Los Angeles-based Codi Smith has been exploring the world of Pop in a way in which only he can do.
Leaving his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri at the age of 18, he has spent the last 8 years honing in on his artistry primarily in the underground scene. Codi Smith has found himself evolving into what he felt was a more introspective style of writing, and that’s displayed in his recent release of, ‘in the meantime (EP).’
Allowing us to submerge ourselves in the evolving motions of falling in love, to heartbreak, to disgust, in a mere four songs, the various moods that are propelled from this piece make it so we can truly resonate with Codi Smith.
Taking on the anthemic route of power-pop ballads, the introductory single “supernova,” has us entering the exclusive universe that Codi Smith has worked diligently in order to master. With powerful vocals that draw you into his descriptive narratives, he has a knack for creating a compelling masterpiece that’s sure to evoke a world of visualizations.
Beginning on a sparse note that trickles into your speakers with mass potential, you’re struck by a sense of anticipation that brews strongly within. The flourishing soundscape that transports you into a jaunty display of rhythm has the infectious grooves cascading with an empowering vocal fueled by determination.
Lyrical motifs such as ‘My heart burst like a supernova. Ignited then I felt it split into two,’ leave you with an eloquent medley of emotions that inflame thought, and cast out comprehensive imaginings to your headspace. Codi Smith’s expressive croons produce a charismatic flow that has you immediately hooked on the words he performs. We couldn’t ask for a better way to commence the succession of ‘in the meantime (EP).’
Congratulations on the release of ‘in the meantime (EP).’ With “supernova” is such a strong introduction into the body of work, what inspired you to lead this project with this specific track?
I lead the project with 'supernova' for two reasons. The first is that I anticipate limited attention from listeners who are unfamiliar with my work. If a new listener has only 30 seconds to give me, I wanted to serve something that was strong, catchy, and high energy. With 'supernova' as the hook, hopefully, they’ll stick around for more. The second reason is for the project’s story. ‘supernova’ represents the ethereal feeling of falling for someone and the EP descends all the way to disgust with ‘cant remember.
Could you please take us a bit deeper into the flow of this EP? Was there a method to your madness when assembling the tracklist, and how are you hoping that the audience picks up on the themes exposed?
Technically, there was no intentional method to this project at the beginning. I was creating a completely different project and these songs had seemed to not fit, so I had the idea to create this EP. I had 3 songs at this point and 'idkw' and 'supernova' came last. 'Supernova' was the very last one and was created solely to complete the story. It also just so happened that all of this came together while I was preparing for heart surgery (which I'm currently in the process of healing from). I knew that I would be healing for at least three months which meant I wouldn't be performing or actively pursuing my pop star duties. This is why I decided to call the project 'in the meantime'. I hope the audience can feel the relatable flow of love lost and love slipping through their fingertips.
You’ve mentioned that you have worked on your sound for the past 8 years; which is incredible to us. How have you found yourself growing as an artist from your first release to now?
With any passion you invest in, expect to see growth and change that relates to every part of your life. I never really saw myself as a songwriter. I was only songwriting because I thought, ‘who else is going to do it?’ I'm not sure why but I felt like songwriting was a rare gift only certain people were born with. Over the years I've cultivated my pen and I absolutely consider myself a songwriter. With dedicated time, you can carve space to say more and uncover more vocal and melodic confidence. To me, it's much more fulfilling--but I had no idea it would be this way when I started out! I get to say that every song I’ve made was completely written by me.
What words of advice do you have for your audience that may be experiencing the motions of heartbreak?
My biggest advice to anyone going through heartbreak is to do your best to feel all the emotions that you can. Have your moment and don't let anyone stop you from having your moment. Suppressing emotions will only result in a bigger blowup when it finally does hit you. And it usually hits you at the worst times. My therapist always tells me time doesn't heal all. Difficult emotional work does.
What's next for you?
I see a full-length project in my future, with hopefully a new single out before the end of this year. I want to get back to my roots sonically with more uptempo pop-centric tracks. I look forward to completing my healing process and being back in a position where I can perform live again.