Interview with Eyelid Kid: Paul Grant

Paul Grant, known by the moniker Eyelid Kid, is a young artist reinventing the way our generation listens to music.  He is making strides in the industry by releasing music we love. His songs focus on the aspects of production that we might not always remember to listen to.  These nuances paired with the fundamental layering of his tracks is intriguing and represents the music of a new decade.  He will be on tour at the Sultan Room in New York City on Saturday 18th at 7pm.
Click here for tickets!
 
His interest in music started at a young age, while growing up Grant was surrounded by different instruments.  His father was a musician so picking up an instrument happened pretty naturally.  When he was in middle school, he and his older brother started to pick up instruments like the piano and the guitar.  As a self-taught musician, Grant states that he originally learned standard rock and roll songs but would later use this knowledge to move into the genres of electronic, hip-hop, and pop.  This collective makes his music stand out among others since the influences he has shown in his tracks make the listener focus on the nuances that add to the depth of his music.
 
When asked what his favorite instrument to play is, Grant mentioned that he is currently using a drum pad with vocal samples.  Though he says he is best at the guitar, there is just something special about the drums.  During his shows you can catch him playing a floor tom, which leads to a different aspect of instrumentation we don’t normally see.
 
Currently Grant is in the midst of recording a full-length album that is mostly produced and mastered.  His focus has been on finishing a song before adding aspects of production to the track.  For Grant, one of the most important parts of his writing process is the inspiration.  To prep for writing new tracks, he chooses to not listen too much music since it may influence the direction the song was initially going in.  When writing a song, the track starts as an instrumental piece with scat words scattered throughout—these are placeholders for the lyrics we will later hear in the track.  For his latest album, he hopes that the lyrics will speak for themselves before the layering in production kicks in.  This is prominent in the single he released, “Rosegold,” that focuses on the instrumental parts of the song and places an emphasis on the lyrics that are present.
 
When asked what his artist of the decade is, Grant mentioned that it had been Drake.  Artists, like Frank Ocean, were also in his top five.  As Grant says, “Frank Ocean is an insane artist and his songs have a lot of depth to them.”  Ocean is also an artist Grant would love to collaborate with based on the emotion placed behind the lyrics.  Currently Grant is listening to Brockhampton, an American rap collective formed in San Marcos, Texas.  The format of groups like Brockhampton is interesting; Grant is actually part of a project, known as Home Remedy, that is similar in nature.  He believes this is a future format other groups will utilize since it is a way to pull inspiration from so many other people. 
 
Since Grant hails from Austin, Texas, we asked him about the local scene in the area.  He states that it is full of “hometown support.  The people in the local scene are so supportive.” Grant joined an art collective when he finished high school and ended up headlining shows, which was a momentum gaining experience.  Though the scene tends to focus on psych-rock he is proud to see that venues are opening up to other genres like pop and electronic.
 
When asked what he does when he is not making music, Grant discussed the importance of the outdoors in his life.  “In Austin, there are springs, and camp-grounds that I would go to a lot when I was younger.”  He states that he enjoys rock climbing and that during tour there will definitely be some moments where he can enjoy the great outdoors. 
 
In 2020, Grant will be releasing a new album and going on tour!  He is also hoping to book a more prominent role in the acting world.  One thing he hopes his fans get out of his new album is the story he is hoping to tell.  “I want to put out music I am proud of.”
 
Don’t forget to check out Eyelid Kid’s music and get tickets for tour!  

Follow him on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook
Check out his music on Spotify