If you’re a TikTok user than you’ll be more than well acquainted with Armani White even if you didn’t realise it – he’s the man behind the sound that took over summer. Born and raised in Philadelphia, the viral hit-maker ignited a storm with his hit ‘BILLIE EILISH.’ and has since racked up an impressive 12 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone.
Dropping his debut single back in 2017, White has since shared two projects and a string of successful singles. Following the release of his EP ‘Things We Lost In The Fire’ a project inspired by a house fire that him and his family tragically suffered, Armani White took a short hiatus from music and came back with one of the biggest songs to have lifted from TikTok this year.
Clash got the chance to catch up with him via Zoom as he just touched down in another city whilst on tour with Jessie Reyez. Speaking all things ‘BILLIE EILISH.’, his childhood, to his top three cartoons, make sure you tap in below to see what he had to say…
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I would love if we could start by going back to the very beginning. What was the young Armani like growing up?
I was a little rough growing up! I was an outside kid. When you’re outside you just find trouble to get into. I was super loud, naive, and goofy…essentially the entertainer! I always wanted to make people laugh and enjoy themselves and that kind of turned into a career in the long term.
What’s your earliest memory with music? Did you grow up around it?
My uncles all played horn instruments and my aunt played piano she was one of those people that could do it with their eyes closed! I grew up around music in Church, so it became second nature to me by the time I started to write music. I felt like the voice that I had wasn’t projecting as loud as I thought it could and when I did write lyrics and words that rhymed, I got a reaction of gratification and the response that I wanted.
You didn’t want to pick up any instruments then like your family?
I didn’t have enough discipline! I wanted to but it hurts my lips… (laughs)
I read that you started rapping back in second grade, but it wasn’t until university that you really started focusing on your own sound that you now call “happy hood music” – what made you want to take that route? Did you think that was missing in the scene?
I’d probably date it back! It was around middle school and highschool that I realised that I was part of a very rough neighbourhood. I am an example that you don’t have to become what the neighbourhood is and go into the direction that it pushes you into. The music that I started creating it reflected that; I wasn’t making the same kind of music that other people within the neighbourhood would make. Naturally, that bled into the lifestyle as well. You can be from this environment and even on a really gloomy day you’d be able to look up and find light. That’s what I hope the music to be for the people listening!
You’ve mentioned how Philly inspired you a lot – what is it about there that’s helped shape you?
I mean, I don’t know if you’ve ever been or plan on going but it’s not all the way put together. There are a couple screws loose! (laughs) It’s a wild place but it keeps you inspired, and it keeps you hungry. Sometimes I go to other cities and feel like I am the king of the castle but when I go back it brings back that hunger, there’s a lot to show and prove, you know? It keeps me grounded!
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You released an EP that was influenced by a house fire your family had gone through prior before sharing ‘BILLIE EILISH.’ – that gap in between sharing the EP and releasing that single, did re-assess your sound / music to fit a more mainstream audience?
Me and my friend had a conversation saying that good music is like fine china. You admire it when you see it, you want to hang it up and put it in the cabinet or something. But, when it’s time to eat you want to eat on porcelain plates or from Tupperware. I had this vision in my head that I wanted to create really great music, I thought I was doing it, but I was making fine china. People admired it but it wasn’t palatable in an everyday sense. I had to step back, and I realised that I wasn’t even having fun making this so in that gap I got back to the roots of it and started to have fun with it again.
How have you been dealing with the reception that ‘BILLIE EILISH.’ had? I can imagine it was quite overwhelming at one point.
It’s still overwhelming! (laughs) I really had to adjust to the pace! There was a moment where I could do everything, I could plan everything, respond to everyone and post anything but now it’s about creating schedules and delegating things. I have a team now that helps me to sift through the madness but I’m not going to tell them to slow down! If it only gets crazier then it means, it’s working out and we’re doing better!
I know you’re out on tour at the moment! How are you finding performing live and touring?
It’s been great! Every city we go to there is nothing but love. It’s a good conversion rate! When I’m on stage I pour my heart out and try to make it feel as if the crowd is part of the experience; they aren’t watching the show, they are a part of the show.
You’ve got a new single coming out soon named ‘GOATED’ that I saw you tease online! Is there anything more you can tell us about that?
It’s one of those records that might be the next thing! If not, it’ll be equivalent or go past what ‘BILLIE EILISH’ did. I don’t make music for TikTok specifically but it’s those records that have certain elements in it that you make you feel that you’re a part of it. I’m looking forward to releasing it!
Putting the music aside, what makes you happy? What kind of things do you like doing in your spare time?
That’s a good question! I really like to work out and I watch a lot of cartoons…
OK, give me your top three cartoons…
Hmm! Ricky & Morty, Adventure Time, and South Park! I play pool and UNO a lot – I am super extroverted, so I am always hanging out with friends. My free time has become music related as well because I take all my friends on tour.
Can we expect a project or anything soon?
I’m coming on your soil soon! (laughs) At this point we’re just having fun with the attention we have and doing everything we can with it. So, that’s projects, more music, my new record ‘GOATED’ coming out – there’s a lot to be excited about!
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Words: Elle Evans
