After spending the last few years releasing a stream of bold and exciting offerings, Miami-based singer and songwriter PJ Aviles has now returned to deliver his latest cut '(I Swear) It Gets Better'.
Lifted from his soon-to-be-announced new EP, which is due out in the coming months, '(I Swear) It Get Better' makes for a wonderfully warm and vibrant listen. Jam-packed with smooth aesthetics, sensual hooks, and his own shimmering voice layered throughout, we can't wait to hear what he comes out with next.
So with the new single available now, we joined him for a quick discussion to find out more about his background and what has inspired him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The saxophone! I was classically trained on it and played it all through school. It’s how I learned how to read/understand music.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Growing up in a Hispanic household, there was a lot of love for salsa, latin pop, and anything down that alley. Artists such as Francisco Cespedes, Luis Miguel, Marc Anthony, and Alejandro Sanz were household names. My dad, being a touring saxophonist, also introduced jazz fusion, traditional jazz, and that kind of stuff too. As I started exploring music on my own, I fell in love with classic rock bands. Anything Led Zeppelin, The Doors, The Beatles were my go-to.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Well the first CD I remember falling in love with was a Michael Jackson Greatest Hits that was in my mom’s car. It was all I listened to. Man In the Mirror is such an absolute banger I will never get over it.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
I guess I mentioned Man in the Mirror in the previous question sooooo… I’m gonna go with Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel. It’s got everything you want in a song. If everyone listened to that song once a week we’d be one step closer to world peace.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Lately I’ve been trying to make beats using samples or weird sounds I recorded throughout the day. I think it’s easy to get a new idea when you’re dealing with frequencies that you’re not necessarily used to hearing (instruments, guitars, pianos, etc). I guess the ritual now is to just explore and splatter as much paint as you can onto the canvas before you even think about making sense of the artwork you’re dealing with.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Well I pulled up my most recent searches on Spotify for this one – we’ve got Sasha Sloan, Ethan Gruska, Gabriel Garzon-Montano, and Olivia Rodrigo. If you’re not listening to Olivia Rodrigo right now you’re lying.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Opening for John Mayer would definitely be like top 5 bucket list items. Maybe opening up for someone like Daniel Caesar would be super dope too but I guess I’d have to drop a more R&B-ish project to even qualify for that lineup? I guess I’m thinking more rationally here. If we’re talking just like a super mega fantasy dream opening gig, I'd say like Red Hot Chili Peppers or something. Would be insane.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
The fact that we get to make sonic time capsules out of moments in our lives. I listen back to my older songs and I remember the exact room, even scent almost, of where I was when I wrote it, what I was going through, etc. It’s insanely rewarding in the sense that you crystalize your own existence in song form. I guess further than that, people relating to your music and them applying it to their own life is definitely top notch.
And what is the most frustrating part?
In today’s world, having to find a “cool” and “hip” way to market your art. It almost feels like it has to be accompanied by a Tik Tok dance for it to even have a chance to be heard. It’s a little frustrating and I’ve spoken to many friends about this – it can take a toll on someone’s creative process. I guess it takes a bit of rewiring to just bypass that bullshit and be able to freelessly create, while not having those things in mind. Make art for yourself! The rest will follow, I guess.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Never stop making time to practice your craft. You get older; you get busier, but never stop practicing your instrument. I’ve been slacking a lot. So I’m really only saying this for my own sake.
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PJ Aviles' new single '(I Swear) It Gets Better' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.