Today we’d like to introduce you to Ivan Morin.
Hi Ivan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When I first started making music as Alcoda back in 2014 I really had no idea what I wanted to sound like, I just knew I wanted to make music. It took me 2 years to put out my first project, and I followed it up with several mixtapes and eps. However, in 2018 I officially released my first album once I figured out what direction I wanted to go and I’ve been fine-tuning and experimenting with that sound ever since. As of today, I have released 4 full-length albums and 6 beat tapes, 3 eps, and 3 collaborative projects. Additionally, I will be releasing my 5th album titled Divine Spirit.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My writing process can be a bit hectic and changes from project to project, but I have to admit that writing full albums is a lot of work. An ep or beat tape can come together very quickly because of the lack of pressure. Since 2018, I have released 1 album a year, with some side projects throughout the year. However, with this current project, I have been working on the first batch of demos since February and I don’t plan on releasing Divine Spirit until spring 2023. I had 2 weeks off from work at the beginning of summer and told myself I would spend a few hours each day working on the album but I guess life had different plans. I spent a lot of that time doubting myself and scrapping a lot of the ideas and songs I had demoed out up to that point. I wanted to let myself be vulnerable in the lyric writing process but instrumentally, I felt like the songs weren’t capturing those same moods and feelings. To save myself from myself, I decided to push the album back to next year instead of trying to force something for a 2022 release date and I think ultimately the extra time will be what really brings this album to life.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I have the first single from Divine Spirit coming out on October 28th called “Utopia In The Sky”. I’m so proud of how it turned out and I think it’s a great first single for the album. I started seeing a therapist earlier this year and he really helped me work through some of my past trauma. One thing specifically is religious trauma. We’re taught to be over-analytical of how we live our lives day to day and be critical of our friend’s and families’ lives, too, so that no one is living in sin. We’re taught in Christianity about the idea of heaven being a paradise you go to when you die. We’re told to live like christ and die to ourselves daily. But what I’ve learned from therapy is that you can start living a better life now. You can be free from your own burdens without having to “die”. You can work through your struggles with friends and family without “saving” anyone from impending doom. “Utopia In The Sky” is about living your best life without the anchor of religion.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Something that has really really helped me in my writing process is peer feedback. I’m surrounded by amazingly talented artists and producers and whenever I need some advice on a mix or a new sound or even just some general feedback, I will send a song or 2 to a friend. As a solo artist, you have the freedom to be as creative or wild as you want without a bandmate holding you back. Of course, that also means you don’t have someone there to tell you to stop if you are making something that sucks. It’s always good to keep some like-minded friends around to keep you in check.
Contact Info:
- Website: linktr.ee/alcoda777
- Instagram:instagram.com/alcoda777
- Twitter: twitter.com/alcoda777
- SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/alcoda777
