Minneapolis, Minnesota-based recording artist and DJ, Hobday has created a huge impression on the global EDM industry with her unconventional musical approach. He is well-known for not being restricted by a single genre. He experiments with other musical forms to form his desired sounds and textures. With his unparalleled techniques, he has been quite successful at establishing a unique soundscape.
The young and aspiring artist has complied with our request for an interview. He shared many unknown and interesting facts about his music and himself.
Hi, Hobday! Many congratulations on your tremendous musical success. And thank you very much for giving us some time from your busy schedule to do this interview. Let’s get started:
Daily Music Roll: What is your real name and how did you come up with the stage name Hobday?
Hobday: My real name is Andy Hobday, so Hobday is my last name. People have called me Hobday for as long as I can remember, so when it came time to launch this new project it felt very natural.
Daily Music Roll: Tell us about your music, why do you call it multi-genre? Which musical forms do you use in your compositions?
Hobday: When I produce music, I generally don’t start with a particular idea in my head for what I want to create. Most of the time I just sit down and start messing around. It’s through this process of experimentation that I am able to find inspiration for the music I create. Generally, I just create whatever sounds the best to my ear. And often times that means that I’m blending different genres together. Adding some hip hop vocals to a dance music track or writing a pop vocal and adding some EDM production behind it.
Daily Music Roll: What is the significance of your music to the audience? What kinds of effects does it have on people?
Hobday: The feedback I get most often is that the sounds I create are “vibey”. For me, music is an opportunity to let go and lose yourself in the moment. The best music I know takes me away from
all my problems and gives me a moment to breathe and feel free.
Daily Music Roll: Which musicians inspired you to make music? How do you implement their influences in your creations?
Hobday: I have a lot of different inspirations. Kid Cudi, Florence and The Machine, Flume, FKJ, Louis The Child, Smino, and Odesza would be a few of the top ones. I really enjoy vocal melodies and wavy, organic production. I find myself often incorporating those types of elements in my music.
Daily Music Roll: When did you first get involved with music and how?
Hobday: The wild part of this story is that I really didn’t listen to music growing up. In fact I had close to no interest. It honestly sorts of mind boggling. But one night when I was 16 I came home to my mom’s place and my stepdad Kirk put on a recorded concert of Stevie Ray Vaughan from back in the 70’s. Kirk spent a lot of time in Austin in his 20’s and was (and still is) a big fan of the blues. He turned that TV up full volume and when I heard Stevie’s guitar come blaring through that television set for the first time, my life was forever changed. Talk about power. That boy Stevie had the goods. Anyway, in that moment hearing Stevie Ray for the first time, I pretty much jumped instantly to the other side of the duality. A deep realization that music had the ability to move me in a way that very few other things could. From “I don’t really listen to music” to “Music is the reason I’m alive”. Kinda wild.
Daily Music Roll: Do you write your own songs? From where do you derive the inspiration for that?
Hobday: Yes I do write many of my own songs. I quite enjoy writing lyrics and vocal melodies (as well as producing all the music of course). There is something really soothing about getting emotion out onto paper in the form of lyrics and melodies. Through my adult life I’ve struggled a good bit with depression, and music is one of the main ways in my life I am able to channel those feelings in a positive way.
Daily Music Roll: When did you start DJing and music producing? What is the story behind it?
Hobday: I started producing music when I was about 20 years old. Kids that I went to college with actually laughed at me and talked shit about me behind my back. And even though it hurt, honestly I can see why they might have. I had essentially zero musical background. I was a pretty decent guitar player, but that’s about it. All I had was a vision in my mind for a reality that I wanted to create. Had I known at the time the trials and difficulties that awaited me, it’s very well possible that I would have never begun. But thankfully I did, and today the process of creating music is downright spiritual.
Daily Music Roll: Have you done any stage shows? What kind of response do you usually receive?
Hobday: Yes. Over the years I have been part of a few different projects before launching this new one and I have performed quite a bit. Performing music is truly my favorite thing to do on this planet. There is truly nothing like being on that stage with the lights and the screaming crowd. It transports me to another realm altogether. The response is usually fantastic. Honestly, I just love being on stage so much that I think that energy is felt by the crowd when I perform.
Daily Music Roll: What is your objective behind making music? How does it affect the audience?
Hobday: My goal and purpose is to create and foster a community of open-minded, passionate, and caring souls through the creation and performance of music. Music and the communities it fosters have changed my life in such a fundamental and meaningful way that I have devoted close to a decade of my life in pursuit of creating something beautiful through sound. I can think of no greater pursuit in life than providing space and experience that would perhaps allow others on this earth a chance to find themselves and their self-love, just as I have been able to. Music is the great healer, and it is everything to me.
Daily Music Roll: Are you working independently or under a record label?
Hobday: Currently working independently. I would perhaps consider signing to a label down the road a bit, but it would really need to be the right fit.
Daily Music Roll: What do plan to do next? Do you have any new projects coming up?
Hobday: The plan for the moment is to continue releasing new music very consistently (once every 6 weeks or so) and build up this new solo brand. Once I have a good bit of traction I plan to being performing again.
Daily Music Roll: How are you dealing with the pandemic? Would you like to convey any message to your audience?
Hobday: It seems to me that we are on the tail end of the pandemic and it feels SO good to see people starting to get out and about again. It makes my heart happy to see live shows starting to come back online. Future looks bright !!
