Qualicum Beach hip-hop and pop artist Martin Rupprecht is excited that years of hard work and dedication have paid off.
Rupprecht, also known by his stage name Amarii, was recently signed to a new record label called Kolossal Records.
“I’m really excited to jump into this new journey of mine. I’ve been working for it for a while so it feels really good,” he said. “I’m going to be working with some pretty top-notch writers and a really great producer.”
Rupprecht, 21, writes lyrics based on his past experiences. Before joining Kolossal, founded by Kayla Diamond, he released three singles, including ‘Bad Guy’. That song was featured on a YouTube channel called Promoting Sounds, where it has racked up more than 50,000 views.
“Writing music is like therapy for me,” he said. “I got put into foster care when I was 12 years old and so basically, now I’m adopted by a family that I went into foster care with, but I get a lot of my inspiration from my past — what I’ve been through.”
He was connected with the three million subscriber-strong Promoting Sounds channel through an “A and R” (artist and repertoire representative) he worked with.
After ‘Bad Guy’ gained popularity and racked up approximately 300,000 plays on Spotify, Rupprecht was introduced to his now-manager.
As one of the first artists to sign with Kolossal, he received a mention in an article by Billboard Magazine Canada about the launch of the new label.
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Rupprecht decided on his name “Amarii” while searching online. He liked the sound of it and said he appreciated that it means “eternal.”
“I want my name to be a household name. I want people to remember my name for a long time,” he said.
Rupprecht recorded five demos in a Montreal studio earlier in March, where he worked help from a writer and producer for a week.
Most of his live shows have been at Vancouver nightclubs like Levels Nightclub, 2track Entertainment, LanaLous and Cabana Lounge.
He has also performed in Victoria and Los Angeles.
“I love performing,” Rupprecht said. “I think I definitely do get nervous a bit, but something happens when I get on stage. I start to feel like a switch flips in me — that I get a whole bunch of confidence and all the nerves usually go away after the first song.”
His biggest influences include Post Malone and Michael Jackson, as well as Canadians Justin Bieber and The Weeknd.
“I look up to the Weeknd, especially because he’s Canadian,” Rupprecht said.
“I think he’s my biggest influence, just as far as his aesthetic and his lyrics and just his sound is super amazing.”
He’s looking forward to showcasing Vancouver Island talent, following in the footsteps of Lauren Spencer-Smith and Jacksun Fryer and Carlow Rush of Funkanometry.
“I’m excited to just contribute to putting Vancouver Island on the map, in a way.”
Rupprecht will head to Toronto to continue work on his EP this May.
The album is still in its early days, so there is no date for a release, but at least one single will be put out in advance.