Soundcamp Spotlight: Periisu

Soundcamp is a 12 week programme that gives up and coming artists the opportunity to develop their performance and music business skills, delivered in partnership with Youth Music. The Soundcamp Spotlight series is a feature that aims to shine the light on Soundcamp artists and share their story with our audience.

Next up, we have PERiiSU stepping up to the platform…

Could you please introduce yourself.

I go by the name PERiiSU, and I’m an artist/producer from Manchester. 

When did your musical journey start? Who are your influences?

My musical journey started from a young age. I would say around the age of eight. The first ‘instrument’ I had was a fork & knife, I would bang on the table tops creating a beat. Then that moved onto a few years later, where I got Hip – Hop Ejay 6, FL Studio to now Logic Pro (which I have been using ever since). 

I have a wide range of influences – Tyler The Creator, Frank Ocean, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, J Dilla, Quincy Jones. Those are the ones I can only think of at the top of my head, but my list is endless.

How would you describe your production and DJing style?

My production is a concoction of what I like to listen to, which is a bit of everything. But for a detailed description, I produce gritty, electronic sounds, with smooth soulful melodic elements. This can include a big hefty grimy bassline (inspired by my UK & Jamaican heritage), alongside American Soul, 90s R&B vocal melodies and East Coast Hip-Hop.

You were part of the Soundcamp cohort back in 2018, what were some of your highlights?

I have a couple of highlights from Soundcamp. The main one was performing at Night & Day Cafe. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing a positive reaction from the crowd when you showcase your music. Another highlight for me was creating and coming up with my logo design, which Glen Cutwerk digitally brought to life. I have stamped that as a milestone in my music journey, because it turned out beautiful.

You then got involved with our Co-Lab Theory project in 2020 where you collaborated on a track with Swing Ting. Why did you decide to get involved? Did the project meet your expectations? 

I decided to get involved, because I thought this was the perfect opportunity to not only work by creating music with an established Mancunian artist, but to also get advice for how to go about being an artist. The project exceeded my expectations because we got coverage on media blogs such as Mixmag, Hyponik & Fact Magazine. I’m also still in contact with Balraj, so Reform made the right decision matching me with Swing Ting lol, thanks Reform!

Could you tell us a bit about your track ‘Business & Culture’ which was born out of this project. 

For ‘Business & Culture’, it came so naturally when I collaborated with Swing Ting. I don’t exactly remember whether it was the drum pattern or the melody we started with, but everything just jelled perfectly together once completed. We produced it at the Swing Ting studio, so being in their own space made it even more special.

What are you hoping your next steps will be?

My next step is to release my first major album. It’s been over 2 years in the making, but I’m telling you it’s definitely worth the wait. You can’t rush greatness, especially when it comes from the heart. So be on the lookout for that when it comes out.

Anything upcoming that you would like to shout out?

I’ll be releasing a few singles soon. However, before that, I’ve got something huge launching soon which I’m soo excited about. I won’t mention it for now as it’s a secret, but just know it will definitely benefit my music career and give me the freedom to express myself to the fullest.

Are there any local artists/musicians/collectives that you would like to shout out?

To be totally honest, I can’t really think of any right now other than Balraj. I would like to give a massive shout out to Balraj from Swing Ting. He’s been in contact with me since we first met & is still checking up on what I’ve got going on so far, and also been a major support. So big up Balraj!

And finally…What was your favourite album of 2021?

I would say it’s got to be the goat Tyler The Creator ‘Call Me If You Get Lost’.