Time and time again, artists are reminded of the importance of their brand. The Sri Lankan-born, Canada-based producer, Autrioly, and his recent surge in popularity are a testament to that. His intimate and emotive sound has attracted a new wave of attention over the past few months, and his unmistakable presence on Instagram is partly to thank.
We spoke with Autrioly about his musical background and influences, how WAVS has connected him with other like-minded creatives, and his advice for other singers, songwriters, producers, and sample pack creators.
Q: Hey Autrioly, please could you introduce yourself and what you do?
Autrioly: Sure. I’m a songwriter, producer, and guitarist. I create moody, emotional music, as well as vinyl-inspired samples. I love building sounds that inspire creators, and I’m working towards creating the next big hit.
Q: When listening to your WAVS sample packs or social media reels, it’s clear you have a very musical background, but a distinctive sound too. Where do you think that comes from?
Autrioly: My dad was into Sri Lankan music and used to play a lot of instruments, so he taught me when I was a kid. East and South Asian music is so different from Western music, so I guess the musical conventions that feel natural to me are a blend of these two very distinct musical styles.
The other thing is that I try not to be too restricted by the standard 440Hz tuning. When you hear my samples, you’ll sometimes notice you can’t get them exactly in key in your DAW, and it’s because I sometimes tune to 432Hz or 452Hz instead. Although it’s just a few Hz, it can have a huge effect on the overall emotion of a song. It just sounds different – I don’t really know how to explain it.
Q: You mentioned the two sides of your work – producing original music as Autrioly, and creating sample packs for other creators to use. How does your creative process differ between these two practices?
Autrioly: It’s different. Writing a song is about me opening up about my own life and communicating my emotions. Making a sample pack is about being creative and constructing sounds that the producer can use to make a hit, you know?
When creating samples, I always try to be bold and find catchy hooks in terms of the melody, as that’s how you capture people’s attention. Samples are also more versatile than full songs, as the next producer is going to interpret and recontextualize what I’ve done, but in their own way.
Q: You mentioned Shiloh Dynasty. I’ve noticed people leaving comments on some of your reels, drawing comparisons between your sounds. How do you feel about those comparisons?
Autrioly: I’m really flattered by that. I’m inspired by her sound, but I’m not Shiloh, and I never will be. I don’t know her creative process or what she might have experienced; I just created something that sounds similar in some ways.
Two different people from different backgrounds and upbringings can never be the same. It’s cool that some people think the samples are by her, but they’re just by me. It’s my emotions and what I’ve experienced personally. I have no idea if she’s heard anything I’ve done – I think she’s pretty low-key.
Q: Are there any other musical influences that have helped to shape your sound?
Autrioly: XXXTENTACION was a really big influence for me. About five years ago, I was making and releasing a lot of Hyperpop, but it was never what I really wanted to do. It didn’t really click with me, so I decided to change what I was doing.
I had been listening to XXXTENTACION from the beginning of his career, so when I decided to switch things up, I tried making music in that kind of style, and that’s when Autrioly was born.
I was inspired not only by his music, but also by his vision, his creativity, his personality, just everything. When I listen to his music, I feel like I understand why he made certain artistic decisions. It really helped me to get in the right mindset to create similar-sounding music. Weirdly, I also found out recently that we were born on the exact same day.
Q: Aside from musical influences, do you have any other creative influences?
Autrioly: I would say I’m quite influenced by visuals, so when I make music, I just play a muted video on YouTube and try to match it sonically. When I acoustically treated my room, I didn’t want to place any panels in front of the window because I don’t like to feel trapped inside. I want to look outside and feel free when I create.
Q: Your reels reinforce your sonic aesthetic from a visual perspective. How long did it take you to refine that side of your image, and how has it helped you to get your sound out to more people?
Autrioly: I’ve always loved the vintage VHS aesthetics. I tried posting one reel that used that style, and it kind of blew up, so I just went with it. I guess the artwork for my sample packs on WAVS all feature a red-headed female, and there’s always a picture of a female on my beats, too.
It’s kind of become part of my branding, but people can also enjoy the visual while listening to the beats or samples, which is the real point of it. I think it’s really worked for me with the reels format. I went from like 3k followers to 26k within a month, and it’s really had an impact on the number of people checking out my work. I’ve had a lot of people reach out for custom samples.
Q: In terms of your creative process, your voice is obviously your primary instrument, followed by the guitar. Do you do much work in the box after you’ve recorded the main parts?
Autrioly: I would say about 90% of my production is on the computer, because most of the recordings that you hear are just taken on the MacBook microphone. I just go to my room, put my AirPods in, and that’s it.
You can create anything with just those two things; you can go anywhere, and there’s no messing around with your setup or anything. If you have an idea, you can just go and bring it to life immediately. AirPods are fine for production, but it’s just one monitoring source, so once I’m done producing, I’ll bring the track to the full setup to mix it.
Q: So what does your full setup look like?
Autrioly: I use Logic Pro and FL Studio, and my audio interface is an Apollo Twin. Then I have a couple of condenser mics for recording guitars. I’m also trying to figure out the whole analog-style sound, so I’ve got a Chroma Console multi-effects pedal by Hologram Electronics. I used to use stuff like Output Portal and Shaperbox by Cableguys, but with physical controls, you can really feel what you’re doing.
I recently got an Akai GX-4000D reel-to-reel tape recorder, too. I’m a big fan of tape saturation – I used to use the Arturia J37 on every master, but I’ve found that having the real thing has added a lot more warmth and compression than trying to emulate that sound in the box.
Q: The fact that you record your vocals on the built-in MacBook microphone shows that performance and talent are the most important things. Do you use any particular processes or techniques to emphasize the emotion in your vocal performances?
Autrioly: Hmm, not really. It’s not really about any particular piece of equipment or software that you can just go and buy. I always try to live inside the song I’m making. If something doesn’t feel authentic and relatable to me, I always hit a wall. What I write is what I feel instead of what people expect, and it’s the same when I produce for other people.
No matter what kind of genre I’m working in, I produce the music how I want to instead of chasing whatever the current mainstream sound is. I produce what I feel and what I hear. If you believe your idea is genuine and no one else can match it, that will come across in the end product.
Q: You mentioned that you recently joined Patreon. How much have platforms like WAVS, Patreon, and Beatstars helped you to share your sound?
Autrioly: WAVS especially has connected me with so many producers that I would never have imagined I’d get to work with. When I joined a proper producer’s platform like WAVS, it connected me with so many more artists and collaborators who are all so supportive.
Another thing that I noticed after the EL MARO and Redrum samples went viral on WAVS is that there are some production legends who we all know who are using the platform. They’re using different aliases, but when it’s time, they’ll reach out to you to ask for samples. If you create great samples and share them on a platform like WAVS, you can get heard by the right people.
Q: So what’s next for Autrioly? Can you share any information about any upcoming production projects or sample packs that you’re working on?
Autrioly: I’m currently working on my next sample pack for WAVS, entitled ‘VALIENTE’. I genuinely believe this is going to be the best pack I’ve put out so far. I’m always looking for the next big thing. As for my Patreon, I’m going to upload a short course or some videos so that other producers can understand more about my production process.
Q: Have you got any advice for singers, songwriters, or producers who are perhaps trying to make more connections in the industry, or get their sample packs out into the world?
Autrioly: Definitely. I’d say the main things are believing in yourself, staying consistent, and being authentic. In terms of actually creating samples, I’ve noticed how important the first few seconds of a sample are. The same way you have to grab your listeners’ attention in a Pop song, or your viewers’ attention on a reel, a sample needs to be catchy and grab you in the first few seconds.
I would also say that everything is a process. Try to believe in yourself and just create. Don’t try to be too mainstream, don’t try to be too niche. Just create with what you have and be authentic to yourself.
