The name Skaiwater has been ringing through the industry for a few years now, but this recent buzz is seemingly pushing him into some mainstream notoriety. Whether he’s in the studio with Lil Nas X, TakeADayTrip or any of modern music’s finest, Skai not only holds his own but paves a brilliant path alongside any collaborator. “#miles” has been going crazy on TikTok, but this isn’t some sort of cheap gimmick. Skai is an incredible artist with the drive to become one of the best of all time.
In our exclusive interview, we spoke about some inspirations, friends who give him good energy, and what inspires him to keep pushing. This young man is a very humble soul and you’ll see why I say this below. Since this conversation we had at the beginning of June, a lot has changed from a statistical standpoint. “#miles” has garnered 3.5 Million streams in a few short months taking the total to nearly 8 million total. He just hit a million monthly listeners on Spotify, along with “eyes” surpassing the million stream landmark.
We’re rooting for this young man and we also have a strange feeling he’s going to have a decorated career as well. Get to know more about our protagonist and we’ll talk with you soon.
Brick: A big portion of your work is what we’re seeing with the miles TikTok trend. How did that come about? It seems like TikTok doesn’t intimidate you as it does to a lot of other artists.
Skai: Honestly bro it just came from me using the app a lot. I was just promoting “#miles” at the time. I thought it would help the song a little bit.
Brick: You didn’t think it was going to go as crazy as it’s going now?
Skai: No, it kinda just took on its own life. But I always expected something like that because of how organic the platform is and thats why I fuck with it.
Brick: You seem pretty active on your socials, are you a decently private person in your real life? Or are you open to really interacting with your fans?
Skai: Um I think it’s specific things I like to keep private for the most part. But I’m pretty open with people who support me just because I feel like I’m here to relate to them.
Brick: So you’re originally from the UK, correct?
Skai: Yup
Brick: How Old are you?
Skai: 21
Brick: Wow you’re mad young, that makes everything you’re doing right now even crazier.
Skai: Did you expect me to be older?
Brick: I didn’t expect you to be old, old, I expected you to be like 25, 26. Just because I’ve known about your name for a minute. You’ve been doing this shit since you were like what, 16?
Skai: Yeah I’ve been doing this shit for a minute. I started to put out music for myself when I was like, 17. But I’ve been in and out of the music shit since I was like 8 bro. That’s that wild that you expected me to be older because I feel like I’m pretty old.
Brick: Well your music is well seasoned and you sound like a veteran.
Skai: Wow, that means a lot bro. Thank you.
Brick: Of course bro, what’s the proudest moment of your career thus far? Was it being in the studio with Nas and Daytrip or just connecting with people through your music? What really stands out to you?
Skai: If I’m honest bro I think I became a bit jaded when I was young. Just because of how fickle my attention span is. So that first round of achievements I had when Adam 22 discovered me, there are some smaller achievements in 2019 are still some of my proudest achievements. I really feel like I haven’t even made a small fraction of the impact I want to make, but I’m just aiming for the sky bro, to be honest.
Brick: I got you, well who are some musicians, producers or even some albums as a whole that really have inspired you?
Skai: Well I’m an album person, but right now off the top of my head it’s Nostalgia, Ultra, The 2020 Experience, the Justin Timberlake album.
Brick: Word, hell yeah.
Skai: I guess whatever the last PinkPantheress project was. Umm, what else, what else, what else. Hostility from SoFaygo in 2019.
Brick: I think that collab needs to happen for sure.
Skai: I’d be down to work with anybody that I listen to, it’s just about finding the space right because the music is different, you know what I mean?
Brick: Oh for sure, talk a little about the Miles video, how’d you connect with Jelani?
Skai: Okay so, I’ve been watching Jelani for a while and I had a plan to experience different parts of the world. So I started with Atlanta, Georgia. And he’s my favorite videographer period, but he was also from there so I reached out to him a while back and said when I touch down we should work. And he was with it because I’m assuming he enjoyed the music or whatever. We circled back maybe like two months ago and started planning two videos, there’s another video coming. The idea was already in my head and I just needed someone to achieve that one. And I gave him the eyes video to do what he wanted to do.
Brick: Yeah he’s one of the best up and comers, I feel like he’s gonna have a crazy career bro.
Skai: These two videos we kinda just did off the whim, if we had some more time we could create something crazy.
Brick: Who are some peers in the industry or some friends that you really look up to?
Skai: I can do some for advice and some for energy, but I’ll do energy first. Nova always has positive energy, and my best friend Chris always has positive energy. And usually, I just go on TikTok live and talk to my supporters, those are the closest ones on there. So really If I’m looking for it, that’s where I’ll go. For advice, I don’t know bro I don’t really feel like anybody, but I really learn from experience. Being around Jonny or Nas or any other artist I know and just seeing what they experience as an artist can teach me a different lesson too.
Brick: I feel like the best advice sometimes comes from someone who doesn’t know your situation and there’s no bias attached.
Skai: 100 percent I agree.
Brick: So you have a project dropping in a few weeks and this is the first one since Happy Hour, correct?
Skai: I think this is the first official one since Happy Hour, but I’ve been putting out small projects all over the internet.
Brick: Okay, well how has life changed since then?
Skai: It took me a while to make Happy Hour to when it came out. I think I started it in September 2019 and then put it out in April or May of 2021. So I think April 2019 was one of the first times I went to real studio and then I put Happy Hour out when I started recording from home. So I kinda look at that project as me learning I don’t want to do shit in the studio for the most part.
Brick: So you like intimate, controlled settings so you feel as comfortable as possible?
Skai: Yeah I really record by myself.
Brick: Are you mixing and mastering everything yourself as well?
Skai: I am, but I wouldn’t really consider it mastering. Just FL shit.
Brick: Hey bro still, it doesn’t ever give off that aura of not being finished. It never feels like a demo. I also feel like you’re super humble bro. From a Chiefers standpoint, you’re an underground legend to us bro.
Skai: That’s crazy bro, thank you. I’ve heard a lot of similar sentiments when I came back to America. At home, I’m just working.
Brick: Well who are some new artists of the new generation that you want to work with?
Skai: Drake would be number one. Being on a Kanye album would be cool. But I dont know bro, I’m still trying to find out what my music really is.
Brick: What is a message you would want to tell your younger self knowing what you know about the world now?
Skai: I hate how corny it sounds bro, but just be yourself. You’ll get so much farther embracing the parts of you that make you, unique.
Brick: What are the plans after the project?
Skai: I’m not one to plan a lot of time. I’m gonna go back home and lock in after this NYC show.
Brick: Does the family know about and recognize your career?
Skai: They definitely recognize it, especially coming from where I’m from people do not get to see New York before they die and I’ve gotten to see it, like young too. From constantly having to take flights and tell my family I’m leaving. It does help them understand why I’m absent.
Brick: How big is your family?
Skai: I have a big ass family bro. To the point where I feel like family is my purpose. I don’t have too many siblings, but I have so many cousins, aunties and uncles and my family is Jamaican so like there is a community element within the family.
Brick: Any message to the supporters or doubters?
Skai: I wanna thank the supporters because they motivate me to be a better person at all times. To everybody just trust me I’m gonna make this shit work.
