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Fahrenheit V13: whiterosemoxie Discusses Reading and its Importance to Him as an Artist

whiterosemoxie joins us for a Fahrenheit V13 interview about books, favourite childhood book, and a special Hunger Games poster.

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whiterosemoxie, photo by @siddfinch

whiterosemoxie, an ambitious and rising artist, is getting set to make his grand debut with his first proper album, HUMAN BEHAVIOR. From said release, he recently dropped the music video for “girls die,” a sample of the deeply personal themes and topics he will be discussing throughout this new full-length. Prior to the recording of this album, he had spent upwards of a year on the road, working with various artists and producers to hone his sound and approach to his music. He then returned to his native Detroit where he and some trusted collaborators really gave it their all to tell the story which you will hear throughout HUMAN BEHAVIOR. The record will be released in the coming months via 300 Entertainment.

It’s no mistaking why whiterosemoxie would be considered an “ambitious” artist when you make your way through the record, as he tackles a variety of serious subject matter like love, loss, excess, addiction, violence, ego, exuberance, desperation, and joy. It’s something that other young people can relate to, with whiterosemoxie himself a 20-year-old musician, trying to find his way as an artist within the challenging circumstances of the modern music industry. Remarkably, he was able to build a lot of his audience through the pandemic, and not through the traditional route of touring, largely thanks to his “whitegold” single really hitting, with upwards of 12 million streams. Similarly, he got a lot of attention for his recent Habits EP, which featured guest appearances from BIGBABYGUCCI and Daboat.

As a writer and a lyricist, whiterosemoxie derives a lot of inspiration from reading. We recently spoke with him, as part of our Fahrenheit V13 series, about reading, his favourite childhood book, his reading preferences, and much more.

What was the most memorable book from your childhood?

whiterosemoxie: “When I was way younger, around 7 and 8, I loved reading the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. The fictional story quickly grabbed my attention and the length of the books represented a challenge to my young mind. The Magic Tree House series came next, and then I had my Harry Potter and Hunger Games phases as well. Around 6th grade, I remember obsessing over The False Prince which to this day is one of my favorite stories to tell in general. I was hooked by the way each chapter was written all the way to the end.”

How important were books and reading in your family growing up? Did you share that same level of enthusiasm, or did you differ from them on that?

“Both of my parents love reading. Honestly, my passion for it came from them. Ever since I can remember I had a bookshelf with books on it that I could go and grab. Then my dad’s mom was an English teacher, so she always made sure I was reading things that would challenge me as a kid.”

What is the book that has made the most impact on you as a person?

“I’d say most likely The False Prince. It really changed the way I thought about presenting myself. You don’t have to reveal everything you know all the time. Timing is everything.”

Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction? What’s your preferred genre?

“I’d say now I prefer non-fiction because it directly applies to me or situations I am going through and learning from now. But as a child, fiction was a method to escape reality, to go somewhere else for a while.”

What book have you been meaning to read? How long have you been meaning to do that?

“I have to sit down and read in the morning, right when I wake up, or else it won’t get done. I have been meaning to finish The 48 Laws of Power. Almost about a year now I have had it on the top of my to do list. It’s got a lot in there, so I have been trying to take it piece by piece.”

Are there any particular editions or collections of books you’d be excited to collect and own?

“I want to own all the Magic Tree House books and all the Kid Caramel books. Probably all of the 39 Clues books too.”

How often do you find or make time to read? Do you prefer paperback, hardcover, or eBooks?

“I try and read everyday, but sometimes I won’t pick a book up for an entire week. I like paperbacks and hardcovers the most because I can scribble in them, hold them, and give them to someone else. It’s a special thing to me.”

Most people seem to have a cookbook that was either passed down or gifted that has stood the test of time, and remains a fixture in their collection: do you have such a book? How did you come by it?

“My grandmother was an English teacher so she loved reading. My aunty and her would gift me two or three books every Christmas with little notes written inside the cover. I had a copy of Black Boy that my dad had gotten as a kid with one of these notes scribbled in the front cover of the paperback. She has made her transition now, but this book (and the others she signed) hold an extremely important place in my heart as they bring back some of the warmest memories me and her made together.”

What was the best reading or book-related present you ever received?

“I have a Hunger Games poster signed by the entire cast. I love Jennifer Lawrence.”

Artwork for the single “whts rght” by whiterosemoxie

Artwork for the single “whts rght” by whiterosemoxie

Born in 2003, V13 was a socio-political website that, in 2005, morphed into PureGrainAudio and spent 15 years developing into one of Canada's (and the world’s) leading music sites. On the eve of the site’s 15th anniversary, a full re-launch and rebrand takes us back to our roots and opens the door to a full suite of Music, Film, TV, and Cultural content.

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