Meet Surface Grey | Artist, songwriter, and producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Surface Grey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi SURFACE, how do you think about risk?
I have took many risks that ended up fleshing out how my career played. These risks were all necessary and needed because I had I not first got on stage and performed or decided to stop Lolly gagging and dropped my first song on streaming then I definitely would not be where I am today. All of this stuff is a risk to be honest but you do not know how far it can go if you do not even try. With that also comes the other side of things to I have took risks that did not pan out such as investing money in a feature which an artist basically had another streaming account only for their features and does not show on their main page. It happens to even the best of us you get conned sometimes in the game but adversity only makes you tougher and wiser. I know now to be more careful with my business.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I would have to say what sets my art apart from the rest is the authenticity. I have my own unique sound (the pioneer of “churnt” music i.e chill + turnt), and I’ve expounded on this sound by having lyrics that are extremely relatable but also just try to be myself! Also, I feel only I would explore these topics further and bring them up in songs. Just being extremely vulnerable in my art. I’m most proud of being able to just have a sound that I can say I really own up to and took my time carefully crafting because not too many others can make a beat like, “SURFACE GREY,” nor write a song like me. This makes me unique in my own right. Crafting my sound definitely was not easy especially me being an avid music listener and just listening to everything not only just Hip-Hop and Rnb. I overcame most of the challenges I faced by just not giving up and going even when I’m tired or not feeling the best. The lessons I’ve learned along the way well.. I’d say easily number one is, “DON’T STOP KEEP GOING!” I think too many don’t understand this is a journey! A marathon not just a 100 meter sprint you know. I think social media has deceived us and now everybody wants that overnight success to live that luxurious lifestyle they’ve always dreamed of but nah if you truly want this you have got to be in it for the long haul. We on God’s timing we truly do not know when that oppurtunity is! Which leads to my next advice and that’s, “WORK HARD DO NOT CHEAT THE GRIND!” Many people in sports call it those 10,000 hours. Devoting those countless hours into your craft. It’s crucial for real.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Okay so if this is a Sunday, we going to the Texans game at NRG or if we don’t have tickets then we going to a fire bar (unless I’m just cooking at home). Now if this is Monday – Friday then I’m questioning my mans because why you doing this during my work week, XD nah I’m playing I know Thursday the Museum District would be dope to hit up. Wednesday probably would be Mid-town at either an event at Wonder Like Wander, performing in a jam session at gypsy Poet, and after either no matter what we finishing the night at AvantGarden for Waves on Brand, but I might roam by too just to see what The Flat is looking like for the night. Maybe that Monday and/or Tuesday I would probably take them to graffiti park look at the murals and dope art and tuesday could do karaoke with my dawg Uncle Tino at Sixes and Sevens. Mondays’ we reserving for God to start the week right @ Love Circles shoutout my girl Des. Friday Saturday toss up cause it’s always something going on but if it’s first Friday we at Oijeman for Fresh Oranges yunno…or last saturday Soul Control yunno i’s just so much to do. Had this been back then, Friday Night we going to Paradise Palace…yunno {R.I.P}. Heck might be a SURFACE GREY show that Saturday and we doing that you know its just so much to do and I’d have Santa’s rollcall if I truly listed all.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would say ultimately shout out to God first and for all because without him none of this is even possible. Secondly I would like to just give a shout out really to anybody who has ever helped me either with a video, getting studio time last minute when I needed it, and (cause it’s some people who have done both), or really anyone who has helped me with anything pertaining to my life honestly. I’ve realized with how I pour just icing life back into my music that there is some beauty in it all; and it’s the music. Shoutout to all the independent artist doing this here for pennies over the dollar for streaming, but we really care about the art! This means something to me you know…this help save my life, so if I can do the same for someone else then I know this was all worth it. Shout out also to the late great, Quincy Jones, does “who know” know all the things he said about God and music that correlate very well into the current state of the game. I try to follow the same and will continue doing this thang we call “mursik”!

Website: https://surfacegrey.bandcamp.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surfacegrey

Twitter: https://x.com/surfacegrey

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@surfacegrey