Stephan isn’t interested in fitting into the mould—he’s here to break it. With a commitment to artistic individuality and an outright rejection of industry trends, the self-proclaimed “King of Fantasy” brings a fearless perspective to music. From his early experiences as a performer to shaping a sound that refuses to be boxed into a single genre, he discusses the influences that fuel his creativity, the industry’s pitfalls, and the unwavering philosophy that guides his career. In this interview, Stephan opens up about the challenges he’s faced, the lessons learned from working with industry veterans, and his vision for the future—both in the studio and on stage. If you’re looking for an artist with conviction and a refusal to play by the rules, you’ll want to hear what he has to say.
Stephan, welcome to A&R Factory! It’s a pleasure to connect with you and meet the artist behind your upcoming releases, which carry a fearless sense of individuality and a refusal to conform to expectations. Going back to the start, you started performing at 11 and writing music by 13. How did those early experiences shape your approach to songwriting and performance today?
Hello Amelia, thank you for your warm welcoming!!!. First of all, performing at the age of 11 was nerve-racking and an amazing experience. I had the best performance at the show. From that day, I knew I wanted to do something musically like performing, eventually dancing & Music production. I started writing my songs from 13 & the first song I wrote is called Incomplete, which is on my upcoming debut Album Hazard!! During my early musical journey, I did have some professional direction, but not as much as I wanted.
Long story short, more than half the time, especially as a Special needs individual, I was trying to discover who I am, who I want to be & where am I going? Consequentially, I decided to just be myself, find those that won’t try to influence me away from my identity/brand & stand out as much as I can, as most people have to follow others because they’re conditioned to do so. I’m usually seen as the odd one out, I love it!! Some people think I’m weird & strange, which is fine because it shows that I’m not like them & I go by my instincts.
You describe yourself as “The Visionist” and “King of Fantasy.” What do those titles mean to you, and how do they manifest in your music?
For me, these slogans are not only a part of my brand as this further enhances & conveys my non-sheep mentality towards people. There are people out there right now who have heard my music & they always say it’s “different”. Whenever I hear that, I know I’m on the right track because that’s what I want!! I’m not stupid to make generic music because to me, it shows little to no creativity & it’s overly safe. This is one of the reasons why I despise Major record labels as they demand their artists to follow trends that the Label themselves typically creates.
Major labels love to use marketing & promotional strategies to tell people what to like & not introduce music to the masses and see whether customers/consumers like it for themselves. This helps me grow & develop into the artist that I want to be!!
Your music rejects societal pressures and encourages self-investment. Was there a particular moment or realisation in your life that solidified this ethos?
Great question, Amelia!! By being alive long enough & realizing there’s too much negativity in this world. This yet again solidifies my non-sheep mentality because there’s too much conditioning from the powers that be. Hence, I strongly advise people to self-invest in themselves to grow & develop. When people do this, they will realize a lot of predicaments are by design. How are we as people supposed to make this world a better place when too many people are following lies & garbage? I don’t want to sound too political; I’m not a perfect Human being as everyone makes mistakes. However, I’ve been putting my actions where my Mouth is especially, in my music.
You’ve worked with industry veterans like Nick Michaels and Phil Curran. What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve taken from these collaborations?
Working with Nick & Phil has taught me a lot of things & it also keeps me humble. Because there are skills I either lack or need improving on, honestly, everyone has or at least should have a team behind them. No one truly makes it by themselves, even great artists like Prince, MJ, George Michael & Freddie Mercury, etc. It’s also important to have a team that resonates with oneself as this can further enhance a harmonical professional relationship, environment & better music.
I remember when I first worked with Nick & Phil, the Production owner Nick gave me about 2 hours for free to show me what they could do to my track: It’s all within time (travelling through the stars) (which is also on my debut Album Hazard). What I’m about to reveal is very personal, so here goes. I had tears in my eyes that I quickly wiped so they wouldn’t see how overwhelmed I was. It was truly amazing & I knew from that moment this would work out.
With influences ranging from Prince and Stevie Wonder to Billie Eilish, how do you merge classic inspiration with a modern sound while keeping your music distinct?
I’m glad you’ve asked this question because for me, the best artists & music for the most part, came from around the 60s to the 80s. Not to put too much emphasis on my age, those eras were before my time & even I realise the greatness of those eras & how much inspiration that has continued to inspire artists like myself to this very day. Those great artists took chances to express themselves & went by instinct, which is exactly what I do. I don’t care if I’ll never be on their level; I’ll be ecstatic if I was 25% of their level. As a result, because I’m different to what is currently being produced & released. This helps me keep my music & my brand more distinct.
Also, when people listen to my music, especially my vocals, they usually mention Prince, Bee Gees, MJ & George Michael. Mentioning Billie Eilish is very crucial not only because I’ve listened to some of her music previously & I do quite like her sound. Billie is also a contemporary artist & generally, when people discover an artist they’re interested in, they want to know as much information about that artist, including their inspirations, because it can illustrate to the assessor whether the artist is worth their time & investment. If the assessor likes the artist’s inspirations (& other aspects) like myself, the assessor will more likely give me a chance because we have something in common. Unfortunately, most of the artists that I’m heavily inspired by are no longer alive. At times, when I make my music, it feels like I’m paying tribute to the greats who have impacted me not only musically but also overall.
Your debut single, Say it like you mean it, digs into the pain of unreciprocated love. How personal was this track for you, and what do you hope listeners take from it?
Yes, Say it like you mean it is my debut Single & my song clarifies the importance of valuing one’s time and energy while delivering a message about self-worth as well as learning to read between the lines by not always expecting or wanting someone to be direct & honest about any circumstances. About 90% of communication is nonverbal or indirect. I’m a man & men generally make the first move on a potential love interest. I’ve wrongly chased women in the past; I didn’t realize they were not interested & I got my feelings hurt. I’m confident my song will resonate with a lot of people. I would like my listeners to know that a smart person learns from their mistakes but a wise person learns from the mistakes of others.
Genre constraints clearly don’t interest you, with your music spanning everything from funk and soft rock to trance and metal. Do you think audiences are becoming more open to fluid genre-crossing, or do you still feel resistance?
I think people are probably more open to different genres of music. There still is/always will be a bias towards certain genres, which is Human nature & that’s not really an issue. For me, I would find it limiting if I was to focus on one, two or even three genres because I look at music like MMA. Why should I use a few elements when I can use as many as I want? Music is an art, art is an expression & that expression will mean different things to different people. All I have to do is market and promote my stuff towards the right people who resonate with my art.
Growing up with special needs, you faced and overcame significant hurdles. Has that shaped the way you navigate the music industry, and do you feel a responsibility to represent those with similar experiences?
Growing up with Special needs was an extremely difficult experience that I still struggle with to this very day. However, I’m dealing with it; I’ll have my bad days & I’ll have my good days. I have personally learnt to embrace this because it helps me overall keep my sanity & no one is perfect. I’m not a machine, I’m a Human being & nothing in life is always perfect. My Special needs have greatly shaped my outlook in life. I have decided to channel this energy for the most part in my music, not only to blow off steam but also to musically help people even though at times I struggle to help myself. Not only is this a message to myself, but it’s also a message to other people that you’re not alone!! Music to me is like therapy; I really love the euphoric feeling music gives me from Writing, Singing, Producing & Sound engineering, etc. Music, at times, makes me feel so alive. Everything I’ve mentioned in this interview is a part of my brand, hence why I NEED to manifest this.
You’ve got your sights set on touring globally. What’s the ultimate vision for your live shows, and what can audiences expect when they see you on stage?
I really can’t wait for this to happen. In short, my brand will physically reflect what I’m going to do on stage. The same way I listen to other artists, I watch other artists perform & anything that’s treading, I either won’t be doing it or I’ll do my own alteration of it. I don’t necessarily need to have the best performances. I’ll have performances that people will be compelled to engage with. Watch this space.
Tell me a little bit about your cousin Deyaz (UK artist).
No problem. I’ll quickly go over a few things. Deyaz is my cousin who’s in the Music industry as an Indie artist. Even though we no longer speak as he has stupidly cut off the vast majority of his family members in his life, apart from his mother. I like to call this, I’ve made it syndrome. It’s good for him that he has got to where he’s at initially, with no Music buzz; however, I’d say it’s very sad how he has dealt with this situation. Because some people like myself who did help him out got cut off. Deyaz was never taught to be like this; he has or got a drink & drugs addiction. It’s natural selection. When my name starts getting out there more, I’ve promised myself I’d never stupidly lose my identity/brand. I’ve heard of these things happening to other artists. Me & Deyaz were supposed to collaborate but that never materialised.
I remember I took Deyaz to the Hospital when he asked me to, when he showed up late to my mum’s place. I thought something had happened to him. I was thinking of the worst-case scenario. Deyaz even got punched by his own brother for being “ungrateful” & all the things that were done for him. It seems more like a personality trait. If there are any setbacks in my life, I’ll try very hard to look at things as positive to grow, develop, remain determined, take courage & persevere. On a lighter note, I was recently in talks with Nines’s (UK Rapper) Music manager. Only time will tell if anything comes out of that.
Stream Say It Like You Mean It on Spotify now.
Stay tuned for Stephan Folkes new releases on Instagram and TikTok.
Discover more ways to listen and connect with Stephan via this link.
Interview by Amelia Vandergast
