Student Pages had the pleasure of sitting down with rising pop sensation 220 KID.
With music central to his soul, 220 KID started off with no more than a vinyl player and a collection of classics. This inadvertently provided the talented producer with amazing exposure to fantastic music very early on. Having continued through college through to university, 220 KID found himself yearning to explore his creative side following completion of his masters.
Developing into an Artist
Producing his new collaborative single (with upcoming pop star Gracie) “Don’t Need Love”, 220 KID found himself the unique sound he had been searching for. With a topliner and 
lyrics, the artist expresses great pride in creating through the production stages, he explains “I really wanted to do this justice and not be generic. It’s been a process of 2 years to get this song perfect!”
He goes on to explain that it taught him patience; to search for the perfect moment. The song itself is about modern love; how it can be so vacuous. The ease at which you just get on your phone and start swiping, when its more important to fight for the right person.
Describing his music, 220 KID aims for a diverse sound, with no limitations.
“I write on feelings and connections with those I’m collaborating with. And try to follow the feeling rather than what could be a hit. To keep the songs authentic to ourselves. Although this can mean they sound a bit weird, but again don’t need love sounded weird at one point and now it’s doing really well!”
To date, his favorite creation has been “every step”. A track that is very special to the artist. For the fans, 220 KID is keen to invoke a reaction, one where listeners are taken to a lyrical emotional plain which is real and honest, irrespective of what the reactive outcome is.
The Foundations
For 220 KID, finding people akin within the music industry to support your music is vitally important. Equally, is to push boundaries and go out of your comfort zone with people who are nothing like you. For the producer, this where you start learning and developing truly remarkable sounds.
As far as the industry is concerned, 220 KID believes there needs to be more fearless people coming through: creating music, taking risks on new artists, creating new art, and videos. Not keeping to moulds, where a hit song is suddenly copied. “That’s why I love my label, Polydor, they believe in my project even though it’s very unique. Love to them!”
Taking Inspiration
The artist takes inspiration from a wide range of Motown artists. From Bee Gees; Arif Mardin, to more modern writers and producers ie. the Clean Bandit team, Grades, Timbaland, Burna Boy, Camelphat, & Mark Ronson!
For students looking to get into the music industry, 220 KID recommends just going for it:
“Just start, don’t worry about how good or bad it will be or how it will make money, if you start you are always going to be closer to your goal.. even if just doing a tiny thing a day. And do it for pleasure, you need to enjoy it. Especially as I know how awful late-night library sessions for your dissi are.. I’ve been there!”
Openly admitting, his greatest challenge to date has been going into an industry as a novice, learning to write, learn the business and make a success of it! Having taken 5 years of dedication to get to releasing his first label single, he explains how he has learnt how to make videos, produce projects, marketing etc.. and learn to not quit even at the worst times; to survive on a very tight budget! “I had a great job after uni that I quit to do this so was questioning that a lot.” For the artist, you just have to have unbroken vision and focus on where you want to go.
Looking to the future, 220 KID wants to be the best artist he can. To keep pushing unique collaborations, and to use the platform for good as well as just creating. Currently he is working on projects which he is really excited to get stuck into this year with some great charities and trying to help get music and music education into areas where kids may not have such easy access to it.
