Hailing from Queens, multi-hyphenate singer, musician, and producer Tenroc has spent years crafting music for well-known artists including Rihanna, Jonas Brothers, Reneé Rapp, and Jon Batiste, before stepping into his own spotlight.
Following the release of his debut singles “PLAYLIST” and “mourning 2 dancing” featuring Tori Kelly and Jon Keith, as well as his soul-stirring third single “call My name (YHWH),” Tenroc’s forthcoming debut LP is set to arrive this summer. In a heartfelt interview, Tenroc dives into everything from his musical path and creative process to the artistic inspirations behind his sound.
Opening up about his roots in Queens, Tenroc says, “I’d say the fast-paced energy and rawness of the city has shaped everything I do musically.”
A sentiment many born-and-raised New Yorkers can relate to. He continues, “I grew up witnessing and playing a part in how quickly things move and the hustle everybody in the city naturally has. It’s inspired the way I approach my musical journey, as well as my sound itself.”
Tenroc built his comfort within the music industry brick by brick, credit by credit, working with a long list of seasoned artists as a producer, lyricist, and composer. That kind of malleability is a gift, and it raises the question of whether music was always the path for him.
He says, “When I was 7 years old, my dad gifted me a laptop, and I found an app called GarageBand on it. From then on, I knew that I wanted to create music in some capacity. Around that same time, I discovered artists like Justin Timberlake, Timbaland, and Pharrell Williams, who largely influenced my sound and drive to make records.”
When it comes to what he enjoys most about writing and creating music for others, Tenroc explains, “I really enjoy creating something from the ground up, figuring out what works while connecting and learning from the people I’m with. When working on my own stuff, I have total creative freedom. With others, I’m mostly trying to serve them and their vision and message.”
The creative process looks different for every artist, but when asked if there’s a part of it he gravitates toward most, Tenroc says, “It depends on the day.” He adds, “I gravitate most toward production first, so I typically start with the beat. Once I find a musical palette I really love, I lay down a ton of melodies, then choose the best ones and add lyrics. I’m also a stickler for really pristine vocal production. Vocal production can make a terribly written song sound great, or an amazingly written song sound terrible.”
For an artist who has helped create a large body of music, it’s natural to wonder if he ever experiences writer’s block, something most artists face at times.
Given his adaptability across roles in music-making, he explains, “Taking breaks keeps me full of ideas. Trying to force out things that aren’t there is pointless. It’s always worked for me to walk away from an idea or from music as a whole when I don’t feel inspired to create anything. 97% of the time, when I get back from the break, there’s something new there.”
Seeing that Tenroc has been doing this for a while and hasn’t slowed down, his advice to emerging artists is, “Faith and integrity will carry you through. Don’t try to be something you aren’t because 90% of the time people can tell. Just be a good person, become the best at what you do, and people will take notice.”
When asked what he’s been drawing inspiration from lately and what’s been fueling him creatively, Tenroc says, “This film that came out not too long ago called ‘Marty Supreme’ has been inspiring me. The main character, Marty, will stop at nothing until he simply wins. That drive is incredibly inspiring to me when I think about all of the things I want to achieve. It makes me want to never stop chasing those goals until they’re fulfilled.”
Tenroc’s third single, “call My name (YHWH),” feels lyrically rooted in unconditional love. He explains what led him to release the track: “I wanted to make a Phil Collins-esque ballad that still felt danceable. I thought about the way Jesus loves me, and I wanted to convey it in a way that didn’t feel like me telling others about how He loves me, but instead how it would sound to hear God Himself telling the listener. That’s why the entire song is sung from the perspective of God.”
On what’s next regarding collaborations and new creative directions, Tenroc says, “I’ve already begun work on my next record. I’ve been experimenting with a ton of new sounds and collaborators — I never want my music to be predictable or regular. That’s where I’m at creatively right now. I’m trying to make stuff that surprises me while I’m making it.”
As a final question, how do you want listeners to feel, or what do you hope they take away after hearing your music?
Tenroc replied, “I want listeners to feel hopeful when they hear my stuff. Whatever emotion or situation they’re in, I want them to feel that it’s possible to get out of any emotional rut they feel stuck in. Everybody on this earth faces hardship or opposition, so I hope that my music can be an outlet and a pathway to better, more positive feelings, in Jesus’ name.”
