By Mariah Jolie

Fresh off the release of his introspective new album I’m Still Thinking, Montreal rising star Myles Lloyd sat down with Mariah Jolie to reflect on the emotional currents that drive his work — love, fear, vulnerability, and the cycles of life that continue to shape his artistry. His breakout moment arrived when his single “Drive Me Crazy” went viral, amassing over 22 million streams. Since then, his momentum has only grown, culminating in an album packed with depth, reflection, and undeniable hits. 

This interview has been edited for concision and clarity.

Soundfynd: Firstly, congratulations on your album! How do you feel now that the project is out?

Myles Lloyd: I feel great. It feels good to have it out there. 

SF: The album has so many elements and themes like love — or more so the fear of love. Is there a main theme that showcases the project overall? 

ML: I don’t know. I didn’t make it really about the whole fear of love and stuff. That’s just regular life, you know? So it just made sense that that had to be in there. The project is me: just living, going through stuff, and talking about it. And, yeah, a big portion of it is that for sure. 

SF: The album is so personal and has a conversational tone that runs throughout the entire project. Did that just come from real experiences? 

ML: Yeah, I didn’t really think too much into how to formulate my thoughts. I just did it. No second guessing, so it feels very real. A lot of looking back, answering unanswered questions — or even questions I couldn’t ask anymore. I just asked the beat since I couldn’t contact them anymore.

SF: What’s a question you felt like you couldn’t ask anymore? 

ML: Probably not a question, but rather more of a feeling. Like: Am I not wasting your time? The feeling would be: I hope not. 

SF: On your song “I’m Not the One You Want” — one of the rawest songs and most honest songs on the album — I was wondering if you genuinely thought, “Hey, I’m not good for you,” or was it more the outside sources winning? A forfeit of sorts; like, “Okay, let them think what they want to think.” 

ML: Exactly. It’s more like, when you’re talking to someone, they have all their friends in their ear. At a point, you’re just like, “Okay, whatever. If you’re not gonna think that we’re good, then I’m not the one you want. I’m not for you.” All those friends in your ear, talking. It’s mostly jealousy. They see that you’re actually happy, and then they’ll say, “He’s not good for you.” It gets in your head. 

Even when a partner knows that this person is good for them, hearing that stuff all the time still messes you up. And I can feel that change in energy when I’m talking to them. They’re like, “It’s nothing,” but really that voice playing back in their head over and over and over is tiring. 

SF: That falls into the track “Do The Most” where you talk about giving so much of yourself and not receiving that energy back. How were you able to navigate writing this song? Is this theme common in your love life?

ML: Yeah, I don’t think I’ll ever stop doing the most. That’s just my thing. I’ll never just say, “Oh, you look cute.” No, I’m like, “You look beautiful.” I say everything. And I’ll never stop that.

Even when it comes to buying things. There’s a whole bunch of stuff — not even just materialistic things. I’m always doing the most for the person I love. And not getting it back does hurt, but it’s okay. You just do it for the next person. 

SF: You have accepted it? 

ML: Yeah. I’m not gonna change the way I am, because that’s how you lose. 

SF:“Grapevine.” It’s the single that came out before the album… Love it! It’s so good! 

ML: Thank you. That was for the culture. That one I knew I had to drop. When Driving Me Crazy went nuts, I knew. As a fan of my own music, I’m like, “Okay, what would I want next?” I think I’d want kind of the same little bouncy vibe two more times. So I did “Closer”. Then I did “Do The Most.” For “Grapevine”, I said, “No, let’s switch it up before the project. Just so everyone can be like, “Whoa, what? What’s happening.” I don’t want everyone to expect a whole bunch of “Closers” and “Do The Most”’s. 

SF: And “Grapevine” is such a perfect introduction into the project because it’s saying “I don’t care. I don’t give a f*ck.” in the beginning, and as you go down, finishing with your track “Different”, you’re like: “I’m ready to lock in and work on this.” And you discuss manifestation on “Grapevine”. How has manifestation impacted your life? Is there anything that you’re currently manifesting? 

ML: It’s a bittersweet thing. Even in my old songs, when I talked about stuff, it always came from a real place. But some of those songs came from fear. And me singing that fear over and over and people hearing it and taking in that energy made that fear come true. So it’s like… me making music is a lot of talking about fears — things I don’t want to manifest, manifest. And it’s been happening for ten years now. But it comes with good music, so I’m like… do I stop that? 

SF: Like you stated earlier you sing about things that are a part of life. Sadly, fear is one of those things. When the album was finished, were there tracks that hit you differently after you first wrote them? Were you able to reflect on it when you listened back? 

ML: Probably “Scared”. That’s one of the ones where it’s like… I probably manifested that. 

SF: It’s kind of beautiful in a way that art imitates life, but then life imitates art as well. So it’s kind of…. (Gestures with arms as if balancing) 

ML: Exactly. very funny. 

SF: (Chuckles) Yeah. A lot of your visuals are in black and white for this project. What’s the creative intention behind that? 

ML: We just want to keep it raw. I’m trying to keep it raw and give that little old-school type of vibe. Let me not do too much for the eyes. Just really listen. 

SF: That’s really cool. So, obviously, every artist has an inspiration. When you hear someone that inspires you, what’s something you look out for or implement into your own art? 

ML: Just vulnerability. Like, when someone can be more honest than me, I’m like, “Ooh, watch this. I’m gonna go make a record saying ‘imma really not hold back’.” 

SF: I did some research on the artists that inspire you, and that’s what they’re known for, too. Frank Ocean and Drake, for example. They really put themselves out there. You can really hear that in your music. 

ML: Yeah, and it makes the music easier, too. You’re just saying real sh*t. 

SF: Going back to what you said previously — it’s not like you have to sit down and think. It’s just coming out of you.

ML: It just comes up. For me, when you have writer’s block and stuff, it’s because you’re searching for something that isn’t there. If you really are feeling it, you can make whatever. 

SF: “Are U In MTL?” I love that song.

ML: I am! (Laughs) Where are you at? 

SF: I’m in Raleigh, North Carolina, 

ML: North Carolina. Okay, do you know an artist named praise.? 

SF: I do not.

ML: He’s from North Carolina. praise. Just look him up. He has a nice song called “hills.”. I heard it in New York when I was in this Italian sandwich spot, and I asked the guy for the song ID, but he didn’t know. Long story short, I dm’d praise., and now we’re friends.

SF: That’s how it works. Only takes one DM. Back to “Are You in MTL?” — the song. A line that stuck out to me was, “I’m ready to be a man here for you.” And that line sets the tone for the end of the project. I was wondering what experience were you thinking back on that made you think, “I’m ready for this.” Or was it just something you felt in the moment?

ML: I was just being selfish before, but that’s me realizing I was tripping. Let me rewind and lock in a little bit. My bad.

In that song, I’m like, “I know I f*cked up, but why’d you have to go get under someone like that when you could’ve just been sad by yourself. Why’d you have to go do all that?” But that’s my consequence for the way I acted.

SF: When you are creating something so vulnerable, how do you decide what to keep private versus what to share? 

ML: I don’t know, even “Scared” was supposed to be unreleased. I just sent that to a girl I was talking to. And I sent it to my manager, and he’s like,” No, I love it.” And I’m like, “Sh*t, okay.” 

SF: Thank you, manager! (Laughs) 

ML: (Laughs) Even “I’m Still Thinking” was an unfinished interlude. I played it for Tim Blacksmith in LA, and then he was like, “No, no, you gotta drop that.” My manager said, “See! Told you!” I do have a lot of unreleased, but when it feels right, I’ll put it out. 

SF: Yeah. So after this interview, we’re gonna hear everything. (Chuckles) 

ML: Hopefully. Hopefully. (Chuckles) I got some very incriminating music. 

SF: Yeah?

ML: I’d be snitching on myself. 

SF: I’m sure. That brings me to the production. When you hear a beat, how do you know “Oh, this is perfect for me.”? 

ML: It’s my initial feeling. If I don’t feel it in the first few seconds, it’s not right for me. Maybe for someone else, but not me. I never listened to a beat, didn’t like it, and then a year later, came back and liked it then. I feel it right away. 

SF: With this album, if someone were to discover you for the first time through this project, is there one message you hope they take away from it? 

ML: Don’t be scared to mess up. It’s always good to mess up because we all do.

SF: That’s beautiful. Like I said, this project is so vulnerable, and it’s a beautiful piece of art. If you were to look back in 10 years, what’s one song you think you’d be most proud of from this project?

ML: Probably the first one, “I’m Still Thinking”, because I’ll probably be still thinking in 10 years. And “Cold.” I really like “Cold”, just because it’s cool. Imagine you’re me, and you sent that to a girl. I would just feel like I won.