Musician and fellow geek, MNERVA, knows the struggles of being a twenty-something following a path through early adulthood. He hopes to give a voice to people who are making the transition into adulthood and helping them understand that it’s OK to feel overwhelmed and helpless. This fellow Anime and “Star Wars” fan talks about people who have inspired him to create his music, as well as how he is cementing his sound as an artist.
Born in Germantown, MD, this talented artist forged his own lane in Hip Hop by fusing his rock, trap, and musical theater influences into a cohesive sound. In 2015 he moved to Nashville to join that iconic music scene. MNERVA released five successful singles during 2020 and is currently finishing up his debut EP “Talk Too Much”.
Colleen Bement: Thank you so much for taking time out for Nerd Alert News, and a big congrats on your upcoming single “Talk Too Much.” I watched your video “Quarter Life Crisis” and remembered back when I turned 25 and how I related to what you’re singing about. Well done! Tell your fans what projects you have in the works. Currently, he is rolling out his debut EP, “Talk Too Much” and has some interesting stories to share. Get to know MNERVA!
MNERVA: Hey! Thanks so much for checking it out. Right now, I’m in the middle of rolling out my Debut EP, “Talk Too Much.” It’s a five-song project of completely new music that comes out October 15th and I’m releasing one song a month until the record is released. The music is heavily influenced by my rock background and is inspired by artists such as Linkin Park, NF, Bring Me The Horizon, Eminem, Twenty One Pilots, J Cole, and Papa Roach.
On this EP, I truly believe I found MNERVA’s sound and I am so excited to finally get it out into the world. As far as other projects go, I also wrote a musical over quarantine called “What’s Written” but I still have to finish the script before it can see the light of day. The show is about learning how to overcome your inner demons through counseling and starting a new relationship and it’s gonna be a contemporary hip hop musical.
CB: I feel like your lyrics are so easy to relate to. Where do you draw your inspiration from to write your songs?
M: I almost always write about my own life and past experiences and music was my healthy method for voicing my negative emotions before I finally started therapy. I have a lot of fear of the future and that angst always finds a way to seep into my songs but recently I’ve been inspired by the positive things in my life, such as my relationship and life realizations from therapy sessions. When writing lyrics, I always focus on making sure that my punchlines hit me on an emotional level because if I don’t feel something every four lines then there’s no way my listeners will relate to what I’m saying.
CB: I love it that you are a self-proclaimed nerd. So let’s chat all things nerdy.
1.) What inspired you to write your song called “Geek?”
M: “Geek” is one of my favorite songs I have ever written. When I decided to start releasing music as MNERVA, I knew I needed a good debut track to sum up who I am as an artist. Rappers always write these super braggadocious singles but I’ve never related to those songs so I decided to write my own version of a flex track. I was working as a busboy at a breakfast place at the time when I had the song idea hit me, so I’d write a line in my head and then go to the bathroom to jot it down quickly. The song references every franchise I was really into at the time, such as the MCU, “Harry Potter,” DC, “Attack on Titan,” “Cowboy Bebop,” “Avatar The Last Airbender,” and “Naruto.” Many shifts later when I finally finished it, I knew that “Geek” was gonna be my first single as an artist.
2.) Of course we’re going to talk about “Star Wars.” Is there a character that speaks to you or has inspired you?
M: Oh god, there are so many. My favorite “Star Wars” property is, and always will be, the Knights Of The Old Republic video game series and nothing gets me hyper than watching Darth Revan be a silent badass. Honestly, Darth Traya, from the second game massively influenced how I look at the world and taught me that there are shades of grey in every situation and to always question everything. As far as the movie franchise is concerned, Palpatine brings me so much joy to watch and I’ve always found Anakin’s fall to the dark side in Episode III quite compelling despite the film’s poor dialogue. Also, I love Qui Gin’s approach to the Jedi Code and I don’t think the Jedi and the Republic would have been eradicated had they followed his lead and been looser with the code. As I’m answering this question, I am realizing I would definitely be a Sith if placed in the Star Wars Universe because I live my life based on the tenant Peace is a lie, there is only Passion.
3.) Who is your favorite Marvel superhero and why?
M: That’s a tough one for me. Although it’s basic, Iron Man has always been one of my favorites because he’s so human. Everyone loves Captain America for being perfect but I’ve always been team Iron Man because he makes mistakes but learns from them. My own life has been a constant cycle of trial and error but I’ve always keep pushing through in order to become the best version of myself. Tony Stark is the perfect embodiment of that mentality and he truly rights all of his past wrongs before making the ultimate sacrifice in “Avengers: Endgame.” Even when he makes things worse, Tony does what he needs to save the day in the end. My other personal favorite is Miles Morales. I definitely relate to the way he feels inadequate being the new Spiderman and I love how he becomes his own hero throughout the course of Into The Spiderverse (especially how it’s symbolized through the graffiti). For my whole life I’ve never believed in myself and I’m only finally turning the corner at 24 years old. Miles Morales was definitely instrumental in me finding my own lane as an artist and accepting that it’s okay to be myself.
4.) Anime is everywhere right now. It’s become super popular, especially with the younger generations. How did you get into Anime and what are a few of your favorites?
M: I grew up in the mid-2000s so I discovered anime from the Toonmai block on Cartoon Network. “Naruto” was my gateway into the culture and I would spend hours watching old AMV’s on Youtube in 2006 where I discovered bands such as Linkin Park, Papa Roach, and Three Days Grace. Basically, I have anime to thank for my music taste.
From there, I got really into “Bleach,” “Yu Yu Hakusho,” and “Dragon Ball Z,” but fell off the train when I got to high school because I was tired of being bullied for liking anime (I still watched “Naruto” religiously in secret though). But then, college happened and I was working on this one massive music editing project where I had to individually auto-tune a 30 person choir on 23 songs. Since it was hours of mindless work, I started watching “Hunter X Hunter” while I edited and, just like that, I was an Otaku again. Since then, I have fallen in love with “Attack On Titan,” “The Fate Series,” “Cowboy Bebop,” “My Hero Academia,” “Pychopass,” “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” and “One Punch Man.” As we speak, I am currently reading One Piece and just passed Chapter 700 in a month and a half and it’s one of the best stories I’ve ever experienced. For me, Anime has been the perfect hobby to take a break from working on my music.
CB: Thank you for getting mental health awareness out there in your songs. I think life for people in their 20s is especially challenging these days. Where did the inspiration come from to include topics such as these in your music?
M: As I said earlier, I write a lot about the struggles of being twenty-something because I am currently dealing with them every day. Because emerging adulthood is getting extended with each generation, the twenties have truly become one of the strangest periods of life because you’re an adult in age but don’t fully feel like one. I feel like there’s such a focus in media on the teenage years and the late twenties and thirties but so much less so on the limbo period of the early twenties. I really hope to give a voice to people who are struggling with making the transition into adulthood and help my listeners understand that there’s no shame in feeling overwhelmed and helpless. What matters is how you keep moving forward through adversity until you come out on the other side!
Stay up to date with MNERVA on his socials!
Written by Colleen Bement
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