Rising Artist a kid named rufus On Their Debut Album ‘whatever works’
Photo by Will Rowan
Growing up in an ever-evolving world is a wild, confusing, and beautiful thing. After getting settled in one of the busiest places of them all, New York, Malaysia-born artist a kid named rufus has been turning their experiences with young adulthood into a sonic form. Their debut album whatever works, released on July 21st, puts into perspective their first year in the United States. The twelve track project explores the many facets of youth in their eyes – love, queerness, identity, homesickness, growth, and more. Following the release of their debut EP graduation in 2021, Rufus has honed in on a sound that bares emotion and speaks directly to the current generation through a fresh, alternative pop narrative. In a conversation with Unpublished Magazine, Rufus dove into the details behind their debut album, looking at album art, living in New York, and growth.
[UNPUBLISHED]:Your debut album, whatever works, has been out for about a week now – congrats! How does it feel to have it out? How has the response been?
[RUFUS]: It feels amazing! Wish I had other artsy words to describe the freedom I’m feeling right now. Honestly, I had so much anxiety during the release of this project I didn’t know what to do with myself. This album has been two years in the making, and I think the singles don’t do themselves justice unless you’ve heard the entire album front to back. So, it feels really great for people to hear the project with all of its context, because I think it’s a pretty fucking good album.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What have you learned as an artist between the release of your debut EP graduation and the release of your debut album?
[RUFUS]: The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that releasing a project this big requires a lot more patience and empathy with not only myself but with others too, which is something I’ve never realized given that this is my first album.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What are the main themes and inspirations behind the album?
[RUFUS]: Love, lust, sex, adulthood, paying taxes, homesickness, impostor syndrome, anxiety, and the cluelessness you experience when you’re moving across the world for the first time. If you’re asking for music influences, it varies from Sunset Rollercoaster, to Weezer, to Sipper, to Alex G.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Is there a song off the album that required a new creative process or exploration that you had not tried before?
[RUFUS]: That’s an interesting question - I think the creative process stayed the same through writing the album, however there was a genre shift. I think when I started writing the first few songs I was coming off my indie-pop era, and quickly realized that’s not the type of music I wanted to make anymore. I started listening to more rock, indie and alternative music and started writing songs that fit those genres more, and I was very fortunate to have friends like Benji Cormeck, Cole Bauer, and Alex Alfonso help me from a production standpoint with those types of tracks.
[UNPUBLISHED]: I’m a strong believer in the order of songs on an album having a heavy significance. Can you tell me the intention behind putting the track “everybody hates me” at the end? What is the inspiration and meaning behind this song?
[RUFUS]: I wanted the sadder tracks to be at the end of the album, and “everybody hates me” is probably the darkest song on the record. It’s about having impostor syndrome and thinking the people around you think of you a certain way, whether or not that’s true.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What was it like working with Benji Cormack and Alex Alfonzo on “stuck in san antonio?”
[RUFUS]: It was unreal! The breakup that “stuck in san antonio” talks about literally happened the day before I met Alex and Benji at the studio. We whipped up that song so fast, it was unbelievable. We pretty much had the song done in one day. No revisions needed. They’re incredibly talented and were amazing at bringing the song to life.
[UNPUBLISHED]: I absolutely love the album artwork for whatever works, what was your creative vision for the cover?
[RUFUS]: Thank you so much! I actually sketched out the wizard years ago on my iPad for fun, and pretty much knew that it was going to be the cover art no matter what the album was called. Once I sent the songs to mix, I commissioned my friend Rob Davies to recreate the wizard using his art style, and that ended up being the cover art.
this is the “sketched out”/reference for the actual cover art
[UNPUBLISHED]: Your sound is usually very upbeat and light-hearted and is paired with lyrics that speak about heavier topics at times. I wonder, does using this contrast make it easier to talk about heavier topics? Also, are there any other sounds you would like to or are excited to experiment with?
[RUFUS]: Definitely! I don’t like revealing that I think about the heavier things, because my persona online is so deeply rooted in positivity and happiness and stuff, so having that contrast has made it easier for me to talk about those types of topics. However, I think that’s starting to change as I’ve grown up and learned to be more vulnerable. I’m excited to write sad songs that ARE sad, and happy songs that ARE happy. Juxtaposition in my music is something I’ve always done, but I’m moving on from it. You’ll hear that in my new record.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Your album speaks to many individuals dealing with the trials of growth that impact our mental health. How do you take care of your mental health? What do you like to do when you need to recharge or take time for yourself?
[RUFUS]: Lots and lots of therapy. Also, setting boundaries with yourself and other people. I like to travel a lot - that’s a very easy way to recharge. Lately, I’ve been blocking out me-time in my calendar and I DO NOT let others interrupt that me-time. Going back to setting boundaries, it’s very important to compartmentalize things in your life or else you will go crazy.
[UNPUBLISHED]: How has moving to New York influenced you as both an artist and a young adult?
[RUFUS]: It’s made me extremely gay, I’ll tell you that. It’s also made me resilient, and it’s taught me more about the working world than college ever has. No shade to college, but learning the real world is something you can only do once you’re IN the real world. As an artist though, New York brought back a spark in me which I’ve been missing the last few years with how tough the transition was moving from Malaysia. It’s an amazing city, and it truly has my heart.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Who have you been listening to lately? Who’s on your radar?
[RUFUS]: Prince Daddy and the Hyenas, I Hate Myself Because, Bathe, Yves Tumor, grouptherapy, and JPEGMAFIA.
[UNPUBLISHED]: What are you most excited for in the future?
[RUFUS]: I’m very excited to graduate, to continue writing music, to do more live shows in the future, and basically to be an artist. It’s been my dream for a very long time, and now I’m living it.
[UNPUBLISHED]: Anything else you would like to add?
[RUFUS]: I cussed out Matty Healy on TikTok for his actions in Kuala Lumpur (my hometown) recently, and it got over 2.5 million views and quoted by the BBC and Pink News. You should check it out, especially if you care about queer people and the global entertainment industry.
Photo by Will Rowan