It’s tough growing up in small-town America. Everyone sticks to their routines and can’t seem to mind their own business. If you fall out of line, you’re prone to ostracism and bullying. For the artist Dylan Longworth, this reality is all-too familiar. Many folks stuck in small towns resign themselves to the inevitable and settle down in the same place they were born. This pressure motivated Dylan to break free from the mold and become something more - a sentiment which establishes itself through his latest project “can i ask u some questions?” (Here-on referred to as simply “questions”)
“questions” is a 14-track concept album which guides the listener through an interview with Dylan Longworth conducted by BACKLIGHT, an online music publication. The introductory track features Noah from BACKLIGHT opening the interview by asking Dylan about how his priorities have shifted as an artist upon moving away from his hometown to attend college. This thrusts the listener into a 31 minute-long voyage through Dylan Longworth’s deepest emotions, experiences, and introspection. The true nature of this album can only be described by Dylan’s versatility as an artist. A specific genre for this album can be tough to nail down, as it blends elements of anti-pop, digicore, lo-fi, hip hop, and indie pop, among others.
Above all else, Dylan’s impressive vocal delivery and songwriting ability cut straight to the listener on this project. His voice is impactful, and he wields it like a swiss army knife over various instrumentals throughout the project. As a result, it was no surprise to find through speaking with Dylan that music has been the cornerstone to the structure of his life. His grandparents introduced him to folk from a young age; his father introduced him to rap and hip hop. After singing on stage during a karaoke night around Halloween of 2013, Dylan realized it was time to hone his talent. This is where the Dylan Longworth story truly begins, as he cites it as the pivotal moment for falling in love with making music.
This is where Dylan feels he’s disconnected from his peers in small-town North Carolina. His song “hometown” highlights his desire to leave and become part of something larger than himself. However, this comes with much uncertainty and growing pains. The 22-year-old artist has found a fresh start at college - free from the bullying and isolation inflicted from his hometown peers. Despite this, he acknowledged his family as a constant source of support, even if they don’t necessarily understand the small successes in music such as verification on SoundCloud (congratulations by the way, Dylan). He hopes to be able to return to his hometown in 10 years to demonstrate what happens when you don’t restrict yourself to small-town ideals.
With that in mind, Dylan isn’t interested in getting there on his own. “questions” features a group of artists Dylan considers his close friends: austyn with a y, Bond., Niztopia, wishlane, and BACKLIGHT Noah. Dylan noted he discovered these friends through the brakence fan community online. He wanted to make sure each of his friends was able to shine on the album, and I believe each unique feature is able to add something unique to the album. The chemistry between Dylan and his friends is especially evident, and I think speaks to the value of growth alongside those closest to you.
I’ve also found an immense demonstration of growth means learning not to take yourself too seriously. While “questions” deals with a myriad of onerous subjects, Dylan Longworth is able to pepper in delightful nodes of comedy and entertainment. The interlude “cutting room floor” falls almost smack-dab in the center of the album, and contains brief parodies of Yeat (yes, Yeat), Nashville-style country music, and opera as Noah desperately tries to keep the interview on-topic. This 2.5 minutes of levity is precisely what the project needs at that point in the runtime, and gives a perfect glimpse into the Dylan I have come to know - an introspective, hilarious, and multifaceted individual.
Looking ahead, Dylan says he would like to lay low for a while. This album took around 4 months to complete, with some songs in the works for even longer. He says he hopes to release some singles in the near future, as well as perform some shows on the east coast. Either way, his versatility demonstrated in “can i ask u some questions?” definitely has me curious to see what’s next from this young star in the making.
Stream “can i ask u some questions?” down below! Follow his socials: IG: @imdylanlongworth Twitter: @dylanblongworth
P.s. “shout out to my money team: austyn with a y, swazy*, niztopia, and ducku!”
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