Tyler Brooker (born March 29, 2000) is a British artist, producer, songwriter, YouTuber, Twitch Streamer and software developer. He has currently released more than 150 tracks onto his YouTube channel, most of which exist on many streaming platforms, as well as three EPs and one album, Blood, Sweat and Fears, released in September 2021. He has been featured and interviewed frequently as a local artist on the BBC radio programs BBC Introducing in Suffolk and BBC Introducing in Essex. Tyler primarily produces big room EDM and electro-house, as well as other sub-genres of EDM such as deep house, slap house, melodic house, dubstep, future bass, drum and bass, and bass house. He has also produced hip hop, folk, lo-fi and chiptune.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Tyler Brooker, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What drew you to the music industry?
Hey! I’ve always felt very emotionally connected to the music I listen to, whether it be dance music that I can jump around to, or orchestral pieces that convey a lot of different feelings. Since I started writing my own material with my guitar teacher when I was around 10 years old, I’ve been experimenting with my own sounds and ideas. It’s so much fun to produce new material, and it really took off for me when I went to King Edwards VI School’s sixth form to learn music technology in 2016 – I would stay after school in the studio for about an hour and work on my own stuff in Logic Pro. I’ve always been inspired by EDM artists like Knife Party, Nom de Strip, KSHMR or Diplo.
How do you balance your time in the studio with other commitments such as a part-time job, family, admin?
Right now, it hasn’t been easy. Since January 2022, I’ve been working as a full-time software developer, which has severely cut out the time I have for making music. By the time I get home, eat, shower, and do anything else that needs to be done, I only have a few hours left before I should be asleep. I reserve a lot of time on the weekends to produce material, and I might stay up an extra hour just to work on music during the weekdays. However, I always try to work as efficiently as possible; producing the best quality material I can without taking up more time than I need to, by using good practices when producing music.
Your latest song is 'Shivers'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
I recently got into slap house, a sub-genre of house with dark, moody tones but also simple, pumping bass lines that hit hard but not too aggressively. I heard a similar remix of Shivers, based on the track by Ed Sheeran, but it was in a different key. I tried creating a similar version in a different key and came up with a mix I was very happy with, but now I needed vocals. I got in contact with Brogs, a very talented singer who worked with Black Winter, an artist I collaborated with on a few projects such as ‘Crisis’ and ‘Boss’. Brogs was happy to provide his vocals, which fit the track perfectly. I then pitched it to different label services, and it was eventually picked up by Beast Trap Records.
What are your songs about?
Since I make a lot of EDM, the lyrics mainly focus on either having a good time or giving inspiration or energy to people who need it. For example, my track ‘Knuclebuster’ is about climbing high even when it seems impossible to do so; ‘Until the End’ is about damage in a relationship but learning to push on anyway. Sometimes my lyrics can be about more specific topics - ‘Saint’ is about how we sometimes make small mistakes which is only human, but it doesn’t make us bad people. Most of my tracks are instrumental, as I’m less interested in the lyrics then I am the drop.
What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
Probably a full-time software developer, and maybe live streaming on the side on Twitch, as that can take up a lot of time. Hard to say, really. My music had opened a lot of doors for me.
How do you know when a work is finished?
This is a great question. I will reach a point in a project where I can’t think of anything else to add. Normally I’ll add some effects last, such as white noise, falls, sweeps, sub drops, etc., and then I’ll listen to the track repeatedly on different devices, before I conclude that it’s ready to be mastered.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
I really enjoy making YouTube video for my channel; sometimes it’s just funny and entertaining content, sometimes it’s shorts on how to be a producer, and sometimes it’s podcasts. I also enjoy writing programs in Python every now and then; I used to be a private Python tutor for young students in 2021. I spend far too much time watching random stuff on YouTube! It’s just too easy nowadays to fall down a deep rabbit hole of interesting content.
When were you generally fulfilled in your position as an artist?
After I was interviewed on BBC Introducing in Essex back in 2019 while I was studying at the University of East Anglia, I knew that I could make good connections if I really worked for them and that my knowledge as a producer was strong enough at that point to really take me forward. I still have a long way to go, but I’m more excited than ever for what awaits, and I know that everything done along the way is always a step in the right direction.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Knowledge is the most important thing, ever. Learn how to be the best artist you can be, and never stop learning. If you’re a producer, learn how to produce as best as you can. I wouldn’t collaborate with others until you are confident that your work is up to the right standard (compare yourself to bigger artists!) and until you have received a lot of external criticism from other artists and producers. Surround yourself with like-minded people; producers, artists, campaigners, promoters, people that can push you forward. Most importantly, make sure you get your stuff out there on to as many platforms as you can. You need to get into people’s faces, into their ears, any way you can without being too annoying. A little ‘pesty’ is okay, but constantly repeating yourself to people will get frustrating. Always remember to enjoy yourself.
What are your plans for the future?
I will be moving to Canada soon to live with my partner for a year or so, and I plan to keep making music while I’m out there. The new year will bring a variety of new tracks, videos, shorts, photos, and much more, so keep your eyes peeled!