How did a hip-hop based DJ and rapper evolve into the vintage soul artist Mayer Hawthorne?
Mayer Hawthorne: I never had any plans to put out a doo-wop record. For the past 10 years or so, I was always focused on hip-hop music — even when I moved to Los Angeles a couple years ago, it was to pursue rap music. I did those first couple songs on the side just for fun. How did the character and sound come about? The Mayer Hawthorne character is kind of torn in time between 1965 and 2009. It’s a conscious thing. My music is definitely heavily influenced by Motown and ’60s soul. I’m not interested in being a throwback artist. I’m very conscious that everyone is going to try to label me as a throwback artist, so I’m always making sure that I’m moving the music forward and creating something new. I try to push myself to step out of my comfort zone and really embrace the character. I’m just having fun with it. I think that’s a big reason why everyone’s so drawn to it — it’s really fun. On your singles, you pull a Prince and play all the instruments. What’s that like? Yeah, I play dru
Mayer Hawthorne: I never had any plans to put out a doo-wop record. For the past 10 years or so, I was always focused on hip-hop music — even when I moved to Los Angeles a couple years ago, it was to pursue rap music. I did those first couple songs on the side just for fun. How did the character and sound come about? The Mayer Hawthorne character is kind of torn in time between 1965 and 2009. It’s a conscious thing. My music is definitely heavily influenced by Motown and ’60s soul. I’m not interested in being a throwback artist. I’m very conscious that everyone is going to try to label me as a throwback artist, so I’m always making sure that I’m moving the music forward and creating something new. I try to push myself to step out of my comfort zone and really embrace the character. I’m just having fun with it. I think that’s a big reason why everyone’s so drawn to it — it’s really fun. On your singles, you pull a Prince and play all the instruments. What’s that like? Yeah, I play dru
