EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Polar Youth Talks About ‘Faded’

With her signature orange hairdo, Elisabeth Verstraete aka Polar Youth, 24, is a stellar talent on the rise that doesn’t go unnoticed. Belgian producer Polar Youth has released on May 24, 2019, her new single Faded, the third song off her upcoming debut EP, which is due for release on June 14. The intoxicating track is inspired by that special person who hypnotizes you and has the magical ability to drown all of your problems. Heavily influenced by hip-hop and trap, Faded is driven by a striking head-bopping beat and features the South Korean-American artist Sangstaa. Championed by Spotify, Apple Music, Red Bull Elektropedia, Acid Stag, and the likes, Polar Youth has been praised for her contemplative chords and pulsing beats on her previous singles. She is determined to bring a breath of fresh air to the planet of electronic music, moving hearts just as much as heads. Keep an ear to the ground!

Here at Fuzzable, we got the chance to chat with Polar Youth about her latest single, her upcoming EP, music journey so far, future plans and much more. Check out below to know more.

Image: Polar Youth for Faded

Hey Polar Youth. Welcome to Fuzzable. How are you been doing this week? Hey! I’ve been busy with music and life, which is very exciting! Thanks for asking.

For those new to your music, can you please introduce yourself to our readers?
I’m from Belgium, I’ve been producing music since I was 12 and have learned to play the guitar, drums, and piano. Like my bio on social media says; ‘a 24-year-old who makes the music she likes’. I produce Electronic beats mixed with Pop mixed with RnB and Hip Hop, basically.

You started off with music at an early age of 12. How did you embark on a music career?
At 12 years old I took guitar lessons. Then, one night, I discovered the daw FL Studio through an ad on a random website. I was shocked knowing I could make music ALL by myself, with just my laptop. Since then I was hooked. I did think music was going to be a big part of my life, but I would’ve never thought it would’ve been such a HUGE part. Music is basically my life. My way of expressing myself.

You’ve recently released your third single ‘Faded’ off your upcoming EP, that follows ‘Call Out’ which was released last month. How’re you feeling to be able to produce your own music and share it to the world?
Producing a track itself is the best part of the whole process, but being able to share it and receive good reactions from it, you have no idea how relieving it is for my mind and soul.

Tell us more about your latest track. How did you go about producing and writing this one? Is there any personal inspiration?
Faded is actually a song I started 3 years ago. Since then, I’ve had so many different versions of the track, I didn’t want to release it until I was 100% happy, so that’s why it took so long. It didn’t start out as personal, it was just a simple demo I made for a singer/rapper I hadn’t found at the time yet. But working with Sang (Sangstaa) for those 3 years on this track, making it very personal. I’ve made a great friend, I’m so glad I discovered this amazing and talented person and it’s also one of the reasons why this is my favorite track off the EP. The text itself is something Sang wrote, so yes it is personal for both of us, for different reasons.

You’ve collaborated on ‘Faded ’with South Korean-American artist Sangstaa. How did it come up? How’s it different when you are collaborating rather producing music on your own?
Whenever I have a demo ready, I already have an idea what kind of singer or rapper I’d like to feature on it. The same thing happened with Faded. Looking for new singers will ALWAYS happen through Soundcloud for me. Soundcloud is so user-friendly and all the artists I’ve worked with, I discovered through the website. So I discovered Sang and sent him a message. The rest is history. Producing on my own is fun, but what’s more, fun is being able to share your knowledge with another artist you have a great connection with. The work you both put into it, the chemistry that comes out of it, is indescribable.

You also have an EP coming out in a few weeks. Can you spill more details on how it is going to sound like?
The EP is 100% me. In the past I’ve been influenced by a lot of people too much; ‘it should sound like that’, ‘no, this isn’t good enough’ etc. .. When making this EP, I didn’t let ANYONE (except for my mixing engineer) listen to it. When I was happy with it, I moved on to the next track. This is also why this EP means so much to me. Whatever the outcome will be, I’ve never been so proud of myself. You can expect a mix of Electro, Indie, Hip Hop, Pop, and RnB.

You originally come from Belgium. How does it play a role in your personal music style and creativity?
Belgium is a small country, but we have so many amazing artists. These artists definitely have played a part in finding my own music style. Just watching them do their own thing, watching them perform, is such a creativity booster.

Who are your major musical inspirations, dead or alive? Have these influences changed over time?
When I just started producing, my dad listened to a lot of Ozark Henry, a Belgian artist. This definitely was the base of the music I made back then. My one major inspiration that never left is Destiny’s Child. I basically grew up listening to them. They really shaped me into the artist I am now.

How have you noticed yourself evolved as an artist over the years? If you look at your 12-year-old-self, do you want to tell her something? 
The one thing I would tell her is to work harder and take it more seriously. Back in the day, it was just a hobby for me. Yes, it was my passion, but I never had any intention to make a living from it.

How will you describe your relationship with music in three words?
Passion, emotions, my life.

Who are your current favorite artists from the industry which you’ve been listening to recently? I’ve been listening to a lot of Shay (French rapper/singer) and Dvtch Norris (Belgian rapper).

Do you find it exciting to perform live for your fans? When are you heading on tour? Where can we catch you? I love playing tracks in front of my fans. What an incredible feeling, seeing the crowd dance on your own tracks and your favorite tracks. At the moment I’m really focused on continuing to make music in the studio, finishing up tracks and working with other artists is my priority now. No dates just yet but hopefully soon! 

What’s next on your career bucket list? Any exciting plans for 2019 that you’d like to share with your fans?
Working with as many talented artists as I can. There are so many Belgian and international artists I want to work with. Dvtch Norris, Spreej, Shay, Zwangere Guy,

Do you get much time to chill away from music? How do you unwind?
I do actually. My mental health is more important than working myself to sleep out of exhaustion. Whenever I don’t feel like making music, I don’t push myself. Instead, I play with my cats or go for a long ride on my motorcycle. 

Apart from music, how else do you like to contribute to society?
I try to be as good of a person I can be. For myself, for everyone else, for Mother Earth.

Thanks for chatting with us Elisabeth. It’s wonderful to have you here. Thanks for having me here. Had a great time talking to you!!

For more information, follow Polar Youth on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Listen to Faded below on Spotify.

Tweet to us your thoughts on Faded by Polar Youth at @Fuzzable

Written by agirlwithlatte

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