Today I start my series called Spotlight On, where I talk about LGBT+ artists who haven’t quite hit the mainstream yet, but who are supremely talented at what they do.
With nearly 20,000 subscribers on YouTube, my first spotlight is on native New York singer, Anthony Colasuonno, who goes by the performing name Corvyx.
Corvyx has covered many different artists on his YouTube channel, from Evanesence, to Katy Perry, yet still putting a Corvyx twist on it, both musically, and visually.
I was lucky enough to get to interview Corvyx and thought I would ask him about his influences and style, and how he came up with his unusual moniker
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWAgyfuAm0R/?taken-by=corvyxofficial
Where did the name Corvyx come from?
Corvyx is a derivative of two big influential factors, Astrology and a particular well known ‘cult’ movie. I was watching The Crow one day and I was fascinated by this beautiful bird in the movie, so I started do research about black birds. Not only did I adore the mythology and the majestic current/past legends that surround Ravens. I found out that the constellation Corvus translates to Raven in Latin, so I just tweaked it a bit and felt an instant connection to it.
Who are your musical influences/idols?
I have so many. My musical taste and influences is a big melting pot of genres that range across the board and changes every other week. I’d say the constants have been Michael Jackson, Marilyn Manson, Florence Welch, and P!nk. They are the artists I have grown a fascination with over the years. Their work is transcendent and every single one of these artists has changed the world in some way or another. They are all provocative and seemingly fearless in the face of so much adversity. Being able to perform isn’t the only thing an artist should have in their wheelhouse. Being intelligent, taking a stance and believing in something is a must for me. All of these artists have been the catalysts for change and have raised the bar in some form or another.
What is your favourite type of song to cover?
My favourite types of songs to cover are the ones that are painful because a lot of people steer away from them. But in my opinion, these are the best works of art because it confronts something that is real. I love finding the truth in lyrics. If I hear a song or a melody and I have an immediate visceral reaction to it, chances are I’ll love the song. There’s also a flip side to my method of covering a song, I like to take a song that may have some major key tonalities (feel good songs) and seemingly fun melodies and shed light on how dark the lyrical content can actually be if it were sung and interpreted another way.
Do you want to do more original material?
I absolutely plan on doing more original material in the very near-future. I’ve been working on a few singles and have big plans for a concept EP as well. Time is all relative!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTFYFBPgMuT/?taken-by=corvyxofficial
Did you have any musical training?
I’ve done musical theatre for a good portion of my elementary, middle and high school career, but I did not actually receive formal training until college. I started working with various vocal coaches from different walks of life and musical experience starting freshman year of college through to graduation. Most of the training was built upon an operatic and theatrical foundation to discover the “legit” part of my voice. One of my vocal coaches was a countertenor with a ton of experience in opera and although we obviously sound very different when we sing, he taught me to access parts of my voice I never knew I could. I think being well-rounded in ones’ training, regardless of the genre of music he/she sings can only benefit the artist in their technique.
I love finding the truth in lyrics
You do a lot of different stylistic looks in your music videos. Where do your ideas come from?
My style is ever-evolving and changing every single day. I can look back at a video I made a month ago and think “what were you doing guy?” But most of my ideas come from an amalgamation of everything I’m inspired by. I love fashion but I don’t necessarily consider myself a fashion maven. If something is last season, I’ll still wear it if it works for my aesthetic and the vibe of the song. My style is a compromise of what I think looks good and what can accentuate what I want to express in the song. I let the vibe of a song influence what I think I should look like in a music video. The feeling I get while I’m singing very much dictates everything I see around me. Songs are like the seasons and weather to me. The temperature may fluctuate and there could be a chance of rain, but I still remain true to my aesthetic and will probably bring a really kickass umbrella.
Do you work with many other people to create your music videos/songs?
I’m lucky enough to have a pool of super creative and talented individuals at my disposal and all the crazy sh*t that goes on in my head wouldn’t be possible without them. To be honest, the production quality for most of what we go looks like it requires hordes of people, but I work with some very headstrong and driven artists (much like myself) with a desire to create the best possible outcome even if our resources are limited (which is most of the time). We don’t have a major record label budget nor do do we have any investors backing the project (yet), so it forces us to think outside the box and push ourselves beyond what our budgets can actually afford. For most of my covers, it’s usually been me and the producer in the studio, and then one or two videographers work on set and also handle post-production.
Who would be your ultimate performer to work with?
This is TOUGH. I think ultimately, I’d absolutely love to write and collaborate with any artist that isn’t afraid to get to the truth of it all. I like a balance of poetry, eloquence and raw truth. Metaphors mixed with gut-wrenching melodies. I would love to write and work with Sia.
The highs are extremely high, and probably better than anything you’ll ever feel
https://www.instagram.com/p/BSrKs_MgzF7/?taken-by=corvyxofficial
Would you ultimately like to become successful enough to tour with your music?
I would love to eventually tour. I think I’d be dead broke from all of the conceptual design I would love to incorporate into my performances. But being able to reach wider audiences and touch people on a different level other than the social media platforms would be absolutely incredible and liberating for me as an artist and a human being.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to pursue a venture in music?
You must be okay with losing and constantly rediscovering yourself. I know that sounds cliché, however, you have to be okay with unveiling things about yourself that you may not always like admitting. The highs are extremely high, probably better than anything you’ll ever feel. But the lows are seemingly endless sometimes. And sacrifice! Sacrifice is probably the biggest part of the entire creative process. You aren’t going to live the same life as most other people. Artists usually don’t have the same social life as others, but you must be willing to live without that and it could feel so isolating. Ultimately the rewards are much more fulfilling than you could ever imagine.
You can check out Corvyx’s Youtube channel and his fantastic covers and original song Become The Night here
