s your 1st time or 100th time listening to my music. I’ve always wanted to create that wow factor. I also grew up in the church playing the drums and singing, so whenever it comes to my beat selections, I always try to identify live instruments or at least some elements that make me feel if I was to perform this record with a live band, then it would be easy to replicate the track in a performance.
How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
My sound is predominately R&B, but as an artist, I try not to prohibit my sound from being able to blend into other genres.
What ultimately inspired you to dedicate yourself to a music career?
On Christmas Day of 2019, my mother passed, and that really sparked something in me. It made me want to go all-in with no regrets, so I did just that. Since I have begun to push myself, it has been some great things happening within just a year of me being serious about my music career, and I am looking forward to what’s in store.
What is one reason you are passionate about music, and what inspires you?
I’m passionate about music because it is one of the only avenues that I can run to, and it can instantly relate to how I feel. I listen to music more than I watch tv. I am inspired most of the time when I take long walks or if I’m driving. I can easily see a certain restaurant or scenery that takes me back into a place where I start freestyling lyrics until I say something I want to write down.
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
I’m a huge lover of fashion! I like to randomly put outfits together and take photos in the crib with the outfits that I’ve styled. That’s one of the things that helps me remain creative, because if you can understand how to dress, what to exaggerate, and what to keep simple. It helps me do the same with my music.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
I’m a huge fan of artists such as Marvin Gaye, PARTYNEXTDOOR, The Weeknd, Rihanna, Drake, Miguel, and Ty Dolla $ign. These artists have this aesthetic within their music that I am just naturally drawn to. They’re such amazing wordsmiths & talented musicians. They have inspired my sound and attention to detail, and I hope I get to work with some of them one day.
What are some of your music career goals for the future?
Some goals I have for my musical career are growing my sense of knowledge within the music business, growing my fan base, and I’d love to collaborate and write with more artists. I do want to remain independent and have control of my music and how the business is handled, which is why I find it extremely important for myself to understand the music business.
Tell us about the project that you are promoting. What is it about? Is it a single or an EP. Also, what is the name of the last project you released?
The project I’m promoting is my latest EP titled “Hattie’s Boy” Hattie’s Boy is a body of work I put together, and it is me welcoming you to my world. You get to learn about me and some of my downfalls, my encounters as a black man, and my perspective of love and romance. The sound is raw and vulnerable. Hattie’s Boy for me was about breaking the shell and stepping out into the world with my music, and once my mother passed, I knew that I could not hold myself back anymore from chasing my dreams.
What has the response been like to that project?
The response has been amazing. The project has created new opportunities for me within my music career. Recently “Hattie’s Boy” has reached over 500k streams on Spotify and my leading single “Survive” has been added to over 700 playlists. And around 200k streams is just truly a blessing, and I’m thankful that the music has been able to reach different audiences, and I can’t wait to see how the numbers continue to grow.
What are some projects you have done in the past that you are most proud of and why?
In September of 2019 is when I released my first EP, “Unorthodoxed Being,” and that is when it all changed for me in the music game. I had people wondering, “Who TF is this guy!?”. The sound was raw, different, and just sounded good. I am happy with that project because it gave me a preview of the direction I needed to take my sound towards, and it is how I was able to follow up with Hattie’s Boy.
What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects we should be on the lookout for? Include some dates if you have them.
Well, I’m currently wrapping up two albums now. I have a collaborative album with an incredibly talented DMV artist by the name of Voyce. We have our Album titled “Anniye” dropping February 4, 2021. It is about to be a vibe, and I am super excited about this one! I also have a solo album that I’m working on, and I’m in the final stages of finishing with it, but I don’t have a release date just yet. I’m ready to give the world new music and most, importantly, good quality music.
What message do you hope fans take away from your music?
I hope that when people listen to my music, they can always catch my intention behind the song. When I make love songs, I want you to feel good when I make conscientious music; I want you to think and feel what is said, and hopefully, you can find it relatable. At the end of the day, that is what I hope people take away from my music, being relatable.
Where can we follow you on social media?
You can follow me on all social platforms @iamesix.
