Chasay, 15 year old producer from Wisconsin, has been making beautiful beats full of soul. He flips classic samples into innovative new beats, collaborating with artists like LANGSTON, Xerces, and THRONE. In this interview, I spoke to Chasay about his inspirations like JPEGMAFIA, what he has in the works, and more.
Annabelle: So you’re from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Are you involved in that local music scene at all?
Chasay: I’m not really involved because I’m kind of young. I mostly just stay at home and produce when I’m bored. Music is more of a hobby, but I’m taking it more and more serious as people start to like it.
Annabelle: What first lead you to producing as a hobby?
Chasay: COVID and getting a laptop. And also getting inspired by what I listen to.
Annabelle: What music inspired you to start making your own?
Chasay: Mostly Peggy. He’s my biggest inspiration because of his whole message. The way he makes the music for himself and not for anyone else. It’s personal and he doesn’t try to please anyone.
Annabelle: Would you say that you also try to have that same mission yourself?
Chasay: Oh yeah, for sure. I mean the only time I make music is when I want to… when something inspiring happens. It’s gotta be important.
Annabelle: Are you inspired by experiences from your own life or more so by outside musical influences?
Chasay: It depends on the situation, but probably most of the time by musical inspiration. I’ve been making a lot of MIKE-type stuff with the glitchy beats with the trap-type drums. But that stuff is unreleased so… eventually!
Annabelle: Can’t wait to hear it! Who else do you listen to that inspires you aside from Peggy and MIKE?
Chasay: Earl! Earl just got me into everything. Tyler, too. His experimentation and being true to himself. Favorite Tyler album is definitely IGOR.
Annabelle: I feel like that’s kind of a hot take! It’s one of my favorites, too.
Chasay: I feel like it’s wrong to not have it at #1.
Annabelle: I think if you value storytelling, it hits different.
Chasay: I love concept albums.
Annabelle: So your first project to drop on streaming services, was that project in any way conceptual as a whole?
Chasay: It kind of got more and more dreary over the beat tape. It started with “by the time I get home” which is this lofi looped beat. And then by the end it’s this distorted, slowed down… Like the tempo decreases through the whole thing, it’s kinda cool!
Annabelle: Obviously your beats are heavily based around sampling. Where do you find the samples that you use?
Chasay: Some of them, I find them randomly and it’s like “Oh I’ve heard this song! I’m gonna sample that!” From “by the time I get home”, I’ve heard that in multiple other songs. And then “Choo Choo rocket”, “September Rain” is the song by a Japanese artist and it’s so fire. And I decided to sample it.
Annabelle: What’s your favorite song on the project?
Chasay: I like “shattered dreams”, I feel like it’s the perfect outro to the whole album. What’s your favorite?
Annabelle: I obviously really love “by the time I get home”, I like “shattered dreams” and “choo choo rocket”.
Chasay: Those are the ONES!
Annabelle: What would your advice be for those of us who are bored, at home, wanting to learn how to produce?
Chaay: Don’t be afraid to use the trial versions of stuff. I still use FL trial version! Also, just start by using loops to get used to the sound and what type of feel you’re going to. Drum loops are an easy way to start, definitely a good foundation.
Annabelle: I’d love to hear more about your favorite people you’ve collaborated with!
Chasay: Right now I’m working with THRONE, the couple. And Langston! On the lowkey (this is the announcement), we have a collab tape coming soon! It’s definitely different from my first streaming services album but I think people will like it.
Annabelle: What makes it different?
Chasay: More of that MIKE production! Mixed by Xerces.
Annabelle: DiZ and Xerces killed it on that Aviad track (“Love Can Be”). Are there any other producers like Aviad that you’re messing with?
Chasay: Yeah I know Aviad, Kumo, I don’t know that many producers. And also, I have a groupchat full of collective minds and we’re just collaborating. Deadpan, he’s fire, I think you would like him. Frostbite, Greek boy, Langston, Xerces, THRONE, and Kream, those are just a few.
Annabelle: Who do you want to collaborate with in the future?
Chasay: My dream collaboration would obviously be MIKE. Navy Blue, that’s a big one. Maybe redveil! I don’t know how he’d work on my beats but we’d get it done! (We have different production styles). Slauson Malone, I would love to do something with him because he’s a big inspiration as well. Especially for the single I’m releasing February 11th.
Annabelle: Tell us about the single!
Chasay: A collection of beats compiled into this 3-minute long track. It’s called “breathe in, try to breathe out Act I”, so there could be more coming soon… maybe! It’s an introduction to my new style, I think people will like it.
(Cover art for "breathe.in,try.2.breathe.out.act1")
Annabelle: Is there anything else you want people to know about you?
Chasay: Get on to me now because I’m gonna be up there one day!! Tap in now, tap in now!
Annabelle: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Chasay: I think I’m gonna have maybe 10k Spotify monthly, hopefully more. Hopefully I get bigger collabs… I’m gonna get bigger collabs, have more connections with bigger names. More songs with bigger names. Collab with DiZ maybe a couple times!
Annabelle: Anything else you want the people to know?
Chasay: Shoutout Hidden Renaissance, and please pray for me. If you know, you know. Big things coming!
Check out Chasay on Spotify, Soundcloud, and Instagram!