Artist To Watch | Stev-in

This month's Artist To Watch/ New Release is Brooklyn based singer Stev-in. Today marks the release of his latest EP titled "Get Your Big Teeth." Stev-in does a great job of transporting the listener and creating an atmosphere with each one of his tracks. "Get Your Big Teeth" is full of sincere songwriting, and haunting vocals.This is hands down one of my favorite releases of the year so far, and someone that you want to keep an eye on in the near future. We recently had the opportunity to talk to Stev-in about his EP, check it out.

Isaac Gutierrez for Born Loser: Can you introduce yourself?

Hey there, my name’s Esteban. I’m from the seacoast of New Hampshire. Been living in Brooklyn, NY for about a year now.

How did you first get involved with music?

I was actually a violinist for like 12 years...I wasn’t very good haha. But started teaching myself how to play guitar when I was 13 and enjoyed teaching myself rather than people telling me what to do, and so other instruments followed after.

I know you started releasing music about a year ago (according to soundcloud), but how long have you been playing and performing?

So Stev-in has been a project I’ve been working on for about two years now? But i’ve been writing songs since high school. Towards the end of university I actually wanted to create something that was a longstanding project, so Stev-in was born out of a lot of the acoustic-flavored indie music I’ve found myself being drawn too.

What inspired you to start writing and releasing your own music?

I’ve always just been obsessed with listening to music, outside of learning instruments, so it all kind of made sense and I was like "oh hey I want to try and do that." And like I said, I really just got tired of other people telling me what to play.

What has been the most challenging part so far?

I guess figuring out what is good and what is a dumb idea haha, but I think that’s also the most fun part of songwriting, you’re always learning.

What was the main inspiration behind your EP Get Your Big Teeth?

I think the past year was definitely a huge year of growth for me, and I think a lot of the songs fit into that narrative. Things change and you figure out who you are along the way.

Where does the name for the EP come from?

Get Your Big Teeth is like when you’re a little kid and you lose all your teeth, and you sort of move into this new phase of life with your “big teeth”. I think it’s just trying to reflect the different stages of life.

Is there a song off of the EP that has your favorite story behind it?

Actually the interlude makes me laugh every time I listen to it. It’s this super “deep” conversation I was having with my friend Fjordi almost a year and a half ago. He had recorded it and sent it to me. Definitely fits into the overall narrative of the EP. We were trying to figure out how not to be sellouts haha.

Did you record and produce everything yourself?

Yeah! I like doing everything on my own most of the time, I think it lets me really be honest about what I want to make.

Get Your Big Teeth is the perfect blend of everything I like. If you had to describe your sound, what would it be?

I think it’s like psych/acoustic influenced indie rock? A big goal of mine in songwriting right now is figuring out how to sound like myself, not like something. Although part of me thinks that’s silly because you’re always influenced by things you hear.

What is the most important thing to you when it comes to creating a song?

I really like music that goes beyond just being a song, it almost creates an atmosphere. So as much as I’m trying to make interesting chord progressions and adding ear-candy, if the song isn’t taking me somewhere mentally I’m usually not into it.

Who do you consider your musical influences?

Oof that’s hard. Like I said, anyone who is transporting me into an atmosphere or vibe. Lonerism and 6 Feet Beneath The Moon came out in high school and that blew my mind because I thought you needed to be cool like The Kooks and have tons of friends to play in a “band”. And then another part of me wants to play music that’s inspired by what I grew up on like 60’s-70’s or spanish jazz guitar. And I guess I’m just trying to make something that’s in between all of it?

Is there anything you want your listeners to feel or think when they listen to your music?

I think most of the time I’m trying to put the listener in my shoes. A lot of the sounds you hear on the EP are actually recorded from my town in NH. So that along with the songs I write hopefully transports the listener. Trying to create my own atmospheres.

Is there anything that you want our readers to know?

I don’t know a lot of people in Brooklyn actually, so if you wanna do music stuff, play in a band?? Just hang? hmu

To wrap things up, do you have any questions for me?

If you’re ever in NYC you want to get lunch?

Sounds like a plan!

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I’m really excited to share this upcoming EP. I’ve been listening to it nonstop.

Thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to listen, means a lot.