Interviews | Slowboy Talks Virality, Success, & The Future After ‘Brazilian Funk Mano’ [Interview]
Posted by VMan on August 7, 2023
With the fury of a revolutionary, Slowboy has etched his mark in the Phonk universe. The hard-hitting Norwegian maestro has defied expectations and birthed a new sound with “Brazilian Phonk Mano.” The track resonates with the very heart of the genre, imbuing it with a raw, untamed vibrancy.
The Phonk genre, much like rock ‘n’ roll in its early days, has been a bastion for experimentation and audaciousness. Slowboy, Crazy Mano, and lucaf. have taken this malleable form and poured their unique personas into it. The resulting sonic concoction is as electrifying as the raucous punk anthems of yore.
Slowboy’s rapid rise has been marked by serendipity and hard work. His sound emerged just as the world began to recognize the allure of Brazilian Phonk. From Brazil’s clubs to worldwide streams, Slowboy’s take on the genre arrived at the perfect time.
One can draw parallels between Slowboy’s approach and that of the legendary Bob Dylan. Dylan pushed folk beyond its boundaries, and Slowboy, with his dynamic collaborators, is doing the same with Phonk. He’s not only creating music, he’s creating culture.
“Brazilian Phonk Mano” is more than just a track; it’s a cultural shift, an emblem of an era. It’s the sound of a genre that refuses to be pinned down, the soundtrack to a million TikTok videos, and a testament to the power of collaboration. Like Dylan’s anthems, Slowboy’s “Brazilian Phonk Mano” captures the zeitgeist, reflecting the world back to us in a form we’ve never heard before.
We couldn’t help but want to get inside Slowboy’s head, see the interview below where we discuss the sound of Phonk, TikTok virality, label releases, and more.
Exclusive Interview
As a pioneer of the Brazilian Phonk sound, what inspired you to explore this genre?
What inspired me was the general sound and feeling it gave me. It had this really rough, raw and bouncy sound to it which I liked. I love exploring new genres and sounds, which made me try fuse elements of Phonk with Brazilian Funk.
Do you prefer making music with others or on your own?
At the moment I am doing a lot of collaborations which I enjoy, but personally I prefer working on my own from time to time so I can focus on my own personal projects.
Do you prefer being in the studio or on stage?
I’m not really used to being on stage much, so I would say I’m more of a studio type of person. But this may change in the future.
Could you discuss your involvement with labels such as Aurorian Records, Void of Phonk, Black 17 Media, and B1 Recordings?
I witnessed the creation of Aurorian Records and they were the first label team believe in my sound as I was friends with the owner, the same too with Void of Phonk. Other than production, I’m involved with doing some A&R work for them. With the success of Brazilian Phonk Mano came the ability to work more with artists that frequently release under Black 17 Media, so I have released through there a few times too. As for B1 Recordings, they’re a popular label under Sony and got given the opportunity to remix two viral songs under them including ‘Push Up’ by Creeds so it was great working with them for that!
How has your music resonated with audiences on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube?
Scrolling through TikTok with my music showing up a lot of the time, with tracks like ‘Brazilian Phonk Mano’, ‘Life in Rio’ and my recently viral track ‘Oppa’, I like to look at the comments sometimes and people seem to love the songs. The amount of video usage with my tracks and the views across YouTube, TikTok and the dm’s I get on instagram has been incredible. It’s overwhelming the amount of messages and support, but I love it and hope it continues.
How much can your success be attributed to being at the ‘right place at the right time’ in your opinion?
It depends. I think with ‘Brazilian Phonk Mano’, that was a track that was at the right place at the right time. Putting out a track like that which became popular amongst edits and gym-goers before anyone else really shaped its success. That to me was a major ‘right place at the right time’ moment and ultimately kicked things off a lot for me.
What can listeners expect from Slowboy beyond “Brazilian Phonk Mano” in terms of his contribution to the Phonk genre?
I’m still making a lot of Brazilian Phonk/Funk music but also experimenting with other sub-genres of Phonk and EDM as always. I began in the bass music scene and creating other EDM styles, so I’ve got upcoming music with some talented artists mixing these styles with Phonk.
House, Techno | Will Vance’s “Slow Drive” Goes Deeper Than Imagined, Shares Exclusive Interview
Posted by VMan on March 10, 2017
Portland, Orgeon native Will Vance is on a roll lately with his recent creation of his EP for 2017 entitled Days Go By already making an impact with his first self titled release “Days Go By.” Will has gained the attention of many listeners, incorporating soothing atmospheric sounds with the smooth and creamy synth design that we’ve come to love. Will Vance is here to premiere his third track off of his EP entitled “Slow Drive.” Appropriately labeled, the tracks progression is nothing less than euphoric with his use of airy angelic vocal samples down to his rhythmic hi-hat patterns, this track is a perfect drive along song with it’s chilled out string leads and thumping drums, this producer is on his way to a successful start to 2017. “Slow Drive” is released out on Thnk Tnk Records a relatively diverse record label that pulls in styles from all genres, which gives Will the advantage of truly diving into his craft without having to be isolated to a specific sound.
House | Bricks’ “Bounce” Proves His Quality Is Here For The Long Haul
Posted by VMan on November 28, 2016
The thing I like the most about Bricks is in a world filled with every type of house genre you could imagine, he still finds a way to define himself and bring an original experience to his fans. His first 3 releases have merited great support right out of the door. Locking in tens of thousands of plays per track.
Today, Bricks has released “Bounce” a song that taps into the type of sounds of the previous trio, but still delivers on an all-it’s-own feel – my favorite part being that 808 bass that flys up and down at just the right moment. The solo artist has joined this track with his previous to form the Bounce EP. Bricks has it together and will surely continue to grow.
Drum & Bass | G-Wizard’s new Drum & Bass tune is more than Good Enough
Posted by VMan on November 3, 2016
For some unknown reason, Drum & Bass never really crossed over to the mainstream in North America, but all that might be about to change. The aptly titled Good Enough, from Australia’s G-Wizard, combines all the energy of traditional D&B, but adds enough pop sensibility to arouse the curiosity of those not well versed in the genre.
Although this is our first time hearing of G-Wizard, he’s been making noise in his homeland for a while now.
Future House | Teddy Rose’s “Infuse” Keeping Future House Relevant
Posted by VMan on October 5, 2016
I’ve sort of moved on to acts like Malaa or kind of found future house saturated as of late. But “Infuse” brings the spirit of the genre back into full-swing. Teddy Rose, based out of San Diego, focuses mostly on a future house sound, but just as bits of the genres shift over time (like any genre naturally), he stays with the times, putting his own innovations on the tune.
Teddy Rose is onto something for sure, if he begins networking strongly with others in his genre niche as well as got his tunes in the right hands, Teddy could quite possibly make it to the next level.
If you are in the SoCal area, try to catch Teddy Rose live and experience his world brought to it’s full potential.
Chill | Deep Chills Hits You Right In The Feels With “Fade Away (Deep Chills Remix)”
Posted by VMan on September 15, 2016
Deep chills has made himself known in the dance music scene via consistently great releases that are the cream of the current trending crop, when it comes to chill house music. He’s got million of plays, has played dozen of shows this year, including shows at Miami Music Week 2016, and continues to push the limits of the broad genre he is in.
“Ryder – Fade Away (Deep Chills Remix)” has great energy and would go great at any pool party. A quick side note: Deep Chill’s mixes are something that is a really dope part about his brand, dive into those if you haven’t. already
Chill | Azles and Cathalyst’s “Invincible” Takes You A Spiritual Chill Journey
Posted by VMan on September 10, 2016
“Invincible” doesn’t really fit one genre and doesn’t have a single type of sound that you can pinpoint. It is an eclectic blend of so many chill sounds all wrapped up into one, you have to listen multiple times to understand what you are hearing – something fully original and semi-spiritual.
Azles and Cathalyst are not a duo, but collaborated on this release “Invincible” which is beginning to put them on a path of recognition. The two both have less than 2000 followers, but contain a sound that you’d expect someone way bigger to have.