(Credit: Far Out / WesGhost)
Masks act as a cover that obscures underlying emotions, and serve as facades used to hide or distract from reality. They divert attention from the superficial and force the gaze to deeper, more visceral aspects. As humans, we walk through life by freely taking off various masks and revealing different aspects of ourselves. The possibility of us wearing a mask always exists, regardless of time or place. For WesGhost, the act of masking acts as a way to amplify our ability to feel, fostering vulnerability without fear of impending judgment.
Of course, with WesGhost, masking is literal. “The intention behind [the mask] “I didn’t intend it to be a gimmick,” says the artist. Farand explained the reason behind the cover-up. “I wear a mask because I don’t want it to be a mask for anything other than the emotion that music makes people feel. You can’t judge how I look, you can’t judge who I am, I can’t judge what I did, I can only take the music at face value.”
WesGhost finds inspiration anywhere, anytime, solely through his own artistic expression. Inspiration often comes from very personal experiences, such as the loneliness of adolescence. His music is both an exercise in spontaneous musical creativity and an encouragement for disenfranchised people to wake up, brave the world, and find hope through his unique worldview. .
Many artists often create unique musical tapestries in solitude. WesGhost overcomes this very situation with every project, working independently with his community of fans online. “My process is very personal,” he explains. “All the music is written by me. I produce it all myself. I play multiple instruments, guitar, piano, bass, and a little drums. […] And most of the time, we’re dealing with things from the past, such as relationships we’ve had. ”
In this way, music acts as a means for WesGhost to navigate and make sense of certain events and emotions, facilitating a newfound sense of healing or at least providing an alternative perspective. . “For me, it feels like a lot of my recent releases like ‘Cursed,’ ‘Doomed,’ and ‘Expired.’ They’re all about this place of letting go of certain things and trying to recover from that. “It comes from,” he explains. “So when I put them down, I feel like I can reflect on that experience and move forward from it. It’s very therapeutic.”
Masked yet masterful, WesGhost is not only adept at marrying lyrics and melody, but also at navigating the social media realm. This is an impressive feat considering the sheer speed of today’s situation. His drive to achieve all of this adds an extra layer of admiration. “One of the first songs that really influenced me as a kid was ‘The Scientist’ by Coldplay. I was about 15 when I discovered it and had no idea what it meant. ”
Continuing, he added: “It evoked a very emotional response in me and it stayed with me. So when I started this project, I thought if I could recreate what happened to me. , which the lead singer of Coldplay did. He wrote, “And it meant something to him, and I was able to apply my own experience to it. This is what I have [on] top of mind. Although not everyone experiences the same things, we all have the same common basic human emotions with which to approach things. ”
Wes Ghost recognizes the complex nature of his music and acknowledges its ability to vary its depth, sometimes subtly, sometimes deeply resonant. No matter the listener’s emotional state, the music maintains its consistent quality, providing an emotionally accessible space for everyone to feel a little less alone.
At the same time, WesGhost recognizes the power of rawness and collaboration. In a realm where polished end results garner more praise than varying stages of development, WesGhost relies on a unique approach to solving it as you go. While working on “Expired,” he recalled playing an early rendition of the song to his followers on Instagram Live. . I’ve never done anything like that before. It’s always very personal and done behind closed doors. The audience sitting there watching me brought out this stream of consciousness. ”
Many artists lose connection with their fans when their music becomes overly transactional, ignoring the magic found in less polished versions. But WesGhost recognizes that authenticity is the essence of music. “There are amazing artists who post demos and music and sing in their cars. And it’s very, very raw,” he explains. “If anything, I’m always looking for ways to strip things down and make it more raw so that when someone listens to it, they can feel the raw emotion instead of it being too polished or too clean.” I’m always trying to find out.”
Despite the physical obstacles of masks and cell phone screens, Wes Ghost’s skill at connecting with his audience is undeniable. His music seamlessly combines the brightest and darkest sides of life with songs like “Doomed,” showcasing his versatile range, vibrant production and extremely vulnerable and relatable songs. The lyrics intertwine and take the listener through the ups and downs of love.
The essence of WesGhost’s music lies in the familiar feeling of being an outsider. By making music for people who are often overlooked, artists continue to do just that. “I just want to help people the way this music has helped me,” he explains. “I don’t think I have any idea where I would be if I didn’t have the ability to write songs and get them out of my system. I feel like music is real communication.”
“It’s really about coming together, coming together through hardships and supporting each other,” he concludes.