The singer is enjoying the success of his album More Better and his new collaboration with BERSHKA MUSIC
Music is magic and hides many tricks. One of them is the power to make us flee, to escape from boredom and to introduce us to other worlds, sometimes our own, sometimes other worlds. And the problem is that we take it for granted, music surrounds us and sometimes we don’t even enjoy it. But not so with the songs of New York singer Cisco Swank. His style radiates light, that urban pulse of great neighborhoods like Brooklyn, where art is breathed in every street and contemplated on every wall. His album, More Better, released in 2023, was received with great enthusiasm by critics and audiences alike, thanks to the experimentation and contagious fun that comes out of each song. Now, his magic joins forces with fashion giant BERSHKA MUSIC to offer us a collaboration full of style and wonderful hits. The platform continues to support young artists and this is an unmissable opportunity to enter the world of the unpredictable Cisco Swank.
Cisco, nice to talk to you. I want to congratulate you on your album More Better which has received critical acclaim. It’s a great piece of work, how have you experienced the months following the release of this work?
Yea thank you! The months following the release were amazing for me. I went on my first solo tour in July of last year which was an amazing experience. Also people were really receptive to this album and it garnered great reviews from The New York Times, Fader, Complex… so it was crazy for me.
I know you’re from Brooklyn, I’d love to know what your youth was like and how you would describe the music scene in that area of New York.
It was great growing up in Brooklyn and in NYC in general. It’s very rich culturally and artistically so I was always surrounded by great art, shows, performances…
Did you always know you wanted to dedicate your life to music?
Yea. I definitely always knew.
How did you get started in music and how did you getinto the Brooklyn scene?
I got my start playing literally at 4 years old being taught by my dad. And I’ve been playing ever since. I started playing shows in NYC probably as a teenager while in high school at LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts.
How easy is it to make a name for yourself in a city like NewYork?
I mean, I grew up here so I feel like I’ve just slowly been making a name for myself since I was a teenager (laughs). But it can be complicated since there’s a high concentration of artists and musicians but if you just stay true to yourself it’ll happen.
Which musicians would you say have inspired you throughout your life?
So many. Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Earl Sweatshirt, Knxwledge, J Dilla, Debussy, Tye Tribbett, Robert Glasper, ext. it’s a long list
You handle a lot of different genres of music in your work, how do you make that possible?
I don’t know, I just constantly try to mesh things together. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t haha but I just like experimenting and that’s usually how I try and make it work.
In 2022 you released your first album, Some This TakeTimeand the following year More Better. How would you describe the musical evolution between those two works?
I think Some Things Take Time is more of a mixtape of really crazy ideas and More Better is more of a fully realized cohesive album. Both are very similar sonically I’d say but I think More Better just fully represents me because it is fully me. I rap more, play more with different genres and production.
You recently collaborated with Yoshi T. How did your musical relationship start?
We’ve literally known each other since we were 14 in high school. So we’ve been homies for a long time. But yea I think that makes the music we make way more organic.
What kind of music do you consume in your spare time? Are there any current artists you particularly like?
I listen to a lot of different types of music. Recently it’s been more alternative, indie music like Mk.gee, Slow Pulp and Soccer Mommy but I’ve also really messed with guys like Quadeca, Saya Gray, and MIKE, and Cash Cobain. I think the music I listen to is usually all over the place
Tell me about your relationship with fashion, do you pay attention to the clothes you wear on a daily basis?
Yea I actually love fashion. Growing up in New York City I feel like you can’t escape it. It’s definitely an extension of who I am as an artist and I feel like I put a lot of effort into having a specific style. I also really like workwear and aesthetics that I think are classic to NYC.
You collaborate with Bershka Music, what attracted you to this project?
I think it just sounded cool and interesting to work with Bershka especially because I hadn’t done anything like this with a brand before. They also have a great following so I saw it as a chance to grow.
What has it been like to collaborate with Bershka?
It ‘s been cool! Had a great time filming footage in NYC for the release and worked with a great team. Also, their clothing is really fire!
What’s next for you?
Definitely more music, more shows, and new merch like clothes and stuff!
Go to BERSHKA TikTok to watch the exclusive full session with Cisco Swank
