Inspired #406 - Devon Gilfillian
With his album ‘Love You Anyway’ out this Friday - Devon Gilfillian took a moment to talk to us about latest single ‘Right Kind of Crazy’ and the inspirations behind his music.
The new single, is a delicious slice of hip-hop inflected R&B comes on the heels of Devon’s impressive week at SXSW, where Devon performed stellar sets at Willie Nelson’s annual Luck Reunion, as well as showcases for Waterloo Records, Paste Magazine, Relix Magazine, Tito’s, Jam in the Van, and more.
“Love can be chaotic and beautiful and so often in the early stages of romance almost intoxicating,” Devon explains. “‘Right Kind of Crazy’ is a song about what comes next, the deeper understanding a couple can reach as they start to truly see each other through that chaos. There’s a beauty in that, a real power in truly knowing someone and still allowing for that intoxication to creep in, when the lights are low and the right song is on…”
Last month, Devon premiered the album’s first single, the alluring Temp’s infused gem ‘All I Really Wanna Do’ which saw support from Amazing Radio.” The track recently debuted on the Top 25 Billboard Adult Alternative chart and Top 10 on the Americana Singles chart in the USA.
Devon will be making his UK debut in May, supporting My Morning Jacket on their European tour.
Support to My Morning Jacket
30 May - Kentish Town Forum, London (UK)
31 May - Ritz, Manchester (UK)
05 June - De Roma, Antwerp (BE)
06 June - Grote Zaal, Utrecht (NL)
Who are your top three musical inspirations and why?
My Top three musical inspirations would have to be 1. My dad 2. Jimi Hendrix 3. Stevie Wonder.
My Dad is a singer and has been my whole life. I would go to see him in his band Cafe Olé or Siembra, or I'd be hearing him learn the Temptations or Earth, Wind, and Fire for a wedding he was singing at on a Friday or Saturday night. No matter what, though, my dad was always listening to Stevie Wonder, and that love bled down into me.
I discovered Jimi Hendrix while I was learning Red Hot Chilli Peppers, "Under the Bridge.” While learning that song, my dad told me that Frusciante's playing reminded him of Hendrix. He then handed me a greatest hits Jimi Hendrix CD. I put it in my Walkman. I was 14 years old. My mind was swiss cheese after that. I was addicted. It was like the first-time eating chocolate and knowing how beautiful life could be.
My love for Stevie was passed down from my father and I'm so grateful for that. Stevie Wonder feels like gospel music to me. He always felt tapped into music on a deeper level. I always want to be tapped in the way Stevie is tapped in. In the purest, most childlike way.
Is there a certain film that inspires you and why?
Kill Bill has always been a film that has inspired me, one, because I was obsessed with samurai swords and Anime, and two because of the soundtrack and film score. It created nostalgia where you wanted nostalgia, it created stress where you knew something was about to happen. Tarantino knows how to do that so well.
What city do you find the most inspiring and why?
Nashville truly is an incredible and inspiring city. That would be my number one, just because of the music community here and the way we crave to inspire each other. There's also something about Austin, Texas. There's music history there, too, that I love, with Willie Nelson, and Waylon, and the Outlaw scene. Philly is my third, and I wish I was there more to see the scene now.
Who is the most inspiring person to you and why?
I would have to say my Dad. He introduced me to music and gave me my gift of singing and my ear. He also introduced me to all of the artists who became my north stars.
What were your inspirations when writing your new track?
Right Kind of Crazy’ is a song about what comes next, the deeper understanding a couple can reach as they start to truly see each other through that chaos. There’s a beauty in that, a real power in truly knowing someone and still allowing for that intoxication to creep in, when the lights are low and the right song is on…
How would you like to inspire people?
I want to inspire people to dance and forget about their problems, while making them realize that we're all going through different shit in our lives that we have to empathize with each other about.
