Daily Discovery: Raury, an Atlanta Teenager Who Has the Internet Buzzing

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Daily Discovery is a daily feature that will highlight a new or recently discovered artist that we’re excited about. See the rest of our Daily Discoveries here.

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Earlier this week, an artist debuted his first single on Billboard. By the end of the day, I had five emails about him from friends, music writers, and random people who I don’t know. “Did you see this?”

Clearly, this kid was grabbing people’s attention.

His name is Raury, and he’s a 17-year-old from Atlanta looking to kick off 2014 with a splash. His first song is “God’s Whisper,” and so far his plan is working. The East Atlanta-based artist/songwriter/producer has orchestrated a spellbinding introduction, crafting a debut song that bristles with youthful defiance and avoids trends for something unique and intriguing. A welcome diversion from the trap scene that currently dominates Atlanta, “God’s Whisper” straddles genres, taking influences from folk, alternative, hip-hop and world music. Listen below.

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Interview by Mustafa Abubaker

On East Atlanta:

“I look at my home town as the fucking strongest bull out there and I’m a fucking matador.”

On speaking to his thirteen year old self:

“My 13 year old self got me here. I don’t feel like I made any bad steps. I have no regrets about who I was. I was a fucking depressed kid in my room writing sappy ass love songs and raps and shit. And it got me here.”

On the creative process:

“Everything I make is synthesized or processed through shit I really been through. My songs… I feel like I’m a radio station, I’m a channeler. When it comes I have to make it. I can be in the weirdest situation, I can be outside smoking a cigarette and something happens and I come storming inside, I got to find the keyboard, the guitar.”

On shooting the soon-to-come video for “God’s Whisper”:

“I’m going to have to conquer some demons inside of me.”

God’s Whisper is taken from Raury’s debut EP Indigo Child. Look out for more Raury.