Mystery. Who doesn’t love a bit of it? Before our zoom conversation, skaiwater, was somewhat of an enigma to me. Following our zoom call, nothing really changed. 

Stylistically loose and aesthetically elusive, he’s an artist and a human who has nothing to prove. He’s the name on everyone’s lips - if you know, you know. He slips beneath the shadows, skulking around in Discord chats, coming out to play when all the so-called functional artists are tucked up in bed with a lemsip. There’s an almost unyielding vibrance to his character and his music; defiant against industry expectation, he refuses to conform to convention, whether musical or societal. This, naturally, is a trait that sits well with the angst of youth, which has aided in skaiwater’s dizzying rise. Borderline indefinable, it feels like he and his counterparts are building a movement and a mindset rather than a mere style of music. 

skaiwater has recently released his latest body of work, suitably entitled rave. A project that took many shapes and forms at various times in its journey to completion, it’s apparent that skaiwater’s art reflects his surroundings and lifestyle. He spent much of the time making this project meandering around New York and LA, partying and experimenting, thriving in the surreal hedonism that he found himself encountering. rave buys into modernism, into the new musical age that so many artists refuse to embrace. It’s the epitome of innovation, and it’s just the beginning for an artist who has only just found himself unleashed from the shackles of industry etiquette. 

I spoke to the compelling figure about his unique journey to date, rave, working with Lil Uzi Vert, and why he makes music. 

Who or what is an influence for you?

What keeps me going? I’m impatient. I really wasn’t going to do music for a while, but it’s an opportunity I couldn’t miss. I love music, so it’s something I couldn’t miss out on.

Why were you not going to do it? 

I’d been doing music for a long time, and I was in the industry for a while, so I got to see how the game works. Seeing how people move and how the game works to sell music. I wasn’t really with the programme, and I’ve got stuff to take care of. I don’t think I’d be anywhere without music, sticking to your morals and why you’re doing what you’re doing. People can lose themselves, but the principles in my art are about self-expression and being genuine. 

How did you first get into making music?

Honestly, as I get asked this question I’ve realised why more and more. I grew up with my dad recording music with the same set up I have now. I don’t really like studios, so whenever I can I’m at home recording with a mic. I just took that process from him because I saw him doing it from when I was born – it’s in my DNA. When I was 17, he suggested that I should be an artist and that kind of gave me a green light to go for it. He taught me FL studio and it took me a few years, but I started showing him how to do stuff. My family was my motivation for elevating myself as a person, and I wanted to be the best at making music. 

How did you find your sound?

A lot of different shit. I think being raised by my family, I didn’t care about what was around me. It was about finding out what I liked and not caring about what was cool or what people were wearing or listening to. I was always by myself, and just enjoying what I liked by myself. It was the same process with this new sound, I was just making whatever I wanted to make, whenever I wanted to make it. I make more pop-y samples, I really just want to mix EDM with pop, that’s how I started building my sound. Trying to make EDM more accessible. I was rapping for a long time, but then I just decided to start making what I wanted and to get back to focusing on self-expression. 

How did you first make a name for yourself? 

I don’t really know what happened. I developed a Soundcloud, but then I started using Tik Tok in 2021. That’s when I really built my brand, I was never worried about where I was. I was living in a city with all my people so I wasn’t concerned about putting music out, I just kept it quiet to be honest. 

When you were building an online profile, did it ever feel surreal? Did you struggle to deal with the idea that this success was actually happening? 

I was super young, so I don’t really remember it. I was 19. It was just like watching a number going up, but it’s nothing compared to now. Back then I was gaining 3,000 followers in a week and I would be excited, so I think that kind of desensitised me to it now. A number can change at any time and be manipulated or deleted, so I don’t bother about it now. I’m all about the human side, social media is just a bridge to that real-life connection with people – without that there’s no point. 

 Why do you think your sound caters more to a US audience? 

I’ve noticed coming back and forth between the UK and the States, we’re not really encouraged to express ourselves over here. It’s kind of frowned upon. I didn’t notice quite how much it’s like a weight on us. Self-expression in the States seems to be more accepted, but it’s not the people’s fault, it’s the way we’re raised. 

Can you define your style? It doesn’t have to be generically, but in its essence. 

I would say that every song is a one-on-one piece. That’s about it, I like that. I think I can be defined – everything can be defined – but my stuff is all different. My music is community music, I’m happiest when I see people collectively being happy with my music. Especially this project ‘rave’, it’s created for the clubs, the parties. 

The project, I like the low-key, mellow introduction. 

I’ve been on the move with my laptop, this has been more of a DJ project. I’m really into cinematic music. I’m moving more into music like that. I've already written a concept, but I just need the time to be able to create it. I don’t want to half-make it, but I’m really excited to start working on that. 

What was the creative process for rave?

It started from home. The real story is I met a girl and I wrote a project about it, but halfway through the project things changed. It became more of a thing. The first project was more of a bedroom project, but rave is probably double the length and, as my world opened up, the project opened up. Arranging a project while I’m trying to go to stuff in New York and LA, it’s a lot. It was definitely an interesting change; I went from recording in my crib to not really having a crib. I’ve just been everywhere and that’s why the project changed so much – the world is now part of it whereas before it was just my shit. 

It feels like a transitory piece, moving into a new phase of your life and music. 

I want my art to reflect what is really going on in my life at the time. I don’t want to make a project that is just bullshit, and I didn’t. It’s gotta reflect the world I’m living in. 

Thematically, what are you trying to portray? 

I want to make people party and dance. Also, to remember your family and your loved ones but to also hold them accountable. Love and party, that’s all. 

Q: Why did you choose to revamp #miles with Lil Uzi Vert? Was it for the name?

It’s not for the name, that would be disrespecting him. He reached out to me to work on pink and #miles was something that was just in the air while we were working. Before I’d met him, loads of people would talk about “Uzi, Uzi, Uzi”. I’ve been working on music with him for a while, and it was just something that happened. 

If you were introducing yourself to a new listener who has never heard of you before and you can play them one track, what track are you playing? 

ihy probably, it’s the best at showing my evolution. Or, at least the club stuff I’m doing, it’s like a club bop. 

Why do you make music? 

I make music because I love music, if I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t do it. I love the process, but it’s painful. Right now I’m really into writing, and I make music to get better at my craft. I make music to connect to people, and to connect people to others, but also to express myself and to say the things I’m afraid to say to my girl. My favourite artists make music and that makes me happy, so I want to be that for people. But mostly because I love music, and I love making it. 

Q: Where do you want to take your artistry? 

I want classic albums and classic projects, that’s what I really want. I want nothing else, just classic projects. I don’t know how long it will take me to get there, because I want them to be self-produced so it might take me a while. You can be the best artist for a year, but you then are known because you couldn’t keep it up. I don’t want to be that – I want to find my community and my people where we can just enjoy my music. 

Q: What about short-term? You’ve just dropped a project, but what’s next for you? 

I’m going on tour, then after that I need to sort my life out. I can’t really talk about what’s going on, but there’s a lot of shit that wouldn’t be happening if I wasn’t from another country. I need stability, but until then I just want to make sure I’m throwing the best parties. I can’t be my own favourite artist if I can’t enjoy the music, I need to be super critical to see where I’m messing up, especially in being genuine. I’d rather not be making music than making stuff that isn’t true to me. For me, as much as it’s a job, I could disappear one day and still listen to my music. It’s still my shit.