Words by: Chrysnel Banzouzi

Independent artist Dylan Owen recently released his latest single, “Young Skins.” Inspired by Colin Barrett’s short story collection of the same name, “Young Skins” encourages all those who listen to not emulate someone else and remain true to themselves. “We’re just old souls in young skins, we wait our whole lives to be something / And when our time comes, we won’t run then, we don’t need to meet our heroes we become them.“

In the wake of this stunning release, Owen took time while living life on the road to chat about his new single, what it’s like being a truly independent artist, and of course — his reaction to being acknowledged by Colin Barrett himself.

 

 

Play Too Much: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us about your new single! For those who are unfamiliar with your work, can you share a bit about who you are as an artist and your overall aesthetic? 

Dylan Owen: My message is always the same: I want to uplift people who listen to my music by telling my story and using my words. I’m from a small town in New York outside of the city. I started making music and releasing it on the internet at a really young age, then took that to open mics and coffeeshops for my first live performances, then got invited to open for Mac Miller and some other artists in the NY area…and all of that led me to who I am today.

PTM: In a genre that generally consists of boastful lyricism, what influenced you to take a more humble or sincere approach? 

DO: I’m able to document my life in real time by telling my personal story. Writing helps me work through things, reflect, and process big life experiences and changes. Being sincere and staying true to my real life…well, that’s simply a matter of being honest and I wouldn’t want to do it any other way.

PTM: “Young Skins” encourages listeners not to idolize or emulate someone. Given the struggle to not compare one’s self to someone else, how did you learn to stop?

DO: I’d love for the takeaway from “Young Skins” to be an encouraging one. You can do whatever you want to do in this world if you set your mind to it. For every independent, grassroots artist, I know how hard it can be to find your own path through the world. The truth is, the more you own your own destiny, the more rewarding it’s going to feel when you get anywhere at all.

PTM: Despite “Young Skins” telling listeners not to idolize someone, were there any rappers that influenced you? 

DO: Tons of rappers have influenced me. I grew up on some mainstream icons: Jay-Z, Eminem, 50 Cent, Kanye West, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Linkin Park, the Beastie Boys, tons of punk and alternative rock music, plus much more, and the list goes on. I later got into underground and alternative music, especially alternative hip-hop. I’d dig deep on the internet for hours and hours and find unknown artists with great lyrics to listen to. Those included everyone from poetry based spoken word, like Buddy Wakefield and Ed Mecija, to Eyedea, Grieves, Blueprint, Sole, Aesop Rock, Atmosphere, and many more.

PTM: How did author Colin Barrett’s book ‘Young Skins’ inspire your eponymous track? What was your reaction to finding out Barrett not only found your track but praised it across social media? 

DO: I am so excited that Colin even listened to the track let alone loved it. The book ‘Young Skins’ is a collection of short stories that take place in a rural Irish town where the youth have the run of the place. The town is off the grid, and it reminded me of the way my friends and I make music. We come from an off-the-grid perspective. We record these songs in basements underneath staircases and in small apartments. We package our own merchandise and send it out to fans. We might not be walking in the exact footsteps of our heroes, but we will become the people we are meant to become.

PTM: You included a bonus track to fans who pre-saved “Young Skins” titled “Unfinished Like Your Basement.” You dedicate the song to “anybody who has ever had trouble leaving something unfinished.” What was the inspiration behind this track?

DO: The inspiration for “Unfinished Like Your Basement” is based on how I’m feeling at this immediate point in my life. I have always struggled with holding onto too much. I want to practice letting things go in my life, whether it’s a relationship that’s not meant to be, a song that’s not meant to take forever to finish, or old grief that has already served its purpose in my life. Leave it behind, even if it’s unfinished, and let it go.

PTM: What would you say is the biggest misconception people have towards independent artists versus signed artists? Could you ever see yourself signing to a label? 

DO: As an independent artist, you do so much more than simply hop on stage. I am constantly wearing a million hats. Booking my own shows, hiring people to be on my team, traveling on a bus or train somewhere through the night to cut costs on tour. It’s raw and unglamorous. But that’s never mattered to me. What matters to me is getting my music and my message out to the world and for as many people who are meant to hear it to get the chance to do so. I will always do whatever it takes to make that happen.

PTM: For independent artists who are losing optimism, are there any words of encouragement you can offer?

DO: Yes. It can be a struggle to stay optimistic. But no greater feeling comes from seeing your art affect or uplift even one person in a positive way. All of the hard moments, the dead nights, the wrong turns…they are worth making a little bit of a difference in somebody’s life.

PTM: What would you consider your most rewarding achievement so far as an independent artist?

DO: Fans relating to my lyrics enough to carry them, with their own meaning, as tattoos. That will always be my greatest honor.

PTM: You dedicate a page on your website to your fans, which include images of tattoos with your lyrics. What’s the most common lyric of yours that fans get tattooed? Was there a tattooed fan interaction that really moved you? 

DO: It’s a complete and deep honor that there are people out there who have tattoos of my lyrics. I don’t take it lightly. The first time I met a fan who got my lyrics tattooed in person was a wildly moving experience. That was down in Nashville with a listener who has “There’s More To Life” tattooed on his forearm. We met up at a coffeeshop and talked about life for about an hour. I don’t know what to say. No greater honor. And I’m not sure on the most tattooed phrase. Probably “There’s More To Life” right now.

PTM: What prompted you to donate proceeds from your merch to mental health organizations? 

DO: Navigating mental health plays a huge role in my life, my writing, and the lives of so many of my friends. Anybody who listens to my music knows that. I’m constantly documenting an internal journey through my thoughts along with the story of my life. If I’m making any kind of a small dent or impact to helping the cause by donating with my merch, count me in.

PTM: Thank you again for taking the time to hang out. Before we go, what does the remainder of 2021 hold for Dylan Owen? 

Might as well share the info here now, because waiting never did anyone any good: I have my next single coming out on October 28th. It’s a collaboration with Kinetics & One Love. We’re finally back.

 

 WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER