Introducing The Emotive Storyteller… Swan Lingo

Swan Lingo is an emerging artist that is changing the landscape of R&B music. Hailing from Washington D.C., Swan first fell in love with the craft while taking African drumming classes as a kid. His growing interest eventually led him to rapping and writing his own material. Taking inspiration from artists like Ms Lauryn Hill, Beach Fossils, and Craft Spells – Swan effortlessly created a sound that supplies a contemporary take on 90’s/00s R&B.

It didn’t take long for his music to catch the eyes of producer Shlomo and the young talent soon found himself releasing his material under the WEDIDIT Collective. From 2016 to 2020, the D.C. native released an array of singles and three projects including two EP’s and a full-length LP. After a much-deserved break, Swan is back in the music sphere with his new single ‘Hurt’. The emotive record explores his feelings of isolation, heartbreak and moving on. With his hypnotic single making the rounds, the rising talent is slowly giving fans a sneak-peek into his new music era. We were able to chat with Swan Lingo about everything from his latest single, his creative process and his upcoming album. Read the full interview below.

Hi Swan Lingo! How’s it going?

I’m doing well, can’t complain. Been a crazy year but I’m making it through.

How’s the year been treating you?

This year has been up and down, but I’m focused on sustaining the high point by being more adamantly involved in all things surrounding the production of my music. 

Let’s hop into the music. When did you first fall in love with music?

I first fell in love with music as a child through a West African instrument called the djembe. It spoke to me on many levels which has allowed me to translate my general knowledge of sound and apply it to my music.  

Which artists do you look towards for inspiration?

I look to a ton of great artists, but I’d say Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige and Sampha would be my main to name a few. 

How would you describe Swan Lingo’s sound and vibe?

Swan Lingo’s vibe and sound is that of an artist who looks to incorporate his complete soul and energy into every song and from that resulting in an eclectic symphony of sound & vibration.  

What’s your creative routine when making music?

I tend to sit and focus for a few minutes before I record to focus my mind on what I want the song to be about, may smoke a lil bit but it’s not necessary, then I proceed to write. 

We need to talk about your new single ‘Hurt’ (it’s such a vibe!) What themes did you explore with this track?

I explored the different variations within the loop to bring out the many cadences I used throughout the song. It may not be the clearest thing to understand but writing a song to a hook may be easy at times while for other songs it can be a bit tricky. When the beat is in constant rotation it’s your job as the vocalist on the track to provide it with variation and that’s what I focused on when creating “Hurt”.

You also released an accompanying video for the record! Can you take us through the idea you had for the visuals? 

Visually I left it all up to the curator and cameraman Jabari Canada, a great videographer residing in New York. 

You have an upcoming project on the horizon can you tell us more about the release?

My next project will include another single & video release plus a lot more content, before the end of the year, if possible, but definitely beginning the start of 2022 with a bang. Following up with the full project as well as two more before the year ends.  

What can fans expect from Swan Lingo in the coming months?

You can expect to see and hear much more from Swan Lingo, my hiatus is over. I’m here to make my mark in this industry! 

Check out Swan Lingo’s latest track ‘Hurt’ here and below.