Exclusive Interview with Bo Blitz

Upcoming 100: How long have you been in the music industry and has music always been a part of your life?

Bo Blitz: I’m actually quite new to the music industry as far as the mainstream knows. Up until this point, all my music has been underground. “Spooky Action At A Distance” is the first EP I have released with extensive promotional and marketing campaigns.  Music has always been a part of my life. Looking back from the experiences that I had as a child from listening to my mother sing in the house, to taking music and poetry classes in school, to the hip-hop songs my brothers played, they have all had a huge impact that I have learned to appreciate today. Now I can reflect back on my younger years and put those experiences from my childhood into greater perspective.

Upcoming 100: Was there a specific moment in your life where you thought, “music is what I want to do”?

Bo Blitz: More so than it being one specific moment, I would say it was more like a collection of important moments.  These important moments were when timing and opportunity aligned with my goals. When that begins to happen with some regularity, it made me that much more curious to how far my passion could take me. Yes, music is what I want to do. Showing progress definitely helps to fuel my drive. Striving to make progress sustainable for an artist in my position is insane work, but it’s what I am tasked with and humbly accept.

Upcoming 100: What inspires you (or your music)?

Bo Blitz: Many things inspire my music. For me inspiration breaks down to simple and complex thoughts.  Something as simple as a smell, a sound, a picture, a word, can trigger my creativity. The other times may involve being in a certain environment, feeling a certain emotion, or drawing from current events.

Upcoming 100: Who’s on your iTunes playlist?

Bo Blitz: Honestly, I don’t have a go to playlist. During my workouts, I do get a chance to listen to iHeartRadio, Spotify, Pandora, and other Internet radio stations. There are a lot of dope songs out that I like by a variety of artists from R&B and pop to Hip Hop and Trap. Aside from that, I’m usually listening to music I’m working on. That mostly involves listening to beats to see what instruments need to be added, reviewing the vocals and writing lyrics. 

Upcoming 100: The project you are currently promoting, how did the idea for it come about?

Bo Blitz: Spooky Action At A Distance is a quote from Albert Einstein, used in quantum physics when referring to the theory of entanglement. Basically, it states two particles that are entangled with one another remain connected and have affects on one another even across vast distances of space. So regardless of the space between them what happens to one will affect the other. I thought this would be a great concept for my album because I wanted to do something out of the norm but wanted fans to know it was still me. The tracks on “Spooky Action At A Distance” show how separate versions of me affect each other and ultimately influence the person I am. In this EP, I showed two sides of my creativity. One is more edgy and hardcore.  The other is more smooth and laid back. So through entanglement, both versions find themselves doing something they’ve never done before.

Upcoming 100: There are thousands of artists trying to do what you are doing, what do you think gives you an advantage to break into mainstream America?

Bo Blitz: True, there are thousands of artists trying to do the exact same thing that I am. Ultimately, it comes down to how many times you’re willing to roll the dice. I think a connection with the music and the artist is what makes the difference. In one way or another you need to make a connection with people. I’m pretty sure every artist feels their music is worthy of people’s attention and people’s money, but there’s a difference between an artist who has a song you will listen to and an artist who has a song you will buy.

Upcoming 100: I’ve heard your latest music and it’s amazing! I can definitely tell your sound has evolved over the past few years from previous songs we’ve heard from you online. What are your thoughts on the evolution of an artist and the evolution of music today?

Bo Blitz: I think a lot of the music today is more influence than evolution. Evolution requires improvement and advancements. Listening to rap music today, I don’t think there have been many big improvements or advancements in what rap music is. If anything, some of the material has become so raw and uncut, you could argue that it’s damaging the culture. I do realize the popularity of hip-hop is at an all-time high. You see how it’s branched over into other cultures and is now widely excepted as one of the most dominant music genres in the world. In more recent years, negative influences have definitely helped shape a larger portion of mainstream and underground rap. It’s far more likely for an artist to evolve through mastering their own unique talents and always being eager to learn, than it is for an artist to be negatively influenced, manipulated, exploited and then expected to elevate hip hop culture.

Upcoming 100: Do you have other passions in life? Do you believe passion is an essential part of success?

Bo Blitz: I have several other passions in life. Music and fitness are the two I dedicate most of my time to. A healthier quality of life is something a lot of people don’t strive for until they’re faced with circumstances that require them to. In my career as a fitness instructor, I have helped people invest in their future through education, nutrition, exercise, and stress management. I’ve been fortunate to work with a variety of clients from local members of my community to celebrities and athletes. The most important message I send is to be the best you that you can be.  It starts with having a positive attitude toward your goals, then putting forth the proper effort to turn your weaknesses into strengths. In my case, I would say, yes, passion is an essential part of success. Being passionate about my work definitely brings out a higher level of quality as an artist. However, passion will only get you so far. Passion can also blind you to other areas that are just as essential to being successful. In my opinion, what IS essential is, to apply that passion to all areas and not overly emphasize one aspect of success.

Upcoming 100: With your current success and working with a renowned PR firm such as Starlight PR, What advice would you give to someone just starting out in his or her career who doesn't even have a studio to record but would love to do what you are doing now?

Bo Blitz: Get your finances in order! Everything costs money. Not that everything you do requires money but the majority of the time there will be funds involved. Being able to support your music career financially will increase the likelihood of success. A lot of artists are trying to make it big. Having some form of revenue stream can open more platforms for their music to be discovered. I still have not figured everything out myself.  I often read articles and see interviews with new artists and wonder how they did it. What did they do? Where did they go? Who did they talk to or whatever the case may be to get where they are. Those are the questions a lot of aspiring artist have. Truth is, we all have our own path. My best advice is to take advantage of every opportunity you get. You will make mistakes along the way, we all do. Learning from them will help you in the future to determine wise decisions from unwise decisions.

Upcoming 100: Where can potential fans find out more about you?

Bo Blitz: My website is Amillionways.rocks. There, viewers have access to videos, music, photos, bios and more. On social media you can find me under @TheBoBlitz on Instagram, SoundCloud and Twitter. The start to this year has been great with promotions and marketing. My goal is to do so throughout the entire 2018 and have audiences engaging with my music around the world.