Clattermouuuth’s Music of The Week: Q&A with Curt Tha Kreator

By Andrew Kohler

Welcome back to Clattermouuuth’s Music of the Week, curating Rockaway’s music taste one week at a time. Last week, I had a Q&A with Curt Tha Kreator, an R&B artist known for his witty lyrics and extravagant dance moves. If you enjoyed this interview, you can find many more on Instagram: @clattermouuuth_showcase.

Q: Describe your music for unfamiliar listeners.

A: “Lyrical Music Theater” — a fun, whimsical, Disney fairytale sound, but when you actually pay attention to the lyrics, you realize I’m a lyricist.

Q: Describe your creative process.

A: I play with words until I get a bar or a phrase that I like. Then I freestyle and build a song around it, i.e., “Teal until, un-Teal it wasn’t teal,” “if I break my AirPods do they heal in a Pod-Cast?” Then I add a bunch of harmonies & play with my delivery.

Q: My personal favorite song of yours is “Broken AirPods” — what went into making that song?

A: I got these knockoff AirPods for Christmas that started glitching. I heard this sad beat and I was like “I’m going to make a heart-wrenching break up song about these AirPods.” I was focused on capturing the emotion in my voice.

Q: How’d you first get into music?

A: I grew up around music. My grandmother was a piano teacher. I used to play violin, piano, and sing in church. I started writing raps in elementary school for school projects, and it kinda became my thing. I would just rap for fun about anything: the water cycle, the digestive system, Thomas Edison vs. Albert Einstein.

Q: You’re well known for videos of you dancing to your music. How’d you get into dancing? Did you take classes?

A: I’ve never taken any dance classes. Growing up in the 2000s, we all used to do dances — Crank that Soulja Boy, Dougie, Jerk, Hit them Folks. Once social media came around, I started making dance videos on Trillers. Also, growing up watching “So You Think You Can Dance,” “America’s Best Dance Crew,” the “Step Up” movies, “Shake it Up,” etc.

Q: What have you been working on lately? Any new music soon?

A: Right now, I’ve been putting myself through “artist development.” Writing a song a week, recording three times a week, cover songs, studying music theory, vocal exercises. The goal is not to just make a hit and blow up. I’m growing with my audience and building a team.

Q: Your music has a super original sound. How’d you come across this sound?

A: Being exposed to different types of music growing up: gospel, rap, pop, dance, jazz, soul/RnB, classical, and whatever genre Avril Lavigne considers herself to be.

Q: What music have you been listening to lately?

A: Nat King Cole, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder. I want to hear the legends that have come before Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Beyoncé. What inspired the people that inspire me.