Homemade: Justin Clancy Overcomes Roadblocks and Finds His Way On Triumphant Debut Album ‘The Color Blue’
Every artist hits roadblocks and faces obstacles at some point in their journey. For some it’s a fork in the road involving an identity crisis, but Justin Clancy’s search to find himself wasn’t just choosing a musical direction; it was a matter of life and death.
The Peabody native’s story of overcoming addiction is one he’s been candid in sharing over the past year and his recently released debut album The Color Blue gleams in personal, motivational triumph. Sitting with us in a Cambridge studio days before his headlining show at Sonia, Clancy exhibits an equally restless and focused demeanor, clearly in preparation mode to check off bucket list goals he’s been working toward his entire life.
While new listeners enjoying Clancy’s melodic prowess on The Color Blue may be unaware, Justin’s local perception as a ‘boom-bap’ rapper and street promoter for other artists isn’t that far removed. The creation of the well-received, far-reaching single “TV Dinner” served as a much-needed breakthrough moment, a living embodiment of Clancy’s natural singing talent and a quality his audience had yet to hear. Clancy wisely decided to scrap an album’s worth of rap-centric material and moved forward in a new direction that’s been embraced both pre and post-release of The Color Blue.
“I felt I wasn’t representing my truest self and didn’t like what I was making artistically (before The Color Blue), it felt like I was running against the wind. I decided to make music for me and seeing all the support has been a cool feeling,” Clancy reminisces in a grateful, yet forthright tone. “Handing out CD’s in the rain/snow, that was paying dues and during a time when I was struggling for acceptance before I had even accepted myself. It was a time when I was studying and learning how I would execute my own work.”
After long bouts of struggle and hardships, The Color Blue is Caribbean ocean-clear as a fulfillment of Clancy’s artistic vision. From the conceptual details in regards to the title (each song represents a different shade of blue) to cultivating strong chemistry with producer Nox Beats throughout the entire project (“Have known him since I was 16. We get along so well and he gets me as an artist, we’re able to bring the best/new things out of each other”), Clancy effectively balances thoughtful cohesion with diverse stylistic offerings. Songs such as the gleaming “Nirvana” and electronic flavored “Closer” feature Clancy successfully venturing into a promising pop realm while “The Bottom Line” ensures listeners he hasn’t lost a step as an emcee.
No matter what type of vocal delivery Clancy opts for, The Color Blue thrives because of its personal foundation. The album plays as a fitting soundtrack for the quintessential ‘road to redemption’ plot-line. But nothing about Clancy’s past, present, or future is Hollywood scripted. Every win has been earned and Clancy’s devotion to his growing fan-base takes on a grassroots approach, showing a strong desire to directly connect with the people who appreciate his music.
“Mastering the art of removing my ego has been so important. I’ve fought tooth and nail to be able to do what I’m doing my whole life, so I’m never gonna act like I’m better than a fan who understands and enjoys my message.”
For tonight’s nearly sold-out show, Clancy’s excitement cannot be understated and the buzz surrounding the performance, as well as securing a spot on the national Vans Warped tour, is only inspiring him to work harder, “I’ve been blown away by the support for Friday and the amount of people going. It feels surreal sometimes, but time is always of the essence and I need to hustle like I never have before.”
Justin Clancy may have taken a one way train to nowhere (as referenced on intro “The Color Blue”) when things were at their worst, but The Color Blue shows us he’s longer lost. He’s found his soul and is ready to share it with the world.
‘Homemade’ is an experience-driven interview series that aims to tell stories behind the music of New England’s hip-hop talent. Justin Clancy will be performing at Sonia this Friday (7/13) alongside Tim Nihan, ANSON Rap$ and more special guests.
