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Exclusive interview with Owen Leuellen
Exclusive interview with Owen Leuellen
We catch up with singer songwriter and superstar rapper Owen Leuellen about his new music style, his fashion sense and what he has in store for the future. Earlier this month, the rapper released a visualiser for his brand new hit tune Follow, the 14th track off his debut album Dreams
You were recently spotted at celebrity hotspot The Ivy in London. Were you travelling on business or pleasure?
Pleasure… lots of it! But also looking for ways to start connecting to the UK for when i move there in about a year or so.
Do you have any plans to take your music international? What’s the game plan?
Definitely, the plan is to start off by moving to London to start putting my music on radios, later on planning to take the show on the road to the United States, preferably California.
What has been your biggest and best musical accomplishment so far?
From all the milestones I’ve achieved throughout these few years, such as winning four awards, performing on MTV and opening for international artists on several occasions, I’d say hitting 1.5 Million views on the awarded song of the year of 2019 “Hey Now” helped me achieve the most attention and respect for my music.
Who inspires you musically and personally? Why?
My music inspiration started from being able to relate to Eminem’s rap music, which later expanded to several artists from different genres – like rock and pop. Personally speaking, my biggest inspiration and idol is my older brother, who motivates me to chase goals and treat every experience as a life lesson.
How would you describe your X Factor experience in 3 words?
Life-changer -opportunity – first-step
Favourite and least favourite looks from X Factor Live shows?
Well my favourite look was the black leather jacket from the final show and the least favorite was the leopard print jacket; it really wasn’t my style although it worked really well with the theme we had.
How has your musical-style evolved from the beginning of your career?
My style started off mostly dark and deep storytelling, sticking to the roots of hiphop. However, the more time passed the more I started evolving and adapting to the modern sounds that work in this day and age.
I began to give my songs some more positive vibes as well as more melodic choruses. I even added easier words for the listener. What built the bridge for non hiphop lovers to show more interest than usual was the moment I was featured on Ira Losco’s ‘Hey Now’.
has being in the public eye changed the way you dress, and your approach to fashion?
Indeed it has. I wasn’t too keen about self-care and appearance, but I have come to accept that like music, clothes are a form of expression and being in the public eye you want your message to be understood, particularly when it comes to stage-shows. Apart from this, you get approached by fashion designer and brands, and can’t help but become more aware. An example is my recent collaboration on the BOSS x Russell Athletic capsule collection. Super cool.
Tell us a bit more about this collab.
BOSS has launched an amazing collection in collaboration with Russell Athletic, which is urban and stylish, and pretty much sums up my style. Versatile baseball inspired street-style which incorporates signature BOSS tailoring. As an icon of men’s fashion I was excited to be part of this campaign, which was launched globally at Milan Fashion Week with names like Gigi Hadid and TikTok star Khaby Lame!
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
My goal for the coming years is to be on the road, touring different countries and expanding my platform internationally. In five years my aim is to be in the United States working with big names in the music industry and putting our little island on the map, hoping to create a link that makes it easier for local artists to find a connection abroad.
