Image via Apple Music
On Thursday night in Los Angeles, Tyler, the Creator performed his new album, IGOR, in front of a live audience for the very first time. Dressed in the same suit and blonde wig from his recent promotional videos, Tyler played the full 12-song record in order as an intimate audience (and viewers watching the Apple Music live stream) looked on.
"I've been trying to make this shit since I was 14 years old, bro," Tyler revealed near the end of the performance, thanking his fans for their positive response to IGOR. Describing the show, he added, "It's like the progression of the album: It starts happy, then it's just dark and sad and just gross at the end. Fuck."
Pausing to share stories about the album throughout the performance, Tyler was open about the creation of IGOR, and the night served as a preview of what may come on his next tour (although he did admit concern about performing all his shows in the suit: "I don't know if I can do my whole next tour in this suit shit; my dick is suffocating").
Here's everything we learned from Tyler, the Creator's very first live performance of IGOR.
Tyler originally wrote "Earfquake" for Justin Bieber, then tried to get Rihanna to sing the hook
Before performing IGOR's Playboi Carti-assisted highlight, "Earfquake," Tyler revealed that the song was written back in May 2017. But he didn't initially write it for himself; he wrote it for Justin Bieber. According to Tyler, Bieber "didn't take it," so the Creator tried to get Rihanna to sing the hook. He "didn't hear back" from Rihanna, so he ended up using it for his own album.
Kendrick Lamar gave Tyler confidence to sing more
Tyler sings on IGOR more than he ever has on any other album, and he revealed on Wednesday night that he was given the confidence to do so by a friend of his named Kendrick (who we assume to be Kendrick Lamar) after playing him some of the music.
During a break between songs, Tyler told the crowd, "I know I'm not the best singer, but a friend of mine named Kendrick, I played him some stuff, and he said, 'Oh, this shit is just feeling. You weren't worried about the technical... being perfect with your vocal. It was actual emotion.' When he said that, I was like, 'Oh shit, you're right.' That's why I don't try to always get people to sing my parts. Sometimes I'm just like, 'Fuck it, I'll sing it.' Because someone else can't really sing my truth and what I'm trying to say. So I got it out."
Ideas for songs on 'IGOR' date back to 2013
Many people have pointed out how far Tyler has progressed musically since earlier in his career, but he revealed on Wednesday night that he already had at least some of the ideas for IGOR six years ago.
"I had this original beat and song idea in 2013 while on tour for Wolf," Tyler revealed, before performing "Gone, Gone / Thank You." He added, "I had the song sketched out sorta and it didn't fit on Cherry Bomb, so I was like, 'Fuck it, I'll save it.' It didn't fit on Flower Boy, so I was like, 'Fuck it, I'll save it.' Finally, the time came around where it was like, 'OK, I think this is the album this can go on.'"
Tyler didn't rely on vocal effects during the performance
The majority of the vocals on IGOR are either pitch-shifted or have some type of effect layered over them, but Tyler chose to keep his voice untouched when he brought the album to the stage. He acknowledged his vocal deficiencies to the crowd on multiple occasions, and he encouraged the audience to join him and sing along during melodic songs like "Gone, Gone," but it's worth noting that he didn't hide behind any effects. Looks like Kendrick's encouragement really worked.
Some of the music on 'IGOR' came from a trip to Italy with Solange and Frank Ocean
Hinting at the musical inspirations for IGOR, Tyler told the crowd, "So my dad's Nigerian, supposedly, and Nigerian music is good. You have Sade and so much Nigerian rock." From there, he explained that he got really into '70s funk and looked at a lot of photos from old clubs. "I wanted to live in that moment for a day," he said. "So me, Solange, and Frank flew to Italy." Tyler admitted that he didn't actually end up going to any clubs, but he did make "I Think" during the trip. Later, he said he worked on another song with Solange in Lake Como, Italy.
Minimalism inspired the instrumental-heavy direction of the album
Many of the songs on IGOR favor instrumentals over lyrics, and Tyler explained that he was inspired to do so in part because of a trip to a friend's minimalist house.
"I have a friend who has a home, and it's my favorite house I've been to," he said. "He doesn't have any art on the walls. He has a couch. No TV. Just a radio system. It's a big ass, baller house in Malibu. I went there and it fucked me up, because I'm like, 'It's so much extra shit that we be having and holding onto that we don't even need.' So when I wrote this album, I was like, 'Let me just let the synthesizers talk.' I don't always have to add a 16 or add vocals. Let the instrumentals speak for itself. I'll put my voice and my personality in the way that the drums and the bass hit."
Tyler also told the crowd, "A lot of the music that I love is instrumental. It made me realize, 'Oh, I don't always have to say something.' Sometimes we get caught up in filling voids that aren't even voids. That's just how it's supposed to be."
He can still tap into the same wild energy from his early Odd Future days
Sure, Tyler has mellowed since he first emerged as a wild, ski-mask-wearing teenager, but he proved on Wednesday night that he can still harness that energy when he wants to. As sweat dripped down his blonde wig, Tyler thrashed around the stage during songs like "Igor's Theme," "New Magic Wand," and "What's Good" with the same recklessness he brought to Jimmy Fallon's couch nearly a decade ago. Don't be surprised if the IGOR tour has mosh pits.