The rising pop rocker knows exactly who he is, and where he’s going, which is what sets him apart from the rest. In an exclusive interview with LOOP, he chats about his latest EP, Chaos In Bloom, overcoming obstacles, and redefining his sound.
“When I was conceptualizing what the record was going to be called, it more kind of came together because obviously the past year has been absolutely insane, almost two years now,” the singer says, acknowledging the uncertainty the pandemic brought to many people’s lives.
Rouxx took those moments of uncertainty and took them as a sign to instigate major changes in his life. “I took a step back and I was like ‘wow, a lot’s happened these past couple years.’ I got sober, I have two kids now, my music career is doing really well, I quit my job, to pursue music full-time. My life is just in an uproar. And all of these little pieces of things that are so far out of my control are beautifully working together.”
Hence, the title of his latest EP, Chaos In Bloom. “I was like, it’s a beautiful thing my life is chaotic and so many things are happening that I can’t control.”
Rouxx’s infectious collaboration with Mod Sun is an instant standout on the mini-album, and it’s no surprise “LO$ERS” has already seen hundreds of thousands of streams. The singer admits working with the rocker was a welcome step outside of his comfort zone.
“I love him so much, but I kind of steered outside of my realm a little bit with that,” he admits. “I’ve always been a pop music writer. I’ve written a lot of songs for pop artists, and it’s always been just what I gravitate towards.”
However, his biggest takeaway from working with Mod wasn’t just about blending genres. Rouxx says he’s been inspired by Mod’s resilience.
“One thing that Mod said that really struck a note with me was him saying, ‘the only way you’re going to fail is if you give up.’ That was the most profound thing I think I’ve ever heard an artist say who has actually struggled and worked so hard to get where he is,” he recalls.
Rouxx will be the first to admit the journey of becoming a full-time musician hasn’t been easy. “I recently went through a little bit of a self-doubt situation,” he says. “I was like, ‘I think I’m going to give up. I’m just tired, I think I’m going to give up.’ I’ve been through that a few times, but I know it’s a natural part of the process of being a creative”
But Rouxx also recognizes that it takes a unique type of perseverance to overcome those moments and, at the end of the day, you have to champion yourself on.
“I had to take a break for a minute and kind of reassess what I was doing and just look at it from a different angle. And it’s going to be f*cking hard, but I signed up for that,” he tells LOOP.
Rouxx is still basking in the excitement of Chaos In Bloom, but like any smart musician, he’s consistently looking ahead to the future. For him, this means a slew of shows in 2022 and, ultimately, a full-length record. “I’m really excited, I haven’t gotten to play this EP at all yet, so I’ll just be playing all of those releases.”