Grasping smoked-out sensual R&B and widescreen pop sensibilities inside of an eighties-inspired high-fashion fever dream, Michigan-born and Los Angeles-based singer, producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Bazzi wants to take you on a trip.
âThereâs a genuine feeling in my music,â he exclaims. âItâs a mix of everything I grew up onâfrom rock to pop. You hear the guitars and real drum sounds with modern day elements and weird samples. Itâs odd and different. Itâs got a swag and flow, but youâre in this fantasy world at the same time.â
Long before unlocking that place, he took the first step on his musical journey back in Dearborn, MI. Born to a Lebanese immigrant father and American mother, he shares stories of dressing up as Elvis to perform in front of the neighbors and dancing to Ricky Martin across the living room with a comb doubling for a microphone. Returning from a trip to Lebanon, Dad brought home an Oud, and a four-year-old Bazzi immediately took to the instrument. By the age of six, he picked up a traditional acoustic.
Fascinated by music, the budding talent devoted his high school years to uploading tracks online as he obsessed over diverse influences ranging from Justin Timberlake and Bryson Tiller to Duran Duran and Guns Nâ Roses. During senior year, he and pops moved to L.A. so Bazzi could properly pursue a career in music. While finishing high school on the West Coast, he constantly wrote and produced, creating his own soundscapes by hand on guitar, piano, and drums.
At this point, a distinct vision began to unfold in tandem with a personal revelation.
âFinding my sound went exactly parallel with me knowing myself better,â he admits. âThe deeper I got into understanding myself and learning to love myself, the more I was able to hone into the sound. Iâve always felt like authenticity speaks so loud when you actually have a voice. Weâre raised in an insecure society. I think people mistake confidence for being conceited. I embraced who I am rather than wishing I was someone different. The music grew as a result.â
He independently released âAloneâ on Soundcloud in 2017. Organically, the song generated over 1 million Spotify streams within a few monthsâ time and peaked in the Top 10 of the US Viral Chart. Next up, Bazzi unveiled âBeautiful.â After teasing a 30-second clip of the melody on Twitter, the snippet received 3,000 retweets encouraging him to finish the entire tune.
With lush instrumentation, expansive production, and a heavenly hypnotic hook, the track graced key Apple Music playlists such as âBest of the Week,â âA-List Pop,â âBreaking Pop,â âFuture Hits,â âRelationship Goals,â and more.
âIt was just a vibe,â he reveals. âI was inspired by the âBeautiful angelâ line. I just laid the chords down and freestyled the melody. You should feel like youâre in a dream when listening.â
His latest release âMineâ hints at even bigger things to come. Over a sultry and simmering beat punctuated by the magical pluck of a heart and video game warbles, he croons intoxicating lines like, âYou so fucking precious when you smile.â
âWe were hanging in the pool at my friendâs house,â he states. âI went in the kitchen to grab a water, and âMineâ literally hit me. I rocked that beat with my boys Rice N Peas and went for it.â
Ultimately, Bazzi is well on his way, and heâs inviting everyone along for the ride.
âI hope people listen to my music and leave with that good energy,â he leaves off. âThe goal is for them to feel sexy and confident as they blare it with their windows down. Itâs like a trip.â
CHECK IT OUT...