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Penny Taylor Elevates His Sound with R&B Hit ‘Cuff’

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Hip-hop and R&B musician Penny Taylor drops his latest single, the catchy and vulnerable track, “Cuff.” Exploring a softer side with deep R&B roots, Penny Taylor unveils a side of his music that listeners are sure to love.

From a young age, Penny Taylor developed an appreciation for all different types of music. “Around age 7 or 8,” he shares, “I really started to enjoy music more than hearing it and it being background noise.”

What began as dabbling on Audacity with friends—trying to rap and imitate his favorite artists of the time—became a devotion to the craft. Not long after, Penny Taylor adding singing to his resume. “I moved towards singing because of the melodies,” shares the artist. “I don’t classify myself as a singer—I’m a harmonizer.” He slowly began cultivating his passion into a skill, and the rest is history.

Penny Taylor credits several musicians for impacting his work over the years, including Drake, J. Cole, Timberland (for production/beat making) and Kanye. “…Bryson Taylor, Party Next Door.. SZA is amazing… there’s so many I can name that I pull inspiration from,” adds Taylor.

How was the name, Penny Taylor, born? At the time, Penny was intrigued with 50 Cent and the number one. The combination culminated in the name coming together. “Friends started calling me ‘Penny.’ I adopted the last name from Wiz Khalifa and the Taylor Gang group. It just stuck.”

Known for his hip-hop sound, Penny Taylor ventured into R&B for the creation of his latest record. “Cuff” isn’t just a single. It’s the best song Penny Taylor has ever made, and he intended for it to be so. “I really wanted to create the best song I ever made if I included a well-structured song with lyrics and something catchy that could be played in summertime, wintertime, any time of the year. Something that could be enjoyed by different demographics.

Listening to beats, Penny Taylor came across the instrumental that would soon become “Cuff.” The beat sets the tone for a catchy hook, which informed the rest of the song. “It’s funny, because I actually had the pieces of the song made from different songs and pieced them together to fit the beat / theme of the track,” adds Penny Taylor. “Typically, I listen to the instrumental, and it’s a feeling. The beat has to speak to you. If you can’t have a conversation with it, then it’s difficult to write to it. It might be the second or third or however many beats you go through, but then the words come out of you. For this one, I didn’t have to try too hard to find the words—there were kind of just there.”

“‘Cuff’ came about because I wanted to challenge myself to make a hit record with the R&B side of myself,” shares Penny Taylor. “I’m definitely happy and grateful the listener gets to enjoy it and get what they take from it. I’m cook with whatever they get from the song, even if it’s the feeling evoked when the listen to it.”

So far, the feedback for “Cuff” has been overwhelmingly positive. “People have loved the song. I’ve heard things like, ‘this is a hit. This is a platinum record,’’’ shares Taylor. “It’s surreal. It’s crazy that I wrote this thing completely and so many people enjoy it. That’s what’s special to me. I often think, ‘I used to do this in my bedroom on a laptop and I wasn’t good, just trying my best.’ From that to this is insane.”

Penny Taylor is enjoying the moment, weaving through the unfamiliar territory that comes with widespread success. In addition to the release of his single, Penny Taylor looks forward to bringing his show to live audiences.

Make sure to stay connected to Penny Taylor on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.

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Weezer Creates a Playlist for Surviving Heartbreak

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Welcome to SOUND ADVICE, the weekly home for playlists assembled by the friends, rivals and romantic interests of Interview. Recent editions have featured selections from After, Soulwax, and 1LDK. Taking over this week is the much loved rock quartet Weezer. After building a catalog that includes the color themed albums Blue, Green, Red, White, Teal, and Black, the Los Angeles group is expanding its palette once again with a new release titled Gold. The record blends carefully constructed pop melodies with rough edged rock energy, recalling the sound of the band’s earliest years. Before unveiling their first album in four years and beginning a North American tour, the members created a collection of personal favorites and overlooked gems for us. Moving from Beethoven sonatas to classic Van Halen tracks from the 1980s, their choices reflect the wide ranging tastes of the musicians themselves. They then answered our questionnaire, revealing what they listen to before taking the stage, clearing up their views on ghosting, and explaining what they really make of Gen Z.

What do you listen to before hitting the stage?

SCOTT SHRINER: I usually do not listen to music before we play. I do vocal warmups and go through any of the songs in our set that need practicing.

RIVERS CUOMO: Nature sounds, like birds and creeks and waterfalls.

 
 

Dream fifth member of the band, dead or alive?

PATRICK WILSON: 4 is plenty!

CUOMO: Matt Sharp

Weezer sits on a roof.

Favorite album: Blue, Green, Red, White, Teal, Black or Gold?

SHRINER: Fave color album is Red.

One of your songs off the new album is titled “Don’t Make It Weird.” What’s the fastest way someone can make things weird?

BRIAN BELL: I think ghosting someone ranks up there with weird and abhorrent behavior.

CUOMO: Say the first thing that pops into your mind.

Weezer poses dressed in jungle safari gear.

Which song is going to surprise longtime fans the most?

CUOMO: “C.E.O.” because we interpolate ourselves.

BELL: The song that will surprise most Weezer fans is “The Show Must Go On.” It’s a good driving song, and while it might sound familiar, it will also take you to very unexpected places.

Which artist are you streaming the most right now?

CUOMO: Binaural beats.

Weezer poses in a living room.

Which city has the most unhinged Weezer fans?

SHRINER: I’m going with Mexico City for most unhinged W fans.

Thoughts on Gen Z?

CUOMO: They value different kinds of people.

WILSON: They’re great! Two of my kids are Gen Z! The way I’m like, “No, because same!”

Pick three words to describe this new album:

WILSON: Analog, feel, dimensional.

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