ARTIST TO WATCH: EDOG

After following E-DOG for years locally, we finally had the chance to sit down with her to discuss how she started, what she has planned and more for 2018.

1) Tell us a little about yourself, maybe something people may not know about you already.

A: Well I’m super weird, and definitely not girly. I grew up with 3 brothers and actually don’t have too many girl friends except for maybe a few. I fucking love Europe and go at least once a year cause it’s such vibe, along with the west side of Canada cause it’s also a major vibe and I used to live there. And I also fuck with dogs heavy, I’m tryna cop a pitbull when I can feed it.

2) When did you start making music?

A: I started writing really young, maybe 10. I just liked creating moods to instrumentals by artists I was listening to at the time. Then I guess it became music when I graduated high school and realized I didn’t want to do anything else.

3) How did you discover your own sound as an artist? Was it difficult to figure out how you wanted your production/vocals to sound?

A: My sound that I discovered (and am still working on) was something I haven’t really heard and that I was looking for in another female artist. That’s when I started making my own lyrics, usually over more rap/hip-hop beats and kept this innocent/melodic female voice that I have and talked about real shit that females sometimes don’t always talk about. Production is always difficult for me cause I’m sort of picky and like weird/different sounding things, and trying to create production for a sound that no one really knows what to classify as is hard and very time consuming. It’s why I am so lucky to be working with really talented people.

4) Tell us who some of your biggest musical influences have been, and who you aspire to be like in the industry, if anyone?

A: To be honest there's tons, I fuck with a lot of artists all for different reasons. One of my biggest influencers is definitely Odd Future because they’re so weird and cool. Lyrically, Earl and Tyler are Gods when it comes to word play and their dark sound is something I try to use in my own. And I obviously have to shoutout Lorde and Emily Haines in this answer because those are my top 2 favourite female artists. Kanye West is definitely at the top somewhere too, his sample game is crazy and he’s always setting the bar higher for everyone else. If I had to pick someone I’d aspire to be like in the future I’d have to go Drake I think haha. He can literally do whatever he wants and everyone loves it and that’s fucking cool.

5) Being a young aspiring artist can be a grind, who do you look to for advice and who has been your biggest supporter along the way?

A: I can definitely say my manager is one of my biggest supporters, along with all my friends and family which is dope because it’s real love that I get from all of them. One of my producers and really good friend of mine Chris (CVRE) is someone I listen to more than I talk to probably. He has some of the best advice to give when it comes to making music and what comes after it. Having someone that keeps it real with you all the time and knows the industry well is super important and I will cherish him for the rest of my career.

6) What has been the most exciting moment for you so far along the journey?

A: Definitely finding out that people actually fuck with me. It’s cool to see that people who don’t even know you will rep you and show you to their friends. They’re the reason I’m doing this and getting to interact with so many people from all over the world is super cool and I’m really thankful for it.

7) What do you think about the music scene around Toronto, how would you say it differs from other places around the world?

A: Theres a ton of talent for sure, a lot of unknown talent with that being said and from all sorts of departments. But I think what is cool about Toronto's scene and the GTA as a whole, and how it differs from other places is that there's a ton of different genres collaborating and it's amazing to see music bring so many different people and cultures together.

8) More specifically, how much would you say the music culture around the GTA has grown in the past couple years?

A: I think after some of the bigger artists from around here brought some light to our area there's been a lot more talent being recognized. It's definitely giving everybody a fair shot at doing this which turns up the heat on everyone, but it feels like people are starting to use it to their advantage by really working together. There is so many talented people in the GTA and I'm definitely proud to say it's where my music originated from and that I get to work with really skilled musicians and artists.

9) What do you have planned for 2018?

A: This year should be fun for me, I’m getting to meet a lot of dope people in the industry and they’re all helping me connect the dots. I’ll be trying to do a lot more shows and get into performing along with trying to keep making a ton of new music. I’ll be getting into videos and collaborations as well, trying to step out of my comfort zone for sure.

10) Take a look into the future; Where would you like to be in five years as far as your music career is concerned?

A: I really want to be respected in the industry, not just as a female artist but as a creator and a writer and always staying true to myself. Touring and doing shows would be dope but I really am in this for making the actual music and creating shit that people haven’t heard before. Networking and making music with artists that I’ve been inspired by would be a dream come true for sure.

Follow E DOG:

Twitter: @erynmartinnn

Instagram: @erynmartinnn

Soundcloud: @erynmartin