Beyond the Drop: Phyphr at the Crossroads [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

One month following the release of Crossroads, we sat down with Phyphr to dive into the story behind the album. What began as a spark years ago has since evolved into a sound entirely his own—blending blues, soul, and electronic energy into something raw and deeply real.

This album is a snapshot of an artist at a turning point—letting go of expectations, leaning into honesty, and creating from a place that feels like starting fresh. Crossroads isn’t just a title—it’s where Phyphr hit reset.

“I think a lot of people hit that point in their lives where you start asking the hard questions and looking for real answers. Crossroads is the sound of me doing that soul-searching out loud.”

– Phyphr

Listen to Crossroads while you read the interview:

A Moment with Phyphr

Kaylee Leitzel, Electric Hawk: The name Phyphr is pretty unique – where did it come from? 

Phyphr: It actually started as a nickname back in college. One day we were watching Looney Tunes—there was this episode where Elmer Fudd plays a chef for a king, and the king orders hasenpfeffer, which is this old-school rabbit stew dish. We all thought the word was epic and started joking around with it—calling each other “Hasenpfeffer,” then just “Hoss,” and eventually someone landed on “Phyphr.” It stuck. From then on, everyone just called me that.

So when it came time to release music and I was trying to pick a name, Phyphr felt right. It wasn’t something I overthought—it found me, in a way. It came out of this fun, shared moment with friends, and it’s rooted in that same energy I want my music to have.

KL: How would you describe Phyphr to someone discovering you for the first time?

Phyphr: Some people would probably answer that with a genre label, but for me, Phyphr is really about being the most authentic version of yourself. That’s what it means to me—it’s my way of expressing who I am in the truest way possible.

I hope that through my music, I can inspire others to do the same—to be real, to create, or to express themselves however feels right. I’ve never tried to box myself into one genre. I like making all kinds of music. Sometimes it leans more hip-hop, other times it’s funky, soulful, bass-heavy, dubstep, or even bluesy. It’s just me exploring what feels right in the moment.

At the end of the day, Phyphr is less about fitting into a sound and more about following a feeling—and making space for others to do the same.

KL: Hearing how synchronized you are with your guitar, how long have you been playing for?

Phyphr: I’ve been playing since I was six. My dad got me a guitar for Christmas that year—it was the best Christmas of my life. The plan was for us to learn together. He bought us this little music book, the Hal Leonard Guitar Method, and we started learning songs out of it. I still have that book.

At that age, I was soaking up everything like a sponge, and the guitar just came naturally to me. I picked it up fast, and eventually my dad stepped back from it, but he still remembers a few songs. That memory—walking downstairs and seeing that guitar under the tree—is one of the best memories I have. It still brings tears to my eyes when I think about it. I even still have that original guitar; it’s blue.

Funny enough, the guitar I play on stage now—my Fender Strat—looks almost exactly like that first one. I used to play a green striped guitar I’d bought myself, but I eventually picked up this Strat that reminded me so much of my first guitar. It’s a more advanced version, kind of like a hot rod, but it makes me feel safe on stage. It brings me back to that six-year-old kid on Christmas morning, and it just feels right. That’s the energy I want to carry into every performance.

KL: Now that you’re a producer, if there’s one message you’d want fans to know about Phyphr, what would it be?

Phyphr: My mission statement as Phyphr is that every time I perform, I want someone in the crowd to walk away feeling inspired—to chase their dreams, to be the most authentic version of themselves. Every time I get on stage, I’m thinking: “Let me connect with just one person tonight.” If I can make even one person feel like they can go after what they believe in, that’s a win.

Really, what it comes down to is helping people connect with their passion. That’s the whole point. That’s why I named my last album Catalyst. I want to be that spark for someone—to help them go after what they love. And if I can do that, maybe they’ll go on to inspire someone else, and then that person does the same. It’s this ripple effect of people chasing what lights them up.

So, the mission is simple: empower people to be real and follow what sets their soul on fire. That’s Phyphr in a nutshell.

KL: So, your last album, Catalyst, was about people expressing their passions and embracing their authentic selves. What would you say Crossroads is about?

Phyphr: Crossroads is more about that moment almost everyone hits in their journey—whether you’re a musician or not—where you find yourself standing at a real crossroads. You’re doing something you’re passionate about, you know why you started, but then these questions start creeping in…

To be real, I had this moment where I thought, “Okay, I’m the guy people expect to always be smiling on stage, the one preaching positivity and following your dreams… but what happens when I’m not feeling that way?” When I was writing this album, I was wrestling with some heavy questions: Am I on the right path? Am I doing a good enough job? Is this music really connecting with people?

I was also wondering about the direction of the project itself—like, is this how I want to sound forever? Do I want to evolve? Personally, I’d just made a huge move from Denver to North Carolina—so yeah, big life changes. And I was asking myself: was that the right move?

Phyphr: Writing Crossroads helped me work through all of that—helped me figure out where I was headed creatively, professionally, and personally. It’s really about navigating change, processing those internal shifts, and trying to find clarity in the middle of it all.

I know that sounds a little vague, but that’s kind of the point—it’s different for everyone. I think a lot of people hit that point in their lives where they start asking the hard questions and looking for real answers. Crossroads is the sound of me doing that soul-searching out loud.

KL: What inspired the name of the album? I know you kind of touched on the idea of a crossroads, but is there any deeper or hidden message you’d want fans to know?

Phyphr: So I’ve always been inspired by this story of Robert Johnson—the Delta blues legend. The folklore says that he went to the crossroads and sold his soul to the devil to be legendary at the guitar. Obviously, that’s a myth, but to me, it’s a metaphor for soul searching. Like, he disappeared, figured out who he really was, and came back with this insane talent because he’d fully embraced his passion.

That whole idea really stuck with me while making Crossroads. I felt like I was going through my own version of that—questioning my path, shifting my sound, just trying to level up as an artist. It wasn’t spooky or religious, but it was transformative. I wanted this album to feel like that moment where people hear it and go, “Whoa, where’s Phyphr been?”—like something changed.

The sound is still me, just more refined. It leans into my blues roots, which has always been my background, and somehow I’m playing guitar better than ever. The whole thing feels like a rebirth—a musical reset at my own crossroads.

KL: What is your favorite song from Crossroads, or one that stuck with you the most while making it?

Phyphr: My favorite track from Crossroads is definitely “Remember Me.” It just hits different. I found this old gospel record—super random, but I’m glad I listened to it all the way through—and at the very end, there was this raw, emotional line:

“When I come down to die, please don’t forget about me. I’ll be the one had to cry sometimes, got doors closed in my face. All I want you to do is remember me.”

That hit me hard. It made me think seriously about legacy, like, if I died today, who would actually remember me? And equally important, who would I remember? That reflection really shaped the whole direction of the song.

The idea of legacy didn’t make me want to sell out or chase trends. It actually did the opposite. I wanted to create something real—something that could stand the test of time and inspire people long after I’m gone. Kind of this idea that if I can be a catalyst, and spark another catalyst, and they spark catalysts, that impact could keep multiplying—like change the world through spreading passion.

What if generations from now, most people on Earth are living authentically and chasing their dreams because one person inspired another to believe they could? That’s the energy behind “Remember Me.” That’s what I hope sticks.

KL: Thinking of other past albums, we’ve talked a bit about Catalyst—was SOUL EQ your first official release?

Phyphr: Well, I had a little project before that called Toons. It was six songs, but honestly, they weren’t that great. I called it Toons because of the whole Looney Toons thing—since that’s where my name came from—and the cover had a Looney Toons-style vibe.

But SOUL EQ was my first real project. It was the first time I sat down and said, “Alright, I want to make something I’m proud to release—something that really represents me and this project.” That EP had five tracks, and I still play some live.

Phyphr: Back then, I didn’t fully know what I was doing. But those songs connected. And I think that taught me something I come back to constantly: a lot of artists get caught up trying to make everything perfect. I know people who won’t release music at all because they don’t think it’s good enough yet. And I’m guilty of it too—I’ll rework a song over and over, chasing perfection, and either let it die or sit on it forever.

It’s that deeper fear, “Am I good enough?” But then I remember SOUL EQ. It definitely wasn’t perfect, but people loved it. It’s a reminder that sometimes the imperfections are what make it perfect. There’s beauty in that rawness.

Your musical fingerprint, even if it’s not technically perfect, can still be right. A good song that’s produced poorly is still a good song. But a bad song, no matter how polished, is still a bad song.

KL: So what was it like going from SOUL EQ, where you were still figuring things out, to making Crossroads now that you’ve got a few projects under your belt and way more experience?

Phyphr: Honestly? It was harder.

With SOUL EQ, I didn’t have all these thoughts bouncing around in my head. I wasn’t overthinking anything—I was just making music for fun. It was simple. It was light. I didn’t have any pressure or expectations.

But with Crossroads, I knew I was making an album. I had a vision for it, and I wanted it to hit that next level, which, honestly, is a tough mindset to be in when you’re writing. Ideally, you want to approach an album with that same sense of curiosity and joy you had when you first started. That “just doing it because I love it” mindset.

At first, I kept making ideas and scrapping them. Everything felt too complicated or forced. And in the electronic music space, there’s this pressure to make big, flashy drops—festival bangers—and I got caught up in that for a minute.

Eventually, I had to reset. I told myself, “Go back to your roots. Strip it all down. Make something simple and real, and let it grow from there.” Once I did that—once I leaned into simplicity and focused on the songwriting, the lyrics, the structure, the core of what makes a song good—everything started to click.

KL: What’s it been like working in different music markets like Denver and North Carolina? Do you feel like those places have influenced your sound?

Phyphr: Oh yeah, big time.

Denver was an amazing place to learn, like a musical boot camp. I was constantly getting my ass kicked in the best way until I got decent at producing. And I got inspired by what people would call the “Denver sound,” you know? More of that Pretty Lights-inspired, electronic funk and soul vibe. You can hear those inspirations in my first album, Catalyst.

Before I moved to Denver, I was already inspired by artists like GRiZ and that whole funky, soulful lane, especially during my first run living in North Carolina. But when I came back to NC this time around, something shifted. I felt free to explore new sounds.

Charlotte doesn’t have a specific “sound” the way Denver does, so there’s no mold to fit into. It gave me room to explore something entirely new. 

Phyphr: I’m blessed to have support in both places. In Denver, I’m surrounded by insanely talented musicians I look up to, and that pushes me to level up. In Charlotte, most of my friends aren’t in music at all. We go bowling, hit up music bingo, grab dinner—it’s more chill, and honestly, that space away from the “scene” gives me room to be more creatively open. There’s no blueprint here. No pressure. Just vibes. So yeah, both places inspire me, but in totally different ways.

KL: What inspired you to pursue electronic music, and when did you start?

Phyphr: It all started at Hulaween 2017. I wasn’t making music yet, hadn’t started Phyphr—I was just in the crowd at my first music festival. I rolled up to the amphitheater stage and saw Manic Focus Live Band with Cory Wythe (Marvel Years) on guitar and Colby Buckler (Emancipator) on drums, and it completely blew my mind. They were dropping bangers, and I was standing there thinking, “This is so sick.”

That moment cracked something open in me. I looked at Manic Focus and thought, “I want to be like him.” But then I also play guitar, so I thought, “I could be both of these things in one. Maybe I don’t need a whole band. Maybe I could be a one-man electronic band.”

That same day, I saw FKJ perform solo—doing the full one-man-band setup—and that sealed it. Between those two sets, the vision for Phyphr came together. On the way home from the festival, I downloaded Logic using my hotspot and started producing right there in the car. That was the beginning.

Phyphr: At first, it was rough. Everything I made was very loop-based. I still do a bit of live looping in my sets, but the project’s evolved more into a DJ-performance hybrid now. But yeah, 2017 was the spark, and once I started, I never looked back. I already had the name Phyphr from college, and it just made sense, like it had all been waiting for me to catch up.

Then, fast forward, five or six years later, I ended up performing on that exact stage at Hulaween. First with Manic Focus Live Band in 2022, then in 2024 with my own Phyphr set. Full circle. I was standing where I once stood in the crowd, just dreaming about getting started. It didn’t even feel real.

To all the people out there—follow your dream. Don’t wait until you feel ready. Start. You never know where it’ll take you. If you put in the work and keep showing up, it can happen.

KL: Now that the album’s out—what’s next? Any tours or events you’re especially excited about?

Phyphr: Yeah, I’ve got a few things cooking. I’m also eyeing some big support slots—Mission Ballroom, Red Rocks. That’d be a huge step and could set me up for something like a headliner at the Ogden.

I just wrapped up my crossroads tour, a mountain tour with Motifv. After that, I’m actually about to get married, then head out on a honeymoon—so that’s definitely the next big and way more exciting thing happening in my life right now.

Phyphr: I also feel like I need a little breather. So I’m taking time this summer to reset, write, and dive back into the creative zone. Now that I’ve put out my second album—and since I’ve never really focused on releasing singles—I want to switch gears and put out a few of those. I’ve got a few exciting collabs in the works.

This summer is looking like a “singles and collabs” era for me. Then, toward the tail end of summer, will be my festival season—and that’s when I’ll hit the road again.

Phyphr: That’s pretty much the plan. Once I wrap up this tour in a couple of weeks, I’m taking a little time to regroup, get married, and spend some real quality time with Roxy and the fam. After that, mid-summer, I’ll jump back into writing.

Then fall is looking stacked. I just announced Sacred Acre, I’m playing Summer’s End Smoke Out. There are a few more in the works, too. So anything people see popping up in late summer and early fall, it’ll come with a bunch of new music—stuff that reflects this new sound I’ve been working on, plus some collabs.

KL: Wait—remind me, did you and Roxy meet in high school or college?

Phyphr: College. We were 19 and working at Stein Mart. I knew right away—she was the one. We’ve been together almost 11 years now.

KL: What advice do you wish someone had given you when you were just starting as a producer?

Phyphr: I wish someone had told me it’s not about the gear, it’s not about how fancy your speakers are, whether your room’s acoustically treated, or if you’ve got the nicest guitar or plugins. None of that matters as much as you, the person operating all that stuff. Especially now, with how accessible technology is, all you need are the basics and a dedication to getting better.

The other big thing? Don’t be afraid to put your music out there. I know so many producers who make incredible music but never release it because they don’t think it’s “ready” or “good enough.” I used to be the same way—afraid of some imaginary starting line, holding back songs I now wish I’d shared.

But here’s the thing: your journey is part of your sound. If you listen to someone like GRiZ from his earliest releases to now, you can hear him grow up. You hear the evolution, the shifts, the self-discovery—that’s what makes it powerful. That’s what I want my discography to be, too. If someone plays my music from start to finish, I want them to hear the moves, the relationships, the highs, the lows—even the wedding. They’ll hear that too—real life, in sound.

Phyphr: So, if I could give one piece of advice to new producers: don’t wait for perfect. Release the imperfect. Be honest. Let people hear your story. That’s where the real connection is. And if your goal is to be the most authentic version of yourself, you have to let that come through in every step of the journey.

Trust yourself. Put the music out. Don’t overthink it. Just be you.

Looking for more from Phyphr?

Check out his discography or upcoming tour dates:

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