By Adam El-Khailani, Staff Writer
Orion León is an up and coming artist out of Northwest Indiana. He has been putting out music for about a year now, and this show is the culmination of that. Off of the back of his latest EP, Main Focus, which released just last month, Orion León showcased his talent to the region live for the first time. This show was the culmination of the talent and hard work Orion León has been putting in for the last year. After the show, we had a conversation with Orion León, and this is what he had to say.
What were your thoughts going through your first performance?
"It was definitely a lot, it was different trying to perform in front of that many people for the first time. I think the most people I had performed in front of before that was probably a small group of 15 to 20 people. Multiplying that by 3 or 4 times is definitely different. I wasn’t nervous but it was definitely overwhelming. But I enjoyed that a lot. I am excited to make this a career."
So where is Orion León going from your latest EP?
"Lots of new sounds, expect a lot more new sounds from me. Definitely going to be experimenting with a lot of new synths. More down to earth things. It’s getting colder outside, so I want to give something people can vibe to. I just want something people can connect to."
How do you think that your music connects to you, or represents you as a person?
"My music is a side of me I’ve never got to express before. With my music and notes, I am able to express that side of me that I’ve never expressed before. People are seeing a whole new side of me that makes me feel comfortable in my own skin."
How has growing up in Northwest Indiana impacted you?
"It impacted me a lot. People don’t see Northwest Indiana as a hub for music. We’ve had a lot of great artists like Omar Apollo, Michael Jackson, Freddie Gibbs. And hopefully I’ll be one of them. They’ve all impacted me, especially Michael Jackson. I grew up 5 blocks away from his old house. Being centered around that 24/7 becomes a part of you."
How big of a part is emotion for you in your music? In your latest EP you have those heart wrenching records, and you had stints in the middle of your performance putting your emotions on display. How would you say you’ve put that on display so far, and how do you think you will in the future?
"With my music it brings a part of me that is most vulnerable. I am able to express myself in ways I haven’t been able to express myself before. Words and lyrics go a longer way than simple conversation. When I write my lyrics and perform it shows the blood, sweat, and tears into it. Just putting my all into it shows who I am."
Why should the world show love to Orion León?
"You shouldn’t. Its really up to listeners if they want to indulge if they want to dive deeper into who I am as a person and what my music represents. They don’t have to. I’m not like”GO PLAY MY MUSIC RIGHT NOW” It’s something, if you want to listen to my music go give it a listen. I greatly appreciate it if you continue to like my music, if you don't, then oh well. There's other music and artists you can relate to."
Orion León's latest single Spoiled is streaming on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. If you want to support PHS students and their dreams after high school, give it a listen!
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