Thank you so much for chatting with us! So your newest EP just dropped…tell me a little bit about it. Where did the inspiration come from?
The EP is three songs and it’s kind of an introductory to the album to come. One is called “Goddess,” one is called “Nobody Opened the Door” and the last one is called “Underneath.” The album is going to consist of songs that I have been writing over the last two years. It touches on various subjects of love and the soul and maybe some afterlife and maybe some anger and just a lot of subjects that we all feel and go through on a daily basis. The EP is called “Songs from the Ashes” because the album is a story about transformation and pain being turned into something beautiful.
Which song means the most to you and why?
They all mean a little something different to me. I think the one that I gravitate toward the most is “Goddess” at the moment probably because it’s one of the newest ones and I always fall in love with the most recent ones the most. More than that, it has a little bit of expression of how I feel about the world right now.
Did you go to concerts growing up and can you remember your first concert?
I went to concerts growing up! One of the first concerts I remember going to growing up was a Buddy Guy concert. My family took me to go see him play at a Blues festival in Duluth, Minnesota and it was phenomenal. He is one of the best performers I have ever seen!
If you could record a duet with any artist, who would it be?
I would have loved to record with Prince. As for artists who are still alive though, I would want to record with Kendrick Lamar. That would be fun!
When you are not touring, what do you like to do for fun?
I like to go out and get in the water somewhere. I love to swim! I like to go bowling with friends too. LA has some pretty awesome bowling alleys so that’s fun to do. I also love to have campfires, pass around stories, play the acoustic guitar, and roast marshmallows.
What are your plans for the rest of 2017?
I have a tour coming up in November and I’m going to be touring with a band called Black Pistol Fire. The tour starts in Southern California, so I’m really pumped about that. I’m shooting some lives videos here at the end of the month for YouTube and social media content which I’m really excited to be putting out. I’m not sure when we will drop the next piece of the record, but I think what we will do is drop it in three parts – part one, part two and then the complete album. We are just seeing what happens here and seeing what happens with this part one and then we will drop the next piece when it makes sense.
Now for a few food Questions:
From performing in front of all kinds of fans, doing interviews, etc., what kinds of foods and drinks help you keep your energy up?
I like to eat fresh, local, raw, organic food. I like greens and fresh fruits and veggies and all that kind of stuff! It makes you feel good, keeps your energy up, and doesn’t bog you down. Overall, eating locals is better for the environment in general. It doesn’t have to travel as far, which means it has less of a carbon footprint. I personally try to stay away from red meats and pork. I do eat some chicken and fish but I generally try to stay away from meat and stick to fruits and veggies as much as possible.
Do you prefer to cook at home or go out to eat?
I don’t really have time to cook. I’d obviously like to eat my own food as much as I can because I know what’s in it. I don’t really like to eat out at restaurants that much but when you’re out on the road you don’t really have a choice. I go to the grocery store and bring snacks and stuff for the road, but you still have to eat out because that’s just how it is. If I had a choice though, I would definitely eat at home.
What are 3 things you can always find in your refrigerator?
You can pretty much always find almond milk, Kavita tea, and apples.
What is your guilty pleasure food?
Chocolate dumplings! There’s this restaurant here in LA called Din Tai Fung and it has some amazing dumplings.
Favorite restaurant in LA?
It used to be Hugo’s but I’ve gone there so much that I can’t go anymore. I would have to say Tender Greens or something. I honestly don’t really have a favorite!
Finally, if you could eat or have a drink with one person dead or alive, who would it be and what would you have?
I would have a drink and dinner with Obama. I would have something super fresh and delicious! I would ask him where he would want to go because he would know some amazing spots! But I would really love to go somewhere in New York because there are some amazing restaurants. There’s this place called Cocoron and they have really good noodle soup, it’s bomb.
Website: http://cobimusic.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cobimusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cobimusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CobiMusic
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/cobimusic
ABOUT COBI:
While singing the blues in smokey bars throughout Northern Minnesota, 12‐year‐old Cobi always had a vision of touring the world. He was eight years old when a family friend first taught him a few basic chords on the guitar. With money earned from mowing lawns, Cobi soon bought an electric guitar and began teaching himself to play his new instrument by ear, relaying heavily on his Godfather’s extensive eclectic music collection.
Cobi went on to team up with five other musicians in Boston to form the group Gentleman Hall, a synth heavy alternative rock band who would later sign with Island Def Jam Records. With local radio play and multiple TV syncs, the band performed at the Billboard Music Awards and were named “Best Breakout Boston Artist” at the MTV VMAs.
Cobi left Gentleman Hall in 2014 and moved to Los Angeles to follow his heart and desire to play his soulful style of rock and folk.
In 2016 Cobi toured as a guest vocalist for the electronic act Above and Beyond performing at iconic venues including Royal Albert Music Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, the Sydney Opera House, the Greek Theater and more.
Cobi’s debut single was released on May 6th 2016. As powerful of a song as they come, ‘Don’t You Cry For Me’ caught the ear of industry veteran Lyor Cohen who immediately signed Cobi to his label 300 Entertainment, alongside Grammy nominated artists Fetty Wap and Highly Suspect.
The track features a seventies vibe with a piano and moog under Cobi’s soaring vocals complimented by his layered backing vocals. The track reached #1 on Spotify’s Most Viral Chart (World) and has surpassed 26 million streams to date, as well as over 8 million on his other tracks.
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