Phor • "Help"
Phor considers himself an artist in the truest sense of the word. Not just in the art he creates with his music, but also in the visual art he creates as a professional tattoo artist. While the former medium is his passion and the latter is a service he provides, the artistic integrity required for both go hand-in-hand with each other in a way that is impossible to keep them 100% separate from each other.
Photo by Ayaka Sano
Phor stays true to himself as an artist by following his own set of rules. Rules he created after breaking the ones that were already there. Using his music as a personal diary, he opens up about his vulnerabilities in a way that connects to whatever the listener may be going through. Being a proud Chicagoan, he knows that people in a city like this are known for having two things: hustle and soul. Phor just wants to be a voice for his community and whatever struggles they’re going through. By using music as a platform, he wants to motivate his fans to get through the grind by spreading the message of strength, endurance and positivity in the face of struggle. His latest visual explores those themes in an in depth way that might be his most personal work yet with “Help”.
Find out more about Phor and the new video in our exclusive Q&A below!
This is a very emotional song and video. Were there any specific events that transpired that inspired the creation?
I suffer from depression. I feel like quitting and giving up. I cry for help just like everyone else but i hide it well. I felt it was the perfect time to release this message. Many suffer from depression, I just want them to know they not alone
What's your typical approach to creating a new track? Does the approach vary depending on the theme of the song, for example creating a more fun, laid back song compared to a more vulnerable one?
I like to go in the studio with whatever it is on my mind and freely express whatever I’m feeling in a creative way and to execute my listeners to feel where I’m coming from no matter the mood or tempo.
You're very open about your mental health on this song even alluding to suicidal thoughts and including the suicide hotline number at the end, but mental health is still a taboo topic in communities of color. What stigmas are you hoping to tackle with a song like this?
The point and message of this song was to save people. Give people who struggle with mental health an anthem. I can relate to their stories. Ii just want them to know there not alone
As 2018 comes to an end, how would you reflect on the year that was? What milestones did you make that you're most proud of?
Honestly, just the growth overall and seeing that I don’t always have to focus on radio records. And seeing that my audience supports me with whatever I do, staying down is the most important part building my brand the correct way
What can fans, both new and old, expect from you in the coming months? Do you have an upcoming project?
I have a few projects I’m currently working on I’m sitting on a tone of Music and I apologize to my fans for not putting it out sooner, but I got so caught up in creativity I forgot. “CAKE” project on the way.