Check Out Loveaftrsex’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Loveaftrsex.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in Boston, MA and when I was young, I started playing piano. I attended a program called Berklee City Music which allowed me to attend my dream school, Berklee College of Music with a full tuition scholarship.

Music has always been important to me. At two years old, I would hear the gospel choir from our church practicing in our basement and I would sneak down to hear the amazing music and voices. As a teenager, I started writing songs and being active in chorus. During one summer, I was able to attend Berklee’s 5-Week program. There, I was selected as one of the top 10 songwriters and performed my original song at the Berklee Performance Center. I will forever be grateful as that moment showed me that songwriting was a path I could find success in and that has inspired me on the path I am on now.

As I continued to write, there were songs I didn’t want to give away and this allowed me to start working on my artistry and production. I have drawn inspiration from Ty Dolla $ign, Partynextdoor, Travis Scott and many others. Because of this, I have been able to focus my sound more towards R&B, Pop and Trap music. This has allowed me to be able to work on solo releases and work with other artists on features.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

Artistry is never easy. There are so many times I have looked back on certain things and wanted to give up but I have never regretted the path that I have been on. One of my biggest challenges growing as an artist has been comparing myself to others.

Even in college, although I loved songwriting, I ended up playing it safe and going down the business management path. Looking back, I should have focused solely on songwriting and production. It wasn’t towards the end of college where I realized that the only thing I wanted to be doing was being in the studio and working with artists and being an artist myself.

Another tough struggle for me was moving to LA two months before the pandemic as I was not able to connect with as many new writers and producers. But in life, everything happens for a reason and I am entirely grateful I am still able to create and work on projects. I have been able to surround myself with like minded artists who truly support me and that has been such a blessing.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

As of right now, I am definitely more focused on songwriting and being in more sessions. In the past few years, I have been trying to open myself up to more genres so that there is no session I couldn’t be in. I think this is what sets me apart. My songwriting influences started out very top 40 pop music/electronic and have evolved to R&B, Trap, Rock and even country if the session calls for it. I think what has influenced me the most is top-lining and being able to be sent or actively looking for different vibes and genres to write over.

I also have grown and worked on my production. When I first started, I never thought I would be able to produce and write the tracks I work on. After more time and trial and error, I can confidently work on new ideas and I love collaborating with other producers on projects. I am most proud of being able to work on a demo series where I have been able to post the demos that I have been working on for that month. That has been a lot of fun to work on since the pandemic has hit.

Coming up this year, I have some collaborations with Kelly Vargas, a Los Angeles based latin artist. I also will be able to work on new music with my constant collaborator and partner, Tega in our queer, duo group, R-Feels. I am always looking and open to be working with new people and love being able to constantly be collaborating.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?

I think the most important lesson has been to truly enjoy the journey. Time goes by so fast and if you are not present, you won’t be able to enjoy the present moments. Also, I have realized that you cannot compare people’s success and talent. We are all different in our own ways. Some of us find success young and some artists find success later in their careers but the important thing to remember is to enjoy the path. Thankfully, as a queer artist, I have been able to find my queer family and be able to have a great group of creatives around me. Being able to find artists independent or signed that you can work with and become friends with has been a great joy as some of my best friends are constant collaborators.

Contact Info:

• Email: djhines18@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveaftrsex/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/loveaftrsex

Image Credits:
Holysmoke Photography