Emerging trap-pop singer Neptune’s reputation precedes him. The singer first broke the mainstream through several singles posted to his YouTube channel when he was only 13 years old. These tracks caught the eyes of Poo Bear, will.i.am, and Post Malone, who have individually served as mentors to different aspects of Neptune’s career.
Five years later, Neptune is now poised to release his debut album at 18, which will come in 2024 following its lead single “Monochrome.” The track combines moody lyricism over a deceptively upbeat and booming production. The track’s ambiguity is what Neptune, whose real name is Dylan, hopes will attract a wider audience.
Prior to his debut full-length work, the singer collaborated with Post Malone on “YOU” in 2018. Malone is known for his genre-bending production, ranging from trap-pop to hip-hop, R&B, and country. The singer-songwriter reflected upon his collaboration with Neptune with nothing but fond memories, saying “Working with Neptune was like tapping into a whole new musical dimension. The guy’s got vision, passion, and a sound that’s gonna shake the world.”
Having such powerful mentors has continued to allow Neptune to chart a unique course into finding his voice and sound. “It was very off the cuff, a spur of the moment thing, and it led to remaking that song. He’s great and it was great working with him, and I hope at some point I can work with him again because I still love him. He’s got an older brother kind of feel. It’s great to see how much he’s blown up since then,” said Neptune.
Poo Bear and will.i.am, the latter formerly of the Black Eyed Peas, have spoken positively of the singer’s work ethic and drive as well. will.i.am reflected upon Neptune’s ability to craft a unique throughline that is present throughout his body of work.  “There are artists who make hits, and then there are artists who build worlds,” said will.i.am.
“Neptune’s crafting entire galaxies with his sound. Every track is like stepping into a new universe, and that’s the kind of innovation that drives music forward.”
ADVERTISEMENT
The Music Behind the Madness
As Neptune prepares for his debut full-length album release, he intends to hold his cards close to his chest when it comes to speaking on the inspiration behind his lyrics.
“I hope that when that comes out, that listeners will be able to make their own story out of it. I have a story behind it and it means something to me, but I want all of it to mean something to everyone,” said Neptune. He cites both Malone and Childish Gambino as his musical inspirations behind this record.
Despite his roots in trap-pop, Neptune revealed that his Spotify wrapped will likely tell a different story. “My library is so cluttered, it’ll go from something random that I heard that’s some old 1950s track to something that just got posted two days ago. It’s all over the place,” the singer said. This diverse catalogue of sound will reflect in different ways on Neptune’s upcoming debut album.
“Monochrome” is out on all streaming platforms now.
