Meet Angel Quintas, the self-taught musical virtuoso hailing from Orlando, Florida, whose sound is a fusion of classic and contemporary influences ranging from iconic groups like The Beatles to modern artists like Harry Styles. Angel’s debut album, “Self-Portrait,” released in 2021. As Angel prepares for the unveiling of the sophomore album, “In The Clouds,” in late 2023, Angel has recently released his latest single, “Up To You.” In this interview, we delve into Angel’s musical journey, diverse influences, and the inspiration behind his newest release.
“Self-Portrait” was a solo project where you handled every aspect of the music creation process. How has this DIY approach influenced your musical style, and what themes can listeners expect from your debut album?
Well, the musical style of “Self-Portrait” has, for the most part, a sort of un-polished/unfinished quality about it. Compared to some of my more recent releases, you can tell it was very made up as I went along. But it was my first time ever producing music, recording music, and generally getting serious about writing music. I didn’t have access to a studio, and I couldn’t afford a producer at the time; all I had was a few guitars, GarageBand on my old MacBook, and a microphone. At the time, I had no idea what mastering was. So the fact that it’s got some rawer elements shows the growing pains I went through when working on it. There’s a recurring theme of reflection, heartbreak, and love on the album, which are themes and topics that I often write about.
Your influences span decades and genres. How do you weave together the sounds of legendary acts like The Beatles with the contemporary vibes of artists like Harry Styles, and what do you believe distinguishes your music in today’s diverse music landscape?
Simple, I’m a huge fan of both! And now that my ear is a little better trained to pick up certain writing, recording and production techniques, I implement those elements into my own work. Sometimes I lean a little heavier into the influence, but it’s good sounding music, so I don’t see why not! I see a lot of artists using musical elements from the 70’s and 80’s, but there’s hardly, if any, artists using elements from the 60’s with contemporary production. Not since the Britpop movement in the 90’s. And I feel like that’s what sets me apart from my contemporaries.
“Up To You” is your latest release. What inspired the song, and how does it fit into the broader narrative of your upcoming sophomore album, “In The Clouds”?
“Up To You” is about the fact that, although sometimes we feel like we have no say in the choices we’re given in life, the choices we make are truly up to us. It’s also about change, and how difficult it can be to adjust to. We can either choose to stay in our comfort zone, or make ourselves uncomfortable, and step out of it to see what lies beyond. Some verses were partly inspired by some people who were once integral to my life, who aren’t as integral anymore. A lot of the songs on “In The Clouds” delve into introspection and reflection, more so than on “Self-Portrait”. I’ve done some growing up since the last album was made and released, and I feel like the songs I’m writing now reflect that. Not to say that “In The Clouds” is an entirely serious album! There’s also plenty of levity, excitement and fun on this record.
Being a self-taught musician and producer, what challenges have you encountered in the music creation process, and what advice do you offer to emerging artists looking to take a similar hands-on approach to their music?
Like I mentioned when talking about the process of making “Self-Portrait,” there were lots of growing pains. Most of it was due to the technological limits I had at the time. I didn’t have the home studio I have now, I didn’t have a lot of the tools I have now, such as a MIDI keyboard, monitors, a good pair of studio headphones, etc. My entire first album was written, recorded and mixed, in GarageBand, on a 2014 MacBook Air. And while I still have the belief that limitations allow creativity to flourish, I think that having some of those tools at hand make for a more streamlined process. As for advice, it might sound a bit counter-intuitive since it’s reducing the “Y” in “DIY”–but don’t be afraid to ask for help. Being a DIY music artist is about so much more than just writing and recording music. If you want to mix and master your own work, that’s fine, but there’s a lot that goes into music production. And while I do most of my own production work, I still seek help from time to time from a producer friend of mine named Angeliz Bula. There’s the whole business side of it, which I also handle myself, and can be stressful at times. There’s promotion, creating content, photoshoots, music videos (which I do get help with from a great photographer/videographer named Emma Popkin). And most importantly, as a DIY music artist, securing your Composition and Recording rights!
Your debut album explored themes of love and reflection. How does the lyrical narrative of your upcoming album, “In The Clouds,” differ, and what can fans anticipate in terms of musical evolution in this next chapter of your career?
Lyrically, I’d say “In The Clouds” goes deeper into those themes than “Self-Portrait” did. And musically, I’ve found more of my own voice, and what works for me as an artist, and that is definitely reflected on the album.
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