Tarek Kasmi is a hot, up and coming artist in the Orlando area. He can be classified as being in the Pop and/or Rock genre and once you hear his music you will understand why. His beats are catchy but have that rockers edge to them that makes you want to strum on your own guitar (whether its an “air guitar” or a real one).
His lyrics are what stands out the most to me and will definitely make you listen. He isn’t afraid of a little controversy and stands up for what he believes in. I had the opportunity to interview him and here is what he had to say!
1. Who are your musical influences and why?
Everything I listen to influences me. I like just about every type of music out there; whether it be pop, punk, metal, indie, or even polka. You can definitely hear all sorts of weird influences in my sound!
2. When did you know you wanted to be a musician?
When I was 12 years old I started digging into less mainstream music. I found loads of bands that had energy unlike anything I'd heard before. I got my first guitar soon after that and it was a done deal from then on.
3. What prompted you to write "Censor Me?"
The music industry is completely different from what it appears to be to outsiders. People won't talk to you if you don't come wrapped in money, and even then, they want you to look like a sex icon and sing about partying, drugs, and other mindless garbage. This is pretty useful to people who want to create a culture based around stupidity. When you start off in the industry, it can be really frustrating to deal with people who won't even give you the light of day, so I wrote "Censor Me!" as a sort of middle finger to them.
4. What is your favorite part of performing?
All of it -- playing songs that I wrote from my heart, going crazy on stage, and interacting with fans. It's the best thing I could ask for.
5. What can your fans expect on the album you are currently working on?
A little bit of everything, and a lot of energy! In the past year, I've pushed myself to write the craziest material I've ever written. Some songs are pretty serious, "anthemic" types, whereas others are completely silly, ‘lol’ worthy business. It's all over the place. Thematically, the album addresses everything that's wrong in this world -- poverty, drugs, party culture, corporate greed, modern slavery, the global elite, etc. It's definitely going to push some buttons.
6. Where is the one place in the world you would love to perform at and why?
On a beach on some tropical island. Like Hawaii. Or somewhere in Southeast Asia. I love being outside, I love the beach, and I love hot weather. I actually intend on doing this someday!
7. Tell us about the best part of what you do?
Doing what I love and having people respond positively to it. There's no feeling like that.
8. What do you think of today's musical trends?
For the most part, I think they're great. Genres of music that used to be considered "weird" are popping up in all forms of pop media. All different types of music are receiving popularity, and people aren't separated by their musical tastes like they used to be. Music is way more accessible now, so people can find underground artists much easier. Combine all of that with the audio and video production that we have today, and you've got lots of really awesome stuff going on!
His newly released single, called “Censor Me!” has been getting awesome reviews! Click here to check out his video! For more information, check out his label, Society Entertainment.
