CREATIVE DIRECTORS Derrick Odafi & Jessica Rushforth
PHOTOGRAPHER Ray Napoles
STYLIST Sen Tian
STYLIST ASSISTANT Peter Phan
GROOMER Ashley Lee
PRODUCTION New Wave Studios
LA PRODUCER Christian Long
LA PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Tyler Pennington
BTS Santino Gomez
Spencer went from local favourite to international sensation. Confirming what the GTA already knew: that the young artist was destined to become globally known, mastering his craft across multiple genres. The singer has a discernible voice and a flair for brooding melody. His style is equal parts Michael Jackson and D’Angelo with smooth vocal ranges, oozing confidence and effortlessly pulling in elements of his Guyanese heritage with tracks
like “Gwan Big up Urself” and “Little Bit of Lovin’”. As a matter of fact, in his younger years,
Spencer mentioned he would rewrite MJ lyrics in his spare time (a particular favourite being “Rock With You”).
This chameleonic ability almost acts as a way to divulge what can be hard to express, like setting down your armour and revealing your most vulnerable self. Sandwiched between the 90s culturally powerful influences, today’s contemporary warped trap beats and bass-driven production, with background harmonies derived from 00s R&B. Spencer’s voice is like the boombox serenade under your bedroom window. Sticky, honey-like melodies that ooze over the beat. So sticky in fact that our conversation was interrupted by a curious bee – the disruptive audience was not welcome however and Roy immediately jumps up, leaving his chill demeanour shaken “Arghhh a beeee! I don't do bees. And spiders. They're not my friends.”
Spencer spent most of his childhood navigating the repetitive suburban landscapes of Brampton, a town on the fringes of Toronto. After attending Catholic school, Spencer would spend weeks at a time going on road trips with friends. As we speak on this he relives his youth for a moment – “we were doing a whole bunch of nothing. All this crazy, crazy stuff”. This period of time is also where he discovered the joy of freestyling, at just 14-years-old he started out in the rap game under the name Pression spitting boom-bap bars which mirror the style of 90s legends like Mobb Deep or Phife Dawg. Influences that you can also see reappear in later tracks like “Russian Cream”.
In his college years, Spencer went on to gather notable accolades in football until eventually turning his attention towards the books and perhaps more importantly, music. His music started to earn recognition beyond Toronto’s limits following the release of his single “Murda” with Dej Loaf and “Drama” with Drake. After building a relationship with Oliver El-Khabib and of course, Drake, the then 21-year-old quickly became the youngest member to sign to OVO taking his career to immense new heights. Now, Roy compares the experience of performing live thinking back to his years as a promising football player, “When I go on stage, I feel like an athlete”.
In many ways, the small towns of Canada are much like those in the UK – with nothing much to keep yourself occupied, creativity tends to flourish. Not only is the pattern of rising
underground music a correlating trend across Canada and the UK but there is also the
dissonant relationship between politics and music. “When I was growing up, it was just a little city. So everybody kind of knew everybody. And if you didn't know everybody, you probably knew the person who knew everybody. But just growing up in this city which has such a small-town feel, it made everything more impactful. You felt it more, you dealt with more.” he admits, “I lived downtown. I lived all over the GTA and I always got the same vibe from Brampton. I don't know what it is... It's just this cool, laid back. Not really doing too much kind of vibe - it's almost kind of like LA to me, except without all the problems”.
Blazer: Private Policy
Turtleneck: Private Policy
Harness: 1017 ALYX 9SM
Trousers: Private Policy
Shoes: Dries Van Noten
Necklaces: Balenciaga, Martine Ali
Rings: Balenciaga, Hatton Labs, artist’s own
Roy Woods Searches For The Best Version Of Himself One Song At A Time
America, move over, the 6ix has something to get off its chest. Roy Woods – the promising OVO signee, born Denzel Spencer talks to New Wave some three-thousand miles away as the world eagerly awaits the arrival of his next big project. He fills us in about growing up in Canada’s suburbs, his evolution from hip hop to R&B, giving others the opportunities once given to him and we unpack how being independent has helped him map his journey in music.
It’s mid-morning, and somewhere in downtown GTA where the inner cities are basking in a blazing patch of sunlight sits the 24-year-old who has fast become a familiar face in the charts and across the globe. Like the title of his collaboration with UK musical goat Nines’ suggests, “Money Ain’t a Thing”, Spencer is a proclamation of independence. A break-up letter to the fickleness of fame and money. A love letter to the autonomous self and a juxtaposition of some of the greatest genres of our time. Independence is a simple concept; which, at its most basic level means having full autonomy over one's own life. So, who better to be placed amongst the stars fronting our latest issue on the theme of independence than Roy Woods, an artist who reminds us that we design our existence.
What is independence to Roy Woods? “Wanting to be better, wanting to be the best version of me and not seeing anybody else as competition, but myself”, he sits back and contemplates for a moment, “I mean, a lot of my fans were comfortable with the music I dropped, but I know the person that I was then, and the person that I am now and what I want for myself, what I'd like for myself, etc.” From producing his own music videos to enterprising in his growing business and musical collective Unlock The Underground. “It was a really big step for me just to see what I can do and show the world that I have a vision too,” he adds.
WORDS Sophia Hill
“I always felt like I could still do better. I’ve always been driven to just be better, do better, be the best version of myself that I can.”
NW: You recently played at Edmonton and honestly, your face seemed so filled with joy. How was it to be back on stage?
RW: I couldn’t wait to be back on stage, I was filled with so many emotions. There was joy, it was nervousness, excitement, it was so much just packed into one. It was all those emotions packed into one because it had been so long. It was really good to be back, seeing everybody else’s faces, them happy, them wanting a performance. Seeing their faces and stuff left me filled with so many emotions I couldn’t even comprehend. So it’s great to be back, so great.
For many artists, it means a lot to be on stage. What does it mean to you to be performing live?
RW: When I go on stage, I feel like an athlete – whether it’s going on the football field, the basketball court, you know... When it’s game time. That’s what it’s kind of like to me, I kind of see it differently, what’s more therapeutic for me is being in the studio writing the music, making the music, that’s more therapeutic.
NW: You last performed in the UK back in 2018 on your Say Less tour. It seems like London and Toronto have a lot of similarities. We love your collaboration with UK artist Nines on Money Ain’t A Thing.
RW: Yeah, that was my first time visiting London. That was my very first time. It was the best time I’ve had so far. It’s time to come back. I’ve known about Nines for time. Shout out my brother Nines. He just showed me mad love when I pulled up and likewise, he opened up for a song as well. So it was great making that connection. And I definitely want to see what else the UK has to offer, Toronto has to offer, you know and there’s this whole collaborative thing we’ve got going on, so I feel pretty excited about it all.
NW: Were you tuned-in to grime or any other UK genres growing up?
RW: My older brother, he put me on to so many of these artists but damn I was so young, I don’t remember. So yeah, a little bit. That’s what we first heard of, we knew about grime music first. I can’t remember the damn names though. But we’ve been tapped in for a good while now, even since I was in high school we’ve been tapped in. So yeah, we definitely know about it [laughs].
NW: Talk to me about your year so far? It seems like you took a bit of a step back after releasing Dem Times in May last year. Was this to focus on your music?
RW: Well, Dem Times I just wanted to put something out because I wasn’t putting out the album yet. So I just wanted to have time to build, make more music, put out the album and really make it a moment. I feel like it’s a moment not just for me, but for my fans as well and people who don’t know yet. So I feel like I need to really make it a moment. Give the album what it needs after being gone for so long. Dem Times is just the EP I wanted to put together for the time being and then lead into the album. I didn’t really feel like I took a break or anything. I was just locked in, working in the studio every night, you know?
Sweater Vest: Angel Chen
Trousers: Issey Miyake
Shoes: Dries Van Noten
Necklaces: Balenciaga, Martine Ali
Rings: Balenciaga, Hatton Labs, artist’s own
NW: There was also the single “Drugs ‘N Love” on valentines which came alongside some really fresh visuals. What went into the creative direction behind that video?
RW: Yeah! So, my boy, The.97, and my other boy Zack, we all started together. I was a part of the direction for that video, it was the first video I’ve ever done direction for, so it was a really big step for me just to see what I can do and show the world that I have a vision too. So it was very fun being hands on on set instead of just being the artist, actually being in tune with what’s going on and making people do certain things and seeing certain things or making sure I get these shots. It was very beautiful, it was a very fun time, it’s something that I want to do and be tapped way more into because I love turning sound into visuals. I feel like it’s very beautiful. Why not? Right? So yeah, very, very fun for me.
NW: In an interview a few years ago, you mentioned not liking your music to begin with. Yet you kept striving to do better, and you persevered, what is it that gives you that drive in your career?
RW: Wanting to be better, wanting to be the best version of me and not seeing anybody else as competition, but myself. I mean, a lot of my fans were comfortable with the music I dropped, but I know the person that I was then, and the person that I am now and what I want for myself, what I’d like for myself, etc. So, me looking at that, I’m always gonna think, yeah, I was a kid but I could do better. And in my head writing those songs, I always felt like I could still do better. I’ve always been driven to just be better, do better, be the best version of myself that I can.
NW: As you transitioned to a more RnB-influenced style you started to show new layers to your artistry. RnB can be a lot more emotional, it’s like taking your armour off, setting it on the ground and saying, ‘Look at me, I’m fearless’. So what did it take for you to be able to show your emotions in your music?
RW: I don’t want to say a leap of faith but just trying it. Like making RnB music is so much newer to me... It kind of still is because I was just rapping before so I didn’t really understand everything. So you know, I’m starting to understand it now and just taking a chance. I try everything, every genre. It doesn’t really matter to me whether it’s dance, EDM, RnB, rap, I don’t really care. I will try it out. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. But if it does, hey, let’s go! Let’s keep it going. That’s how I like to approach it.
NW: Definitely, I can see that there is always a new chapter for you, you’re always ready to take something new on board. When you first started rapping under the name Roy Woods, I found this video called Pandora’s Box from 2013...
RW: Oh wow! that was waaaaay back.
NW: The album was called Perdido. So tell me about this video because it gives me a heavy 90s hip hop vibe. Almost a Mobb Deep flow.
RW: That’s what I was on. I was just saying I used to rap before so this whole RnB stuff is all new to me, but that’s what I used to do. Just straight boom bap bars. That was my vibe. I mean, we definitely did more but what sucks though is I have none of that music. I deleted all of it because I didn’t want my mom to find it. She wasn’t really about that, you know what I’m saying? Even when we talk about it together now, it’s only because she’s forced to [laughs]. What am I gonna do? I don’t want her to hear that. I don’t want her to hear all that stuff because it was just whatever teenage feelings I had back then. I wish I did have it somewhere. So I can show everybody and be like – here you go, this is what I used to do.
“ I want to be that light. There’s so much that I didn’t know when I was on my journey, I had to make my own way,”
NW: In an interview a few years ago, you mentioned not liking your music to begin with. Yet you kept striving to do better, and you persevered, what is it that gives you that drive in your career?
RW: Wanting to be better, wanting to be the best version of me and not seeing anybody else as competition, but myself. I mean, a lot of my fans were comfortable with the music I dropped, but I know the person that I was then, and the person that I am now and what I want for myself, what I’d like for myself, etc. So, me looking at that, I’m always gonna think, yeah, I was a kid but I could do better. And in my head writing those songs, I always felt like I could still do better. I’ve always been driven to just be better, do better, be the best version of myself that I can.
NW: As you transitioned to a more RnB-influenced style you started to show new layers to your artistry. RnB can be a lot more emotional, it’s like taking your armour off, setting it on the ground and saying, ‘Look at me, I’m fearless’. So what did it take for you to be able to show your emotions in your music?
RW: I don’t want to say a leap of faith but just trying it. Like making RnB music is so much newer to me... It kind of still is because I was just rapping before so I didn’t really understand everything. So you know, I’m starting to understand it now and just taking a chance. I try everything, every genre. It doesn’t really matter to me whether it’s dance, EDM, RnB, rap, I don’t really care. I will try it out. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. But if it does, hey, let’s go! Let’s keep it going. That’s how I like to approach it.
NW: Definitely, I can see that there is always a new chapter for you, you’re always ready to take something new on board. When you first started rapping under the name Roy Woods, I found this video called Pandora’s Box from 2013...
RW: Oh wow! that was waaaaay back.
NW: The album was called Perdido. So tell me about this video because it gives me a heavy 90s hip hop vibe. Almost a Mobb Deep flow.
RW: That’s what I was on. I was just saying I used to rap before so this whole RnB stuff is all new to me, but that’s what I used to do. Just straight boom bap bars. That was my vibe. I mean, we definitely did more but what sucks though is I have none of that music. I deleted all of it because I didn’t want my mom to find it. She wasn’t really about that, you know what I’m saying? Even when we talk about it together now, it’s only because she’s forced to [laughs]. What am I gonna do? I don’t want her to hear that. I don’t want her to hear all that stuff because it was just whatever teenage feelings I had back then. I wish I did have it somewhere. So I can show everybody and be like – here you go, this is what I used to do.
Balaclava: GG Denim
Jacket: Mercy x Mankind
T-Shirt: Elton Louie
Trousers: Mercy x Mankind
Shoes: Visvim
Necklaces: Balenciaga, Martine Ali
Rings: Balenciaga, Hatton Labs, artist’s own
“I’m a person who likes to really be hands on, I want to be involved. So it has to be right.”
NW: Naturally. How has growing up in Brampton impacted your approach to creativity and independence in your music?
RW: Brampton’s a place that’s a little bit different from Toronto. It’s farther out from the inner city. So when I was growing up, it was more like the country, I’d say. Way more land. Less buildings. Now when you go to Brampton there’s a lot of buildings, it’s turning into a city city. When I was growing up, it was just a little city. So everybody kind of knew everybody. And if you didn’t know everybody, you probably knew the person who knew everybody. So it was pretty small. But just growing up in this city which has such a small-town feel, it made everything more impactful. You felt it more, you dealt with more. I lived downtown. I lived all over the GTA and I always got the same vibe from Brampton. I don’t know what it is... It’s just this cool, laid back, not really doing too much kind of vibe - it’s almost kind of like LA to me except without all the problems, you’re just chilled. There’s not really much to do, you’ll find things to do but you’ll be doing it for a long time and you’re really trading moments. I remember times I’m just out, for weeks I’m leaving my mom’s house, I’m living life just doing whatever. And those experiences gave me so much to write about, because otherwise we’re literally doing nothing. We’re doing a whole bunch of nothing and all this crazy, crazy stuff. It’s just one of those spaces. There’s a lot of places like that in the world. So many, especially out here.
NW: From our experience, there can be some seriously underrated talent found in those towns.
RW: For real. There’s a lot of talent out here too, that nobody knows about.
NW: You talk about reaching out to people and trying to help them. You formed your musical collective Unlock The Underground. Is your music collective a way of giving undiscovered talent the same opportunities that others might have given you?
RW: Yeah, that’s what I most definitely see it as – a way to help others on their journey. I want to be that light. There’s so much that I didn’t know when I was on my journey, I had to make my own way, I had to find my own way. And it would have been nice to have somebody to say ‘hey, don’t do this or do that’. That really solidified it for me. And here, the music industry is smaller compared to all the rest of the world when it comes down to obviously America and even the UK. We’re still building, right? This whole Toronto scene is still very fresh. So when it comes down to being in the mainstream, it’s a work in progress. But I definitely want to see the young generation shine, and if I can be there to help grow, I’m doing my part.
“If you really passionately love music for what it is, if you really feel like you’re the shit, you got to prove it. That’s what it’s about.”
NW: Definitely. And when you’re seeking out that talent how do you actually come across people?
RW: All types of ways, whether it be naturally or through social media, all types of ways. You know and I’ve been listening, I just want to make sure that, when the time does come for me to give these kids knowledge and an opportunity, that they understand the opportunity and as long as they know what they’re getting and they don’t run with it – I’ve already done that before, so many times, even close friends... And just to see it go to waste is a lot, because you put time and effort into that besides your career. And I’m a person who likes to really be hands on. I’m not going to be a phony. I want to be involved. So it has to be right. You know, I can’t just be out here giving everybody handouts. But no, once I do see what I do see somebody with potential and that drive, I definitely love to just get them here, give a helping hand wherever I can.
NW: It’s important. And then tell me about Loop Pool? What’s your vision with this one? This thing?
RW: I’m trying something. You know, I’m doing a couple of endorsements right now. So I’m just trying something out with this company. I can’t really speak too much on it. But yeah, we’re working on something that’s to do with the whole weed thang, I like to smoke weed. So, trying to see what I can do and venture out.
NW: What’s the main piece of advice you would give to someone that’s trying to make their career in music?
RW: Ah, make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. Everybody feels like they can just make music. Because it’s cool. Because you can do it and it’s cool. At the end of the day, there’s a million others that think exactly like you. Right, there’s gonna be, you know, 500,000 others that are better than you, there’s going to be at least 50,000 that are going to be putting in more work than you. Even though everybody has the same goal, not everybody’s gonna have the same drive, the same passion, the same talent. So if you really want this, make sure you really want it for the right reasons. Because it’s a rocky road and if not, walk away and find something else to do because you’re gonna just waste your time. If you really passionately love music for what it is, if you really feel like you’re the shit, you got to prove it. That’s what it’s about. That’s why I love hip hop from back in the day because it was like really, really raw talent. Like really, really gritty you know what I mean? Beefs were real, the bars, delivery, everything about it. I grew up just leaving that era so I have a glimpse of what it was like compared to all it is now. So it was different and a lot of guys find they can do it but it’s up to what you show what you bring to the table. Why should we even be listening to you? What makes your music better than the next guy’s music for me to think, okay, I should listen to stuff like that.
NW: 100%. A lot of people just go in for attention and they’re not going to last. You teased a new album on the way? Are there any releases we need to keep an ear out for?
RW: Yes, I’m going to be dropping some music very shortly. The album will be on the way shortly. Everybody’s been on my tail about it and I’ve been grinding, I’ve been grinding. So there’s more music.. There’s music that I’m going to be dropping, a couple of remixes. And then I’m going to keep flooding the streets until the album’s ready. So stay tuned.
Jacket: VAEGABOND (courtesy of ASTOUD)
Trousers: AAH Midnight Club (courtesy of ASTOUD)
Shoes: Rick Owens