When it comes to releasing a mixtape, it is often difficult to gage whether large success will come with it or if you will be struggling to push it. But with the release of SonReal’s One Long Day, it is only best to predict that this project is going to fall in line with the rest of his projects that received extreme triumph.
As SonReal has described One Long Day as a “creative journey,” it is clear that he has pushed himself to the limit on this project. He is offering his fans an open availability to a side of him that he hasn’t shown before and it has made for quite an amazing project.
The Source got a chance to speak with SonReal before the premiere about One Long Day, his upcoming tour (dates listed below) and what is next to come for him. Read the interview below:
-Tell me about your project, One Long Day. Inspirations? Creative Process?
One Long Day is a record about my come up as an artist. I feel like the record really tells my story leading up until now. I just wanted to do something concise, musical, and more then anything, something with substance. The process was unlike any other album or mix tape I’ve ever done because we spent so much time on the songs. A lot of records on it would start out as rough skeleton ideas, and after months of working on them, changing drums, adding additional vocals and what not, the songs evolved into much more intricate, well thought out pieces of work.
-From the outside looking in, how would you describe One Long Day?
I would describe it as a creative journey. Throughout the record I touch on so many different stages in my life, it’s a very personal project. The album is very relatable, It’s got ups and downs though out the same way many of us do throughout the course of our lives. I just wanted to give people a raw uncut experience and I feel like we achieved that with this record.
-How do you feel listeners will react to One Long Day?
I hope amazing, haha! I mean, at the end of the day, I just want to put out my best work every time and one up what we last did. That is the most important thing to me, and I feel like we definitely achieved that with One Long Day.
-You’ve been on tour with Mac Miller and have opened up for some major artists. How does it feel to be going on your own tour now?
It’s great, It’s a completely different experience. When your opening up, you’ve got a different job entirely then when headlining. It is crazy to see people knowing all the words to the songs and see just how much your movement is affecting people. I’ve had fans come up to me with tattoos, home made t-shirts, gifts, all that. I definitely love headlining for the sheer fact I am connecting with an audience who is truly there because of their passion for the music.
-Where are you the most excited to perform at?
The states. I haven’t toured in the U.S yet and I am excited to do Chicago, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and New York in Febuary/March. It’ll also be exciting to see what kind of draw we have outside of Canada at the shows.
-What is your favorite track on One Long Day? Why?
That is very hard for me to say, and I think that is a good thing. Every single song has its placement in the completion of the album. I recorded a ton of ideas for this project and we just wanted to have it be insanely concise. But if I were to HAVE to choose, I would probably say “L.A”, “Sh*ts Epic” or “Luck”.
-Who would you like to collaborate?
Chance The Rapper.
-Besides touring, what else will you be working on in the near future?
I am already knee deep in my next project, I just went through a creative wind and got like 4-5 new ideas for the next album. We’ve got some amazing video work coming out and I just want to keep things moving and working as hard as we can to produce quality material that exceeds our previous work.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/20103921″ params=”color=ff6600&auto_play=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]CANADAJanuary 29 @ The Vogue Theater, Vancouver BC (DWW)January 30 @ Flashbacks, Kelowna BC (DWW)January 31 @ Winspear Centre, Edmonton, AB (DWW)
February 1 @ MacEwan Ballroom (DWW)
February 2 @ O’Brian’s Event Centre, Saskatoon, SK (DWW)
February 3 @ The Garrick Centre, Winnipeg, MB (DWW)
February 5 @ Community Auditorium, Thunder Bay, ON (DWW)
February 7 @ Sound Academy, Toronto, ON (DWW)
February 11 @ London Concert Theatre, London, ON (DWW)
February 12 @ Bronson Centre, Ottawa, ON (DWW)
February 14 @ Corona Theatre, Montreal, QB (DWW)
February 21 @ The Ranch, Barrie, ON
February 27 @ Gravenhurst Warf, Gravenhurst, ON
USA
February 20 @ Reggies Rock Club, Chicago, IL
February 22 @ Waiting Room, Buffalo, NY
February 23 @ Smiling Moose, Pittsburgh, PA
March 1 @ Slake, New York, NY
