TOKiMONSTA

TOKiMONSTA

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Behind The Board: TOKiMONSTA On Creativity And Finding Common Ground Through Music

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The L.A.-based electronic music producer describes the organic journey of turning her love of music into a career, how she's learned to go with the flow creatively and more
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Feb 1, 2019 - 10:00 am

Jennifer Lee aka TOKiMONSTA is up for her first GRAMMY Award this year, for Best Dance/Electronic Album for her third studio album, Lune Rouge. While she has been experimenting with beats and sounds and sharing her music with the world since her first EP in 2009, she didn't always think her love of music would ever be more than a hobby.

In the second episode of the Recording Academy's Behind The Board, which looks at the producers and other creatives behind the studio board, Lee dives into how she went from a music lover to full-time creator. She shares how she got her making beats with the likes of Flying Lotus and Daedalus at underground parties in her native Los Angeles and how that paved the way to where she is today.

TOKiMONSTA Shares How She Got Behind The Board

She also discusses another way that going with the flow has helped her in her life, sharing that forcing herself to make music has never really worked. "I've learned that for me in my 'creative process' is to not really have a process," she says.

Lee also talks about how she's proud of her GRAMMY-nominated album, that time Skrillex called to congratulate her on her nomination and how making music that she truly loves helps her connect with fans.

"I'm hoping that if I make music that's for myself, that there's a commonality between me and my listeners where we can agree on this music together. So it's more of a joint venture where we all get this," Lee explains.

Watch the exclusive interview with TOKiMONSTA above, and don't forget to tune into the 61st GRAMMY Awards on Sun. Feb. 10 on CBS.

Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: TOKiMONSTA On Authenticity & Why 'Lune Rouge' Is "A Celebration Of Life"

Teddy Walton

Teddy Walton

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Behind The Board: Producer Teddy Walton On Working With Kendrick Lamar & What Makes A Great Track

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The Memphis-based producer/songwriter explains his essentials for crafting the perfect song
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Feb 22, 2019 - 10:17 am

Producer/songwriter Teddy Walton, born Travis Walton, has a simple yet clear approach to making a great track, one of the essentials being that everyone is having fun, which Walton says is the most important part of making music.

He has worked with a range of underground and big-name artists, including hip-hop heavy-hitters Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar and Nipsey Hussle. Walton first worked with Kendrick on "LOVE."—from the GRAMMY-winning album DAMN.—and most recently with on "King's Dead," which won Best Rap Performance at the 61st GRAMMY Awards.

Teddy Walton Shares How He Got Behind The Board

Walton also explains how growing up in Memphis, Tenn. has influenced his music and who he is as a person, allowing him to work well with all kinds of artists. He got his start working with his brother, rapper June, and while they didn't really grow up in a musical family, they learned together, releasing an album called EVOL in 2012.

No matter who he works with, Walton keeps the setup simple, working mostly with a laptop out of his home.

He elaborates on how he likes to work organically and connect the dots as he works: "While I'm making the beat I'm thinking up some words. That's just me, really, I can't even finish the beat if I don't really know that at least the hook's gonna be tight."

He also talks about his two biggest musical influences—his brother and Kendrick—and how working with June has shaped who he is today.

Watch an exclusive interview with Walton above to learn more about his craft.

Behind The Board: Harvey Mason Jr. On The Role, Meaning Of Being A Producer

Jay Rock

Jay Rock

Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images 

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Jay Rock: "This Is A Real Big Redemption For Me"

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The GRAMMY-winning rapper shares the powerful backstory behind his first win at the 2019 GRAMMYs
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Feb 15, 2019 - 11:06 am

Los Angeles rapper Jay Rock had a great 2018; he worked with longtime friend and label-mate Kendrick Lamar on a big single from Black Panther: The Album and released his third studio album, Redemption, which also included the hit song.

The track, "King's Dead," also features Future and James Blake and garnered two GRAMMY nods. It won Best Rap Performance at the 61st GRAMMY Awards, Rock's first-ever win.

In an exclusive backstage interview with Rock after his big win, he shares the organic nature of the collab and reveals the deeper significance of his first time at the GRAMMYs.

Jay Rock One-On-One Interview | 2019 GRAMMYs

"Big shouts out to Kendrick Lamar…We were working next door together and I just so happened to walk in while he was working on the Black Panther Soundtrack," Rock said. "I'm still speechless right now, I'm just overjoyed and excited."

Rock and Lamar have been working together since the early 2000s with Top Dawg Entertainment, the label they are both signed to. Rock explains that he was planning on attending the 58th GRAMMY Awards with Lamar, but didn't due to a bad motorcycle accident he was in the day of the show. That year Lamar earned 11 nominations and took home five wins—the most of any artist that night. Now, three years later, Rock had his big moment as they both earned a win.

"This is a real big redemption for me. Three years ago I was supposed to be at the GRAMMYs with the homey, with Kendrick and the TDE fam, unfortunately I got into that real bad bike accident. Now three years later I won a GRAMMY. It's crazy man, it's just so unreal."

Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake Tie Anderson .Paak To Win Best Rap Performance | 2019 GRAMMYs

Tia Fuller

Tia Fuller

Photo: Jerris Madison

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Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: Tia Fuller On Growth, Artistic Vision & Leading By Example

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The jazz saxophonist and former member of Beyoncé's touring band talks about her tears of joy for her first GRAMMY nom, her journey to get there, and the personal meaning behind the title of her nominated album, 'Diamond Cut'
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Jan 25, 2019 - 5:55 pm

Jazz saxophonist Tia Fuller recently earned her first GRAMMY nod for her fifth LP, Diamond Cut, becoming the second-ever female solo artist to be nominated for Best Jazz Instrumental Album. Growing up in a musically inclined household, music, especially jazz, runs through her veins, and her vision of playing sax was set at a young age.

Realizing that vision has taken Fuller many places. From touring with Beyoncé as part of her all-female backing band to teaching at the prestigious Berklee College of Music to recording as a successful solo artist and touring as the bandleader, Fuller has an inspiring story.

We recently spoke to Fuller to learn more about her journey, what she learned from working Queen Bey (hint: it's a lot more than just how to perform in heels), and at what age she knew she wanted to be a musician. She also shared how emotional the GRAMMY nomination felt, how she sees her role as a female in jazz music, and the powerful meaning behind the title Diamond Cut.

How did you hear the news of your first GRAMMY nomination? What was your initial reaction?

Oh, goodness. I heard about it from my publicist on the morning that the results were out. I was lying in bed, checking my phone, and she had said, "Congratulations." And I thought, congratulations for what? And then she screenshotted my category [Best Jazz Instrumental Album], and I just started crying. It was one of the most emotional moments ever for me.

I called Terri [Lyne Carrington, who produced Diamond Cut] right after I found out and I was crying so hard that she couldn't even understand me. I finally I told her, and she was like, "Oh gosh, I thought somebody had died. That's amazing!"

Shortly after that, I saw one of my best friends who teaches with me at the Berklee. She's like a sister of mine; her name is Mimi Jones. She asked if I was okay, so I told her and she said, "See Tia, I told you!" And then she started crying; we were just celebrating and praising God. After that, it was an influx of emails and text messages saying congratulations for the rest of the day, which was really amazing.

Any time I think about it, I start tearing up and realize it's really a combination of my whole trajectory as a musician, from the very beginning of when I started playing and all of my goals that I set. It's truly a blessing.

What made you want to pursue becoming a jazz musician?

My parents are musicians, my dad is a professional bass player and my mom is a singer. My sister is a great pianist who worked with me my last couple albums. I come from a family of musicians so I was surrounded by music my whole life. I am thankful because growing up I was so exposed to jazz in particular.

I've taken ownership over being, and not proving who I am, or trying to prove who I am; allowing myself to be in the process and embracing every aspect of being a woman, an educator, a musician, a woman of color in the male-dominated world.

Have there been major moments that validated your path as an artist?

There's many more moments, but [one] notable one is the Beyoncé gig. If that week had played out any other way I wouldn't have been able to audition for her band. To make a long story short, I was preparing to go into the studio to record my first album with my record label that had just signed me, Mack Avenue Records. Earlier that week I was coming from rehearsal for the recording, and I went to the audition for Beyoncé band. It was a long line outside of Sony's studios, so I cut the line because it would've been an eight-hour line and I had to get back to my studio. I played Beyoncé's "Work It Out" for the audition.

The next day, I went into the studio to record my album, over three days. On that Friday evening, my last day in the studio recording, I got a call back from Beyoncé's people saying I made the first callbacks. I was able to go to the second call backs on Saturday and then the third call backs.

If they would have called any other day that week I would've not been able to be able to go, because being in the studio would've taken precedent. So I kept seeing these small blessings as to how I was able to do both. And that to me was a very clear indication that this is what I was supposed to be doing.

What was the biggest thing you learned from working and touring with Beyoncé and that amazing experience as a whole?

Well besides being able to walk in heels on stage? [Laughs.]

It was really empowering to see her function as a woman, a woman of color, as a leader, as a bandleader; seeing how she worked with her staff of 50 to 60 people—outside of the band—who traveled with her. I saw how she would always turn no's and into yeses, as far as being able to really walk fervently with her vision for her show, and for her life.

I observed how meticulously she put her shows together and how her shows were seamless. The way that she created the set list was extraordinary. It had everything in it genre-wise, music for an actual audience. These are all things that now I consider, and it's enhanced my process as far as creating set list for my band of 10. She showed me how consistency leaves room for spontaneity; everybody knows what they're supposed to do within the framework of the template set up for the show and how things are supposed to move in this show. It works even though I'm playing a different genre of music.

Diamond Cut is the first solo album you've put out in six years, since 2012's Angelic Warrior. As you mentioned, you've also taken on the role as a professor at Berklee—how have you grown or changed as a recording artist and as a musician over this time period?

Oh goodness, there's definitely been some growth. I've taken ownership over being, and not proving who I am, or trying to prove who I am; allowing myself to be in the process and embracing every aspect of being a woman, an educator, a musician, a woman of color in the male-dominated world.

Early on a lot of interwoven issues were brought to the forefront when I was out there playing, when I was really just trying to focus on the music. A lot of people would come up and say, "Oh, well maybe you need to smile when you're playing on stage." Or someone goes, "Why don't you come over here and help with this and that," but they're not saying anything to the other musicians.

I think that I have evolved, especially in the past six years, that I have been able to really come into the fullness and oneness of what I have to offer and am not trying to prove myself, instead allowing myself to be who I am and and celebrate that and in every aspect.

RELATED: Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: Angela Aguilar On Her Culture And Family Legacy

I read that the title for Diamond Cut is a metaphor for the time you've spent developing yourself and your artistic craft. Can you speak to that a little bit more?

I was looking for a title for some time and diamonds just kept coming to me in the process. The first reason for using diamonds in the title is celebrating legends of the community. That's why I included Jack DeJohnette, the legendary drummer, and Dave Holland on bass, celebrating our diamonds in the community.

The second reason, which is more personal to me, came from when I started reading up on diamonds. There are three things I realized. The first thing is that when a diamond is embedded in the earth's surface, it knows that it's a diamond upon extraction even though it's enclosed in ore. Once the diamond starts to rise to the earth's surface it has to endure an extreme amount of pressure and high temperatures to get to the earth's surface.

That relates specifically to my life as far as I know that I got put on this earth for a purpose. And like I said before, I took ownership, knowing that I'm a diamond but that I definitely had work to do. I still am doing the work, all the formulating and then all of the things that I've had to in order to rise to the top. Now the third part is really the catch, the term “diamond cut” doesn't pertain to the size or the shape of the diamond, but it pertains to how much light is reflected in the diamond; that's where the brilliance of the diamond lies.

What does a GRAMMY nomination for Diamond Cut mean to you personally and your artistic journey?

Oh my goodness. Wow. [Pauses] Emotional. It allowed me to see that all is possible.

No matter how it looks upon the inception of the diamond, you'll go through good times, and you'll go through bad times, and it's important to maintain a crystallized vision of your purpose because everything is possible in life. And it may not happen when you think it's supposed to happen, but to know that in the midst of my life, I realized that everything had its place and I'm walking in my purpose, being a light for others, and it's been reiterated. Whether it be on stage, whether it be in the classroom, whether it be for your family, it's you who is opening up opportunities for others and you who is letting them see that it is possible.

In my category, in the 61-year history of the GRAMMYs, I think I'm the second woman to be nominated, after Terri Lyne Carrington was nominated and won in 2014. So me being there is making a statement, now for women it's an equal playing ground. We're showing our presence, we're out here, and we have always been out here. In the history of music, specifically jazz, we've been pioneering this music, and now we are more so being seen. So this is giving me the opportunity to be a vessel for women, for other young women who are out there and now were saying, "See, we're doing it."

Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: TOKiMONSTA On Authenticity & Why 'Lune Rouge' Is "A Celebration Of Life"

TOKiMONSTA

TOKiMONSTA

Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

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Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: TOKiMONSTA On Authenticity & Why 'Lune Rouge' Is "A Celebration Of Life"

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We sat down with the L.A.-based experimental electronic music producer to talk about her feelings on the nom, pep talks from Skrillex and how working on the album helped her heal after brain surgery
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Jan 18, 2019 - 3:13 pm

Los Angeles native Jennifer Lee has been releasing experimental electronic music as TOKiMONSTA since 2009, beginning with her debut EP, Cosmic Intoxication. Implementing her childhood piano lessons and a desire to experiment with beats and sounds, Lee started to teach herself production and mixing techniques in her early 20s, initially as a hobby. But it wasn’t long before she began making waves in the electronic music community, particularly at L.A.’s popular underground Low End Theory parties, where she befriended artists like Flying Lotus, who signed her to his Brainfeeder label.

By the end of 2015, however, Lee's world came to a screeching halt: She was diagnosed with a rare disease called Moyamoya, in which one of the main arteries to the skull narrows and reduces the supply of blood to the brain. She had two brain surgeries in early 2016, and, as she was recovering, lost her ability to speak and hear, including music. Fortunately, as she healed, Lee gradually regained the ability to hear and make music again.

The result is her third studio album, the dreamy and joyful Lune Rogue, which earned Lee her first GRAMMY nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album. We recently sat down with her to learn more about how working on the album helped her heal and reminded her of her voice and purpose as an artist, which is to "make music that makes me happy." We also discussed how excited she is to be recognized alongside her peers (Skrillex called to congratulate her), what she admires about the GRAMMYs, music's shifting representation landscape, and her advice for younger artists.

READ MORE: Behind The Board: TOKiMONSTA On Creativity And Finding Common Ground Through Music

How did you hear about the news of your first GRAMMY nomination? What was your initial reaction?

I found out about my GRAMMY nomination Friday at 8 A.M. The night before, I played a show in L.A. and I hadn't seen my friends in a while, so we got a little tipsy. Friday I had a show in Hawaii and I didn't pack because I figured I'd wake up early and pack. So Friday morning I wake up in a panic because I haven't packed. I checked my phone and I have all these text messages like, "Hey, congratulations!"

I'm just in a full panic, hungover—which is not a common thing, by the way—and excited and flustered at the same time. I found out I was nominated, then I just sat on the ground amongst all my clothes for a minute and I couldn't figure out how to feel. I was really excited, but it was quite the morning.

It settled in over the day and I got to see everyone else who was nominated, especially in that category, which made me even more excited. Because they're all artists that I really love, all albums that I'd listened to this past year. I think it was the most rewarding and the most amazing to know that I was nominated with all these other amazing artists.

What made you want to pursue making music, and have there been any moments along the way that validated that?

What made me pursue music was my love for music. I think first and foremost, before being a creator, I'm a passionate lover of music. The music I make, I'm just a product of all my influences growing up and all the things I've listened to. When I was younger and was discovering all this music, it was at that first verge where I was like, "Hey, you can just download a program and make music by yourself?" So I downloaded some programs, I watched a bunch of YouTube tutorials, and I taught myself to make music. It was purely because I love music so much and I wanted to contribute. I had all these thoughts in my head and all these ideas I wanted to put down.

Because I had a background in piano, I knew how to create that way. So I started producing in that beginning, and then I was able to meet like-minded producers in L.A., and we had this place that we would hang out called Low End Theory. And my peers have also grown to be amazing, respected artists like Flying Lotus, Nosaj Thing, Daedelus, and so on.

It was just the right time for me to decide to pursue it fully and I think it was validated by the fact that I was just in such a wonderful moment in music in L.A., where me and my friends were doing some of the coolest sh*t all over. There was no way to say no. "Hey, you can make music forever, potentially?" "Okay, I'll take that."

I think now it's just getting recognized by people all over the world. It's hard to really say, but I definitely feel validated now that I made the decision to do music, because I could have decided not to. I could have been too scared.

In terms of challenges, you've shared that your Moyamoya diagnosis and recovery was incredibly taxing. How did you stay positive and what were your biggest lessons from that experience?

I think when anyone's going through a really trying time, it's not very easy to be positive. But it's also not very productive to be negative. Your life is so fragile. When I found out about my diagnosis, I decided to go in problem solving "let's fix this" mode. I was diagnosed with the disease in December 2015, and at the rate that it progresses—well, actually, that's the thing. No one knows the rate at which it progresses.

To give more detail, the vascularity in your brain starts to shut off. Your brain needs blood and oxygen and all these things—so I decided to really jump on it. I went out of my way to contact the correct doctors. I decided that I didn't want to wait to fix this. I decided to go and get these surgeries on my brain and they left me unable to talk and unable to speak; unable to understand anyone, unable to understand music, unable to make music. With all those things happening, it's not very easy to be positive. But my mind was focused on, "I can get past this."

I don't remember myself being explicitly positive at that time. I knew that I was definitely strong, and I knew that every day that there was progress in my speech faculties and in my ability to understand music. That incremental progress was where the positivity came from. I said, "Well, I see that I'm getting a little bit better. Let's push through this. I know that time is helping. I know that nothing is degrading. I know that I'm healing." And the doctors were saying good things.

So I pushed forward. I think in times of darkness for all of us, it's hard to be positive, but we can try to push forward and just hope and wish and visualize that through this darkness, there's something. There's that light at the end of the tunnel. Which is really cliché, but it's very true. And if you can focus on that and your healing, and on what may come after, that's good. It'll get you through it.

Because all you need to do is get through it. And then once you're there, it's all good. I get to be here. I get to be alive. I get to know that I have many years ahead of me. And it's also given me that opportunity to come to terms with who I am as a person and what I want to do, and what my voice is as a musician too, which is to make music that makes me happy. Because yeah, if I die tomorrow, I don't want to know that I lived on this earth making music that wasn't gratifying to myself.

You worked on Lune Rouge after recovering from the brain surgeries—what parts of the process of working on music again was the most healing or empowering?

You know, it's really hard to understand how it feels to not hear music, because it's in everything. You have no soundtrack to your life. Even now, I don't remember what it's like. It's a part of my memory, and I remember that I went through that, but I don't feel that feeling anymore because my life is full of music again, and sound. And so, when I went through that process and lost that ability [to hear music], when it finally did start to come back, it was very gradual. I started to understand music again, but it took longer for me to start creating music.

I could hear music, but when I would try to go and create, it was bad. But once I was able to get to a point where I think enough time had elapsed and my brain had healed enough where I could make music again, it was the most awesome feeling ever. The gratitude and the feeling I had in my heart was so full, like I know that I'm okay and I'm the same person. You never know when you go through something like that, like I should be grateful I'm alive, but I might not be the same person I was before.

That being said, I'm not superhuman. I think everyone thinks that I went through this crazy surgery and now I can change time or something. I'm still just a normal person. I also didn't have to relearn anything. It was more like the memories and the thoughts, they just started to come back to the surface. So yeah, this whole album was healing and therapeutic for me. It's a celebration of life. And it is every single song I wanted to make.

And all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into it was joyful. I wasn't stressed out, I think this album was therapy to me. This album, in that way, means more to me than any other piece of work. It's not like the songs are necessarily better than other songs, because I love all the music I've ever put out. But this is a true milestone for me, and it means that for my family, it means it for everyone that's around me.

Do you feel like getting your first GRAMMY nomination for this album validates your artistic journey in a deeper way?

When I found out that I won, I got a FaceTime from Skrillex, actually. He was in Thailand, somewhere far off, drinking out of a coconut or something. He was at a pool. And he was just like, "Congratulations! This is amazing!"

When I had found out that I was nominated, there was a piece of me—I think it's just self-deprecation—that was like, "I don't know. I'm really happy, but I'm scared. Do I deserve it?" And he just told me, "You know what? Think of it as the cherry on top." He was giving me a pep talk like, "You've been doing this for a long time! You deserve this!"

I don't think that this GRAMMY nomination validates me as a musician, because I know that I'm a musician. That is who I am. But it is nice to see that other people recognize me. So it's more of a recognition like, "We see you. This album is fantastic." I know that someone listened to the album. It's something I'm really happy to have, but it doesn't change who I am.

It will change opportunities in the future, which is really cool. It's also really cool to be able to see that the Recording Academy is listening, and they heard this album from this random person. Because I still look at myself as a random person. It's more and less than validation; it's its own special thing, to get nominated. I feel special.

We're currently living in a time where conversations and gender and equality are finally working their way more into every corner of our lives, both personally and professionally. What challenges, if any, have you faced getting your music heard in a scene that has a long history of gender imbalance?

My experience in music is very different in many ways than other people's. I'll say this first: My approach to music making and my approach to myself as a musician was that my identity wasn't as important as the music that I was making. So I wasn't trying to flash my face, I wasn't trying to point out who I am as much. I mean, if you know, you know. I'm a girl.

But I wasn't out going, "Hey, pay more attention to me because I'm a female musician." It's like, no. I don't deserve more attention because I'm female; I just deserve equal attention, you know? I want people to know that I make music on the caliber as my male peers. And that being said, I always walked this path with that step forward. Music first. And that's helped me in many ways.

I think I have to admit, there are ways in which there were disadvantages thrown my way that I just wasn't aware of. I know there are rumors, people saying that I didn't make any of my own music, that I learned everything from a boyfriend, that a boyfriend made all my music, or that I have a ghost producer.

RELATED: Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: Protoje On Evolving Reggae

And because of that, I felt like I had to validate myself further, to show people even more. I had to make the best music. I had to show people that I was producing. I'm very open to people looking at my sessions and teaching people things that I know, and sharing my knowledge so people know that I do know what I'm doing, and I'm willing to share that with you.

It's kind of hard. I mean, we live in a society right now in this very moment, where you can finally be heard by people. And people will look at you as a musician and not approach you with suspicion or whatever. They can look at you and be like, "Oh, you're a female. You make music. Cool." In the past, it wasn't like that, and I think that's the most way I felt injustice.

I've seen the landscape change so much. I feel like I'm in a good place now, and I made it through all that. And now, for all these young women coming up, people that are not male in this world, they have an equal opportunity to pursue music production in this genre, or other genres.

Do you have any advice for younger people trying to break into music?

My main key piece of advice is to be yourself and make music that speaks true to your heart. At the end of the day, I know it's much easier to be like, "Well, this song and this style of music is popular. I should do what that person is doing." No one's going be able to listen to your music and be like, "Oh, you made this." No, it's, "Oh, this sounds like a song someone else could have made."

You need people to disrupt that atmosphere, to disrupt the scenery, in order to have change. You might be the next person that everyone wants to emulate. But no one needs a double, triple, quadruple version of an artist that already exists. And now that the tools are so easy to make music, and it's so easy to make the same kind of music as other people, it's up to you as an artist to feel confident in your voice and what you want to do, and to be the change in that music landscape.

What are you most looking forward to in the New Year? Are there any big projects that you're starting to work on, or looking forward to?

The main thing I'm looking forward to this year is making more music, which is something I look forward to every year and every single day. As far as new projects, the next album. I don't think I ever want to stop creating. I don't want to take any breaks. At any given moment, I want to know that I have something ready to be heard. It doesn't need to be heard by a lot of people, but it needs to be heard by me. I just know that I want to make music and I think sharing it is a big part of who I am. I try not to overshare, so that being said, the big project is probably the next album. I don't know when it'll come out, but I'm definitely working on it.

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