To celebrate history in the making, we interviewed GFOTY,<\/a> umru,<\/a> and Count Baldor<\/a> to explore this nascent, extremely online musical moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Count Baldor defines hyperpop as \u201ca big soup made up of at least one hundred genres, and you can use any ingredients you like to make it.\u201d The term ‘hyperpop’ became a part of popular genre nomenclature by playlist curators at Spotify when they grouped together similar-sounding artists, many of whom were involved with the label, PC Music.<\/a> Some fans, critics, and opinionists categorize hyperpop as pop music with what they call \u2018experimental elements.’ However, the sounds in the playlist and other hyperpop collections vary greatly with each producer\u2019s approach,<\/a> style, and choice of instruments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n umru shares, \u201cHyperpop became a label for such a broad range of music and influences that it really doesn’t mean much. The name’s been around longer than the [Spotify] playlist. Although the exposure of the name allowed great opportunities for some artists who really deserve it, seeing the power a company like Spotify can have over even the most independent, genre-defying new music is scary.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n He adds, \u201cI don’t know a single artist who really associates themselves with hyperpop\u2014it’s either too broad for artists who identify with more specific scenes or genres, or it’s too limited. I and a lot of my friends just want to make pop music, without getting boxed in by curators deciding what they think is too experimental.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n GFOTY illustrates this concept by adding, \u201cI\u2019ve never really thought GFOTY falls into a specific genre or category, but I guess GFOTY is quite extreme. So if I fall in the hyperpop category, then hyperpop, to me, means extremities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A commonality among hyperpop artists is their wide diversity of influences; yet, they rarely overlap with each other. Count Baldor tells us, \u201cWhen I\u2019m making music, I’m almost never thinking about it. If I’m taking inspiration from something, it’s usually UK garage music, the Wigan Pier Tunes playlist, jazz, TV show themes, ancient lyre music, dubstep,<\/a> psytrance, techno, IDM, etc. I like to cherry-pick different things and see what works together in an exciting way.\u201d He adds, \u201cA lot of people who make hyperpop are not necessarily influenced by other hyperpop songs. Some are, and there are definitely artists in the scene who influence me. But, rather than attempt to emulate their sound, I more so admire their philosophical approach to music.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n GFOTY adds, \u201cMy music is quite literally based on a real algorithm of whatever I\u2019m into at the time and what\u2019s going on in my head. I listen to mostly dad rock music like Squeeze, Supertramp, and Madness, as well as 2005-era British indie music with a dose of ABBA, Queen, and Nirvana. When I go out, I\u2019ll get ready by listening to Scooter or Pitbull. That element mixed with the embarrassing mixture of music I listen to daily must somehow create my own little version of hyperpop, which you hear in my music.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Producers of any style of music are often most excited about their collaborations with artists and other producers. umru reflects, \u201cI work the best with friends when we’re having fun. I was quite lucky early on with some major production credits, but I’ve never really had the proper ‘industry producer’ experience. I don’t send out lots of beat packs or anything. I think I’m much better at working back and forth, honing in on the production after receiving a recorded idea. In the end though, whatever makes a good song is a success to me, whether it’s finished in a day or I spend months overthinking the production.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nDefining hyperpop<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Influences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n