Meet Rozwell Fitzroy, a Virginia Artist Making Genre-Defying Music That Sounds Like the Future

A stimulating mix of sounds and styles unlike anything we've heard.

Rozwell Fitzroy
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Rozwell Fitzroy

More and more every year, the lines between genres are blurring. Pop is taking notes from hip-hop, rappers are sounding like rock stars, and everything seems to be pulling influence from electronic music in one way or another. But even in a world where genres matter less and nothing should be a surprise, some artists still find a way to do something completely jarring in its uniqueness.

Virginia artist Rozwell Fitzroy's "Block Game" features plenty of familiar elements—melodic deliveries, booming bass, and hypnotizing production—but we've never heard it all come together quite like this. Listen to his awesome new single "Block Game" below, and keep an eye out for Rozwell Fitzroy.

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First off, can you introduce yourself? Who are you, how old are you, and where are you from?

My name is Rozwell Fitzroy. I'm a musician and designer. I'm 24 years old and I was born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia. 

When and how did you start making music?

I was in orchestra during elementary school. I played cello, drums, and that plastic recorder. When I was in sixth grade I discovered you could make beats with a computer, and I've been obsessed ever since.

What inspires you?

The main thing that inspires me is bringing new ideas to the table. The contrast of different elements that work but aren't supposed to. I'm constantly getting information from music, memories, visuals, and perspectives of the people around me. I just take that input and put it in a palatable form. 

You're a singer/rapper/producer, but you also collaborate with other artists. Who have you worked with, and why do you like working with other artists if you can do it all yourself?

I've worked with a lot of people through design and music but the person I've collaborated with the most is probably Matt Maeson. Lot of work with Masego coming out too. Marc Dillon and BRG are two producers from VA that I'm always working with. It's cool to have experience with so many mediums because I can really express what I want when I'm talking to other creatives. You could write songs alone in a room all day long—and I did that—but in order to make something that other people connect with, you have to bring other people in on the process at certain stages. Collaboration is extra special when everyone in the room did their homework, or put in that 10,000 hours in. 

"Block Game" is crazy. Can you tell us a little about that song?

So my mom bought a house and made sure I had a separate room for my studio space. I would lock out in this room for days at a time and record so many ideas. I made "Block Game" after a three-day stretch where I felt like I couldn't make anything. I set out to make the most outlandish song I made up to that point. It just happened in like 30 minutes while the sun was setting. I remember the moment I made it I knew other people would like this song a lot and that it would do something for them. I was really happy that day.

Does the music you have coming up fit with that vibe, or what can people expect from you in the future?

There is a lot music that fits the sonic territory of "Black Game" for sure. Hard drums and 808s are a part of my DNA, but I also have a lot of acoustic records which I love doing, and that's completely its own thing but it's still me. I have an opinion on how music should sound, and I can apply that opinion to anything. You'll get a lot of experimental records from me, but I'm always gonna have hard beats with that one-off quality that makes it something greater. 

You've got an EP called ZEUS coming up. What does that title mean to you, and what's the place of this project in the bigger scheme of your career?

ZEUS is the beginning of a story I'm going to tell. Several stories I'm going to tell. I use software 24/7 to get all of my ideas out so the whole concept was: If I could make program that could do ANYTHING what would it be able to do? That software would be able to do anything of course, and people would become God-like. That's what the idea of ZEUS is... becoming your greatest self. It's really just the beginning, setting the stage for a larger narrative. 

What do you want people to feel when they listen to your music?

I want people to gain confidence. I want people feel that it's okay to be in their own skin. That's the core of my music. We all go through the same emotions, feelings of inadequacy and what not. I'm saying I relate. Choose to love yourself. I can't fix these problems but here's some music that might help. 

What else do you want people to know about Rozwell Fitzroy?

I want people to know that my only intention is to deliver quality, well made, and sincere music without compromise. Follow my story: @rozwellfitzroy.

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