You’ve said that a childhood medical condition kept you inside and helped you discover music. What music kept you company back then?

Because I could not do sports, I focused on music most of my life. Music I learned in band and choir spoke a lot to my soul. I loved the way harmonies and chords moved, especially because they moved me. Casually though, it was always metal and alternative music that I attached to the most.

You started out as a content creator on YouTube, playing indie horror video games and sharing feedback on them, and today you’re a content producer at game company DreadXP. How does your love of visual storytelling relate to your devotion to music?

My job is interesting because I had two dreams I wanted to achieve: becoming a successful game developer and musical artist. Making games is something that feeds a different part of my emotions, especially in a horror setting. Storytelling in a horror setting for me has always been about the fiction and world building side to me. When it comes to music, it is always personal and covers real and deep topics.

When did you come up with the stage name speakeazie? 

I always found a big interest in the 1920s/30s eras. I come from a bloodline of bootleggers and I always felt that I personally held a lot of personality traits from my family. A big part of this bloodline, however, is that there are many toxic parts and traumas. speakeazie is really about expressing the personal emotions that wouldn’t be easy for me to say on a normal basis. I think of speakeazie as a separate entity, one that is unlocked in my rawest and darkest form. It also directly relates to my struggle with alcoholism, which has impacted my life significantly. I originally wanted to use the normal spelling of speakeasy, but as a musical artist, that was already taken. I settled on speakeazie as a variation to the spelling of the word and actually was not happy with it. Over time though, I grew to love it and feel it is more personal to me now. People are also less likely to confuse me with a 1920s cover band now.

You write dreamy atmospheric music with intensely personal lyrics. What about that combination appeals to you?

Music to me is always about feeling. In the dreamy and synth heavy atmosphere that is put together, it sets me up to be able to put my poetry and soul language on top of it. I always say that a solid synth heals the soul, it can bring you to tears, make you feel loved, address trauma, etc. That is what is important to me. I feel other artists that tune into this feeling well is Cigarettes After Sex and Wet. I am a big fan of both.

You grew up in Florida and went to college in Arizona. How did you end up in Minnesota?

I originally moved to Minnesota to get out of an extended abusive situation. For most of my life I spent time during the summers in the Twin Cities. Ever since, it became one of my favorite places, the history and culture really spoke to me. There were always more layers, art, and seasons compared to the blandness of Florida. That’s how I knew I wanted to live and grow here. I never actually lived in Arizona; I did two years of physical education at Florida Gulf Coast University then finished up at Arizona State University online. This was all done from Minnesota.

Do you record all your music at home? Have you always enjoyed the production side of music?

I have always recorded and written music from my home office; it has been a learning process. While I do like to produce music a lot, back before I started writing my full debut album “Prohibition Hippie,” I brought on my co-producer Viktor Kraus to help shape out the tracks more, he is a good friend of mine and is a godsend. I couldn’t imagine a better partner for speakeazie material.

What is next for you?

I am working on a new EP that should be out early Fall. I’ll also be working on some collaborations, covers, and I have an independent game I am working on as well. Hoping to do more shows in the future too, I don’t plan on slowing down any time soon.