These Hamiltonian musicians teamed up for this hip hop/pop track about trust issues.
Hamiltonian musicians Vinnii A and Alyssa DVM teamed up at the beginning of October to release "What Does It Mean", a hip hop track with pop elements about a rocky relationship.
"This song was actually a dramatic change from my normal style," said DVM. "I would consider my main sound as alternative or rock. But recently I started featuring on a couple hip hop tracks, WDIM being the latest, and it really helped me branch out and try something new, which was a lot of fun!"
Vinnii A initially grew up on classic rappers like Eminem, but transitioned later into artists like Travis Scott and Drake.
"Later I started to listen to artists like Migos, Young Thug, Future, Roddy Ricch, etc.," said Vinnii. "Nowadays I just bump my own music!"
"I would say my main inspiration is Halsey, especially on this track," said DVM. "I took a lot of inspiration from her verse on "Die For Me" by Post Malone, a track she featured on a couple years ago."
The pair linked up after meeting at 905Fest here in Hamilton.
"WDIM was one of those tracks I've had written for a while and tried out many different beats, but I knew exactly what type of track to make when I thought I should feature Alyssa after we performed at 905Fest!" said Vinnii. "She had a dope set and I wondered why I didn't think of the idea sooner."
"I had heard about Vinnii through a couple people and really dug his sound, so I was super honoured and excited when he asked me to collaborate on this track," said DVM. "I think since I was getting better at writing features on hip hop tracks, that caught Vinnii's attention!"
Vinnii A described "What Does It Mean" as having a "push me over the edge, I dare you" type of theme, so DVM chose to pull from personal experiences for her verse.
"I wrote these lyrics about the pushes and pulls of wanting to be with someone, but you don't know if it will work out in the long run," said DVM. "Like, I've been heartbroken more than once, so I'm scared to get hurt, but I know that being with you is something my heart wants. To summarize, it's about the confusion your heart can feel about being with someone new."
The pop/rock singer-songwriter recorded her vocals in her home studio set up, then sent them over to the rapper.
"I sent everything to Vinnii and he worked all the magic!" said DVM. "I've gotten pretty good at recording at home throughout the pandemic, so the process was super easy and Vinnii was great to work with."
DVM hopes her listeners enjoy the track, and find themselves humming it later on.
"I really just hope that the listeners sing along," said DVM. "I think this song is so catchy, I would love it if it was just one of those songs you catch yourself singing for no reason."
When asked what he wanted his listeners to take away from the single, Vinnii A went the cheeky route.
"That I can literally do anything, and they should stress about that," said Vinnii.
You can help support the musicians by following their socials linked below, streaming their music, or by purchasing their merch.
"Follow me on Instagram!" said Vinnii. "That's the best place to reach me."
"I have merch!" said DVM, you can find her website linked below.
Upcoming gigs:
Vinnii A: Hamilton Vape Lounge, October 30th, 2021.
Alyssa DVM: x