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| Photography by Peter Pascucci |
I’m a director,
a writer, a photographer, a stand up comedian, and a musician. Who knows what
else will be added to that list throughout my life. I look forward to seeing it
grow. The only reason I do so much is because my whole life I didn’t know how
to express myself or I was too afraid to do so. But ever since my junior year
of high school, I’ve been on a mission to destroy that fear and to nurture my
inner child in order to express freely until I die.
Last year I
started working on my first solo EP, Youth FM. I picked up a pink electric guitar after
watching the Jimi Hendrix biopic with Andre 3000. My goal was to mix my love of
“white boy” music and what a young black male is expected to love (hip hop). I
released my first song, “I Think I’m In Love” in August. I went to LA in
January and shot a music video for it (it was always a dream of mine to shoot
in LA at night with all the neon lights). It's a one-take music video that I
directed. I really wanted it to feel like a dream as well as express loneliness
and how a breakup can throw your mental state upside down. There's inspiration
from two of my favorite directors Gaspar Noé and Nicholas Winding Refn.
I could've went
a generic route and did a video about a boy and a girl breaking up and cheesy
shit in the rain and stuff but instead I wanted to keep it simple and show what
I think heartbreak and being single can be, which a lot of the time in New York
is walking around at night and watching couples enjoy their happiness.
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| Photography by Peter Pascucci |
I made exactly
what I wanted to and then began to doubt the video out of fear. I sat on it to
the point that I took the song off of my EP since it became so old to me. But
I’m over the fear. We live in a world were people are afraid to be exactly
who they are and to do exactly what they want to do. People limit themselves,
feel like they have to have life figured out, or choose one thing. I don’t want
to live my life that way. I don’t want anyone to. I believe that the current
state of the world requires everyone to fully express themselves and to understand
each other. This is a key to uniting and improving the world. The best way I
know how to express myself currently is through my art. I can only hope to
become more honest, vulnerable, and fearless as I grow. Not just in my art but
also in all aspects of life. I hope to inspire others to do so too, just like
how my heroes inspired me.
Youth FM and more will be released by the end of the summer.
Visionary. Trailblazer. Maverick. Not many artists have the foresight and innovation that Saleh possesses, even less approach their artistry with such fearlessness, vulnerability and sensitivity. I know that I didn't and couldn't. However, I am in the process of doing so after being inspired by Saleh's work. A rising star in the Big Apple, I am certain that this maestro will continue to inspire others, as he has done for me. For more from Saleh, follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
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