Say hello to ULTRA Worldwide phenomenon Gromo who has established himself as a prominent figure in the electronic music industry. His impressive credentials include studying at NYU’s esteemed Clive Davis Institute and traveling extensively to play at Ultra events around the globe, including Miami, Europe, and various locations in Asia. Throughout his career, Gromo has collaborated with notable artists such as pop singer Rhea Raj and producer/singer-songwriter HUSH. His love for hard rock and metal bands, gritty 90s New York hip-hop, dubstep legends like Skrillex, and cerebral sci-fi films fuel his abilities.
In July, Gromo made an exciting announcement about his upcoming EP, titled “The Vortex.” The self-titled lead single from the EP has already been released, giving us a taste of what to expect. Adding to the anticipation, Gromo released “The Protagonist,” a high-energy bass house collaboration that features the renowned rapper Chevy Woods. Chevy Woods has gained recognition and shared the stage with artists such as Snoop Dogg, ASAP Mob, and Joey Bada$$. Notably, he was recruited by rapper Wiz Khalifa to join his record label, Taylor Gang. With these two artists coming together, “The Protagonist” is sure to be a dynamic and memorable track that will leave us craving more.
We’re excited to bring you an exclusive interview with him today here at LADYGUNN. Let’s see what he has to say about his new single, upcoming EP, and recent collaboration with Chevy Woods.
Tell us about yourself, your music, and your life in general. Anything you’d like to share with us and our readers?
I was born in Guatemala and adopted by a loving family and brought to New York City. I grew up listening to a variety of music from my family’s eclectic music library. My life has been fully dedicated to music. My music reflects who I am. It is me.
How was your experience at NYU Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music?
For me, it was a privilege to learn from the best of the best in the industry. I was fortunate enough to be mentored by Bob Power, the legendary producer, and engineer for A Tribe Called Quest, The Roots, D’Angelo, and Erykah Badu. Learning from him was one of the most impactful life experiences I have had. His production knowledge is on a whole other level and his overall outlook on the world both inside and outside of the industry has been such an inspiration.
You have traveled all around the world playing Ultra events. Can you explain to our readers what exactly are Ultra events?
I was fortunate enough to be invited to play at Ultra Music Festival worldwide and traveled to places such as Tokyo, Bali, Croatia, South Korea, and Miami. I was touring the world while I was still in high school. It was a lot to juggle! Playing to different audiences was a unique experience and helped form my way of writing music. How a crowd reacts to your music tells you so much more than you can learn from just being inside a studio.
When it came to collaborating with pop singer Rhea Raj and producer/singer HUSH, how did you find the experience?
I found out about Hush’s work by scouring the internet looking for up-and-coming talent. Where I grew up in the city, there were no creatives so I used platforms like Spotify, Soundcloud, and Soundbetter to find vocalists. Hush was the first one where it all really clicked. He knew how to fit my tracks perfectly. He lives in Los Angeles so we collaborated mainly remotely sending stems back and forth.
I met Rhea at NYU Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. We happened to meet at the beginning of the pandemic when school was closing. We started to do virtual collaborations throughout lockdown. Rhea is one of the most talented artists I’ve worked with. She has a fantastic ear and knows how to create captivating and hypnotic hooks. Both of our sounds coming together was very unique as our two energies are very different but we made something special out of our collaboration.
We’d love to know what your musical influences are. Do any special bands or artists come to mind?
As mentioned earlier, I grew up listening to a variety of music. But things really changed in elementary school when I first heard AC/DC. I became the school metalhead with Black Sabbath, Van Halen, Mötley Crue, Metallica, and Slipknot being my biggest inspirations.
When I was 13, I discovered Skrillex and instantly fell in love with Dubstep and the EDM scene. I began going to raves and festivals like Ultra Music Festival, Electric Zoo, and Bamboozle. I have to give a shout-out to my father and cousin for getting me into these festivals.
At this point in my life, I am inspired by so many artists that it’s hard to list them all. For my most recent release, my inspirations are from artists, bands, and composers like Oneohtrix Point Never, System of a Down, The Alchemist, Cypress Hill, Radiohead, Hudson Mohawke, Deftones, Aphex Twin, and of course Skrillex.
Besides music, do you find inspiration in other forms of art?
Film is my biggest influence outside of music. My latest releases were inspired by watching four films, two by David Cronenberg, “Scanners” and “Videodrome”, as well as “Pi” by Darren Aronofsky, and “Possessor” by Brandon Cronenberg. These films sparked the idea of creating a visual and auditory experience.
“The Protagonist” is your newest single and let me be the first one to tell you, it is freaking awesome! Is there a story behind this song’s creative process?
Thank you so much for the kind words! The inspiration for this song began with a settling. I thought in my head to create a dystopian world. I took inspiration from Christopher Nolan’s film “Tenet” and created synths similar to the ones Ludwig Göransson used to build suspense. I wanted to combine my love of film, electronic music, and hip-hop in one track.
For this single you and rapper Chevy Woods joined forces. What was it like working with him?
It was awesome collaborating with someone I have admired for a long time. This collaboration was created during the pandemic so like many artists, we collaborated remotely.
The song is going to be part of your highly anticipated EP “The Vortex,” can you give us more details about it?
The concept behind “The Vortex ” visualizer as well as the EP takes into account a few different ideas. First off, The Vortex film takes place in New York City in 2028. Life has changed dramatically since the pandemic. The city has turned into the movie Taxi Driver, literally. 1970’s New York grittiness is back in full force.
That’s all the time we have for today. Let me thank you again for sharing a bit of your time with us! Anything else you would like to add?
Thanks for having me. I can’t wait to share the entire “Vortex” EP which will come out in early 2024.
CONNECT WITH GROMO
