Meet Aidan Fraser, the South African Alt-Electro-Indie-Pop sensation whose debut album has sent ripples through the music scene, boasting over 8k Spotify streams. In an exclusive chat with Marcel, Aidan unveils the intriguing journey that led him to where he stands today.
First Steps
Embarking on a musical journey is no small feat, and Aidan reflects on the initial steps that set him on the path to success.
Opening up about his beginnings, he shares, ‘I actually started posting music and songs I would write, on Instagram in 2017, and then I started posting demos in 2019 on YouTube and Soundcloud. My mom eventually found Jack Atlantic and Dale Schnettler the drummer of Prime Circle through an ad on the radio. They were looking for artists to make music with. So I went into studio with them, and then we were supposed to make one song, and then we ended up making a whole album, and then we eventually pitched the album to the label Just Music, who then signed me. So it’s been a very long, slow process, but I’ve been making music my whole life…’
Life as a Signed Artist
The public often only glimpses the finished product, so we had to get Aidan to shed light on his life as a signed artist.
Relocating from Joburg to Cape Town, he reveals, ‘I’m always working on new music but my label has been really busy in Joburg, but I’m moving to Cape Town and they have another label there, so as soon as I get to Cape Town I’m probably going straight to studio and hopefully performing a lot more. Personally, I can’t sit with something for too long, I drop an album and it has its time and once its time is starting to pass I want to move on, but I feel like I haven’t really moved on right now because I want to go to studio and make songs but my label’s been busy. So I’m still making songs but I’m in this limbo state right now where I’m trying to enjoy life and make music.’
The Process
Melding various genres into a cohesive sound is an art, and Aidan delves into the creative process that allows him to successfully pull it off.
Expressing his approach, Aidan remarks, ‘I like to be very experimental with my music, I don’t even know where to go from here, or which route to take because I have so many genres and albums to choose from. But as an artist it is good to evolve. If you keep making the same music you just stay stagnant and you’re not gonna go further, even in your own life if you’re just choosing to stick to one thing. I just feel like as humans we always need to be changing and evolving and learning and growing, we never get to a point where we say okay it’s done, you know what I’m saying?’
Biggest Inspiration
Unveiling surprising influences, Aidan traces his roots back to an unexpected source.
‘When I was young I used to watch Hannah Montana and I was obsessed with Miley Cyrus. Ever since I was young I’ve looked up to her in a way because I wanted to be that, I wanted to be a rockstar on stage so yeah, I guess Miley Cyrus my whole life has been my biggest inspiration to just keep being you and stick to what you want to do and just be yourself. The way she writes music is very similar to how I write music, she tells stories, but I also draw inspiration from artists like Billie Eilish, Troy Sivan, and Melanie Martinez. I also draw inspiration from genres like Drum & Bass and Techno, but my biggest inspiration is Miley Cyrus.’
Conclusion
Aidan Fraser's artistic journey is a testament to perseverance, evolution, and staying true to oneself in the ever-changing landscape of the music industry. Check out the full audio episode here.
