Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, GODBLESSHAZE finds himself after a three-year hiatus and promotes his debut single, “AVE MARIA!” & his debut album “When The Wind & The Wolves Howl.”
The southern hemisphere’s diamond in the rough has stepped out after years of rebranding with visuals from his debut track, “AVE MARIA!” Cinematic and eccentric, GODBLESSHAZE began with his rebrand in 2021 after his “HITM” EP found success in and around Canada. However, he did not satisfy himself enough as he felt he could be more timeless. He has stated that the debut album needs to set the standard for his artistic projections and engrave an insane impression on first listeners.
At the beginning of this month, GODBLESSHAZE posted a snippet of his video chat with industry giant Timbaland. As he plays his unreleased album, you can hear the ecstatic reactions from the legend while he adds a speech from the critically acclaimed movie “300”, all caught on camera. However, it is unclear if Timbaland will feature on his debut album, but this collaboration would be a moment to remember for South Africans when it finally materializes.
We’ve sat down with GODBLESSHAZE to ask him questions about and surrounding this long-awaited debut release/s:
Can you tell us more about your debut single, “AVE MARIA!” and the meaning behind it?
Hey guys, thank you for setting this up, I love what you’re doing for the independent artists it’s truly amazing.
“AVE MARIA!” came about when I came across a producer named “Exillian” via YouTube, a real legend who perfected his craft. When I heard the production for the first time, it sounded exactly like what I’ve been searching for in a beat — cinematic, monumental, and ground-breaking.
When writing the record, the production usually tells me what to say, and when those strings came in at the end, I knew exactly what feeling and words to use. The concept hit the sweet spot because I’m catholic, and there are undertones of pain juxtaposed with the feeling of hope, so I immediately knew this was going on the album. I love this song with all my heart and can’t wait for everyone to hear it.
Can you tell us more about your video call with Timbaland and how you felt when he gave great feedback on your album, “When The Wind & The Wolves Howl”?
That moment will never be forgetton on both ends. After the call he stated while still on IG live that “I’m not stupid or oblivious to what just happened”. To be on the recieving end of praise from a legend like himself, I couldn’t help but embrace the feeling of future success with this album. In the snippet I posted he was adding vocal clips to it while we listened, it was a true creative moment and I’m glad I could bring that out of him.
What can we expect from your debut album, “When The Wind & The Wolves Howl” and what’s the meaning behind the title?
You can expect simplistic grandeur, feelings of upliftment, and a soul-fulfilling experience. As for the title, I’m a big believer in sharpening your pen game with other writing practices, and poetry/journaling seems to be a common theme among creatives.
In the midst of writing lines that are sonically worthy of being in a song, “When The Wind & The Wolves Howl” got jotted down, and I immediately knew it was of major importance. It made sense with my brand as one of my close friends at the time explained that my music sounds like the wind element & wolves I means my team of innovators and creators that are backing me in this fight for justice. It fits perfectly.
What do you want your supporters and listeners to take away from your music?
I want them to feel a sense of comfort and home within this cruel world, knowing that they have the necessary fuel to get them through the tough times (my music). I pray that I can make true change in this world one song at a time.