With a new single coming out next week, I decided I wanted to interview my good friend Omar from New York based band, The Phoenix Within. I made sure to ask him about all kinds of things, including "Hypothetical" and the ongoing pandemic.
Me: What was the influence behind “Hypothetical”?
Omar: I wanted to write a song that explored the hypothetical limits of love, attachment and devotion. The lyrics are meant to take you through the worst of everything that could possibly happen to us here on planet earth. After all of the hypothetical scenarios are presented in this song we conclude all of it by admitting defeat. We let love conquer it and win it all.
Me: What was the inspiration behind the Lyric Music Video?
Omar: Keeping up with the idea of all “that could go wrong”, I wanted the lyric video to portray imaging of the dark vastness of space and our tiny selves amongst it. There’s a lot of glow and bright writing effects used with the lyrics. For me it signifies the little lights our words and thoughts can protrude amongst all that there is. In conclusion your kind and loving words along with the same equivalence in thoughts may be all that someone can need to be yanked away from that darkness.
Me: What are your plans for the band after the pandemic ends?
Omar: We are planning to make a run into the recording studio to record a set of tracks that will hopefully help finalize and bring to completion our new album.
Me: What’s something you’d like to achieve as an artist in 2020?
Omar: We would like to have a lot more people listening to our music and subscribing to our YouTube channel. Lastly we would love to have a lot more people asking us to come out and perform live in their areas.
Me: What musical artists/bands helped inspire The Phoenix Within’s sound?
Omar: The three Narlis brothers that I have the honor of writing and performing with thank bands like: Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, Mötley Crüe, Tool, Alice in Chains, Audioslave, Nirvana, Karnivool, Gojira, Lamb of God, Creed, Stone Temple Pilots and Ozzy Osborn. I have many, many acts, bands and artists that I’ve listened to throughout the years who have influenced my music and my writing. So I want to thank bands and artists like Outta Luck, Third Eye Blind, The Killers, Linkin Park, Threeve, The Eagles, Bryan Adams, Nas, Dr. Dre, Jay Z, Eminem, Marc Anthony, Daniel Santos, Blink 182, Anberlin, Coheed and Cambria and Dashboard Confessional to name a few.
Me: What’s one thing you’d like to tell any aspiring artists?
Omar: I’d like to advise them to never ever stop working on bettering themselves and their art. Along the journey be sure to gravitate around others that feel and do the same.
Photo Credits: Alex Joseph