If you know the pressure to be in the middle of the two separate worlds then you can understand what the young and terrific singer, Claytonisokay’s new album ‘Overlooked Stories’ is about. He started writing songs and composing splendid music all by himself at the age of 16. His skills are not showy but truly phenomenal and that has been discovered recently with a list of his most-streamed songs on Spotify.
Claytonisokay sometimes felt alienated in his school for the distinct division made by monetary statistics. Being the son of a middle-class father, he could not recognize his place in the phony groups of the rich kids and the poor kids used to whoosh him for his entitlements. He composed a cluster of songs to express the ubiquitous tug he felt all his life for his belonging in two different worlds of ethos and culture. The songs in the album ‘Overlooked Stories’ are like letters that are inked with grief, misunderstandings, love and heartbreaks, poverty, and loneliness that he saw in his ocean eyes. Also, he is a sensitive member of the society who is intimately linked with the Lyme Disease Association.
How are you coping with the quarantines?
I’ve been coping with the quarantine by trying to stay active physically and creatively. I made a whole other album in April, which will hopefully come out in 2021, which is indie rock.
What has pushed you to choose such a sensitive name of your first album?
I picked the name Overlooked Stories after seeing people who went through experiences I couldn’t think of revolving around poverty and violence. Then I would look at the wealthier people and how they would do nothing about it. It seemed like two separate worlds and being a middle class kid, but not in the same poverty line as these kids, and not in the wealthy world, I felt in the middle. I decided to make an album discussing the stories that are overlooked in mainstream music for the most part, the themes of greed, poverty, loneliness, love lost, etc.
What is your debut album all about?
The album is about these stories in which the themes are overlooked, the themes of greed, poverty, loneliness, love lost, etc. The album is storytelling, each song is very revolved around the lyrics, just as much as the musical aspect. Some songs are stories of others I have seen, and some are based on experiences I’ve lived.
Which track is your utmost favorite from the album?
If I had to choose, my favorite track is probably Christmas Eve. This is a song about someone who sees a homeless person on the sidewalk with their mother and being overwhelmed by the clash of class that they see. Throughout the song, two different voices are in conflict with each other, one that is ignorant and blaming the person in poverty, and one that scolds the person. I like the song because I like the two voices musically, as well as the political commentary the song suggests of people who don’t want to think about real world problems.
How did the experiences in your childhood help you to grapple with any difficult problem?
I had a lot of difficulties growing up ranging from health problems to things that were more mental. I think these different experiences gave me a lot of empathy for those in pain, as even though I had to deal with a lot, I am incredibly privileged and lucky to have the basic things I do have, with parents, a home and not having to worry about money so much as thousands I have seen in NYC.
Why do you want to spread awareness for Lyme disease?
The CDC states that 30,000 cases are reported each year. But according to Harvardhealth, after the 2013 conference on lyme borreliosis and other tick borne diseases, more than 300,000 are diagnosed with the disease each year. This makes it one of the most infectious diseases in the country, but yet, according to the Bay area lyme disease organization, it receives less the 2 PERCENT of west Nile viruses funding, .2 PERCENT OF HIV/AIDS. These diseases are both terrible and this is not to say they don’t deserve the funding they get. It’s to show how lyme disease is being ignored. According to a study from lyme disease.org, the majority of patients of 3,000, reported being ill for 10 or more years. In a 2018 study, more than half of the patients with chronic lyme disease reported that it took more than 3 YEARS TO BE DIAGNOSED. Almost the same amount reported seeing five or more clinicians before diagnosis. Lyme disease is one of the greatest threats to human health, and the CDC and insurance companies tend to neglect it. Some can’t get proper medicine due to this. Think about that. Hundreds of thousands of families being told they can barely get any medicine covered. My story is just one of thousands if not millions who don’t know they have it. According to ignax.com a large number of lyme disease tests only test for 14 of 43 species of bacteria linked to lyme disease. Both tests that the CDC use do not detect for the actual disease itself but for the measure of the body’s immune system against the virus. Factors like timing, immunity suppression, weakened immune system and seronegative patients(they don’t produce antibodies) are just some of many that would show a faulty test. The organizations donations will be going from the album and from my own and families private donations to the lyme disease association.
How did the death of your father reshape your way of thinking and dreams?
My father is not dead, he is still fighting his illness.
What can the listeners help Lyme Disease Association by just buying your new record?
My listeners can help Lyme disease by doing three things. One, they can donate to the Lyme Disease association (that is the one I am sending my proceeds too) as well as the ALDF, the lyme disease association, lyme disease.org, global lyme alliance, the avril lavigne foundation. Secondly, spreading awareness about chronic and non-chronic lyme disease to their friends and family, and knowing that all the royalties from the album are sent to these associations, listen to the album. But listening to the album is the last thing to do, as I would want people to listen anyway. If they really want to help, they will do the first two things.
What are the plans in late 2020?
The plans for late 2020 are to get my album out to the world, as well as keep spreading information about Lyme disease. With everything going on in the world, I have been sending out petitions and donating to organizations that help Black Lives Matter, and plan to march with my fellow New Yorkers in protest. I am working on my sophomore album which is about halfway done, as well as finalizing my album, which will be my third, which is all indie pop/psychedelic rock.
Do you have any message to share your fans before this album gets out?
The album is out now and it has been out since May 29th.
Are you planning to get signed by the big productions soon?
I am planning on reaching out to record labels in terms of distribution for my next two albums.
Can you explain the type of music you have played in your debut album?
The songs really vary in genre even though they could all be considered hip-hop. There’s more boom-bap instrumentals, then there’s jazz, and then more contemporary stuff. They are all stories in their own right and the lyrics are just as important as the musicality. They are songs you should listen to while listening to the lyrics, but you can still just listen to them for their musicality. They also range in mood.
Do u want to have any advice for your fans on how to stay safe in this severe pandemic?
People need to stay educated. They can not let fear take over them, but they must also be careful. Stay aware, and stay safe.
Thank you
Overlooked Stories Link:
https://ampl.ink/9n248
https://open.spotify.com/
https://music.apple.com/us/
Instagram: https://www.
Lyme Disease Association: https://
