Artist Talks aims to delve into the minds and stories of creative souls who shape our world. Join us as we explore the vibrant tapestry of inspiration that surrounds us, guided by the voices and visions of those who dare to dream, create, and inspire.
Ephraim, a 27-year-old also known as Raiden with the civil name Ephraim Duncan, was born and raised in London before moving to Denmark at the age of 16. He now resides in Copenhagen. ephraim is a multidisciplinary artist focused on storytelling, bringing his narratives to life through various outlets, such as his newly released single, "Narcissistic Tendencies," and the poems he frequently performs at select venues in Copenhagen. We meet him in Paris, where he is directing a production for one of his clients. He expresses his love for sharing and connecting with others, explaining that his stories take shape through this passion, with the medium becoming secondary.
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"First off, congratulations on the release of your new single, 'Narcissistic Tendencies.' Can you tell us what the song is about?"
I made this song to help me embrace the process of change. I wrote it after realizing I didn't know how to take care of myself. Following my last relationship, I entered a period where I had to look in the mirror and accept that I had narcissistic tendencies. This song is about accepting that I need to take care of myself first. It's about change, and celebrating I can now accept myself putting me first, while acknowledging that it isn't always easy to do so.
"Do you consider music to be an outlet for expressing your feelings?"
Yes, I believe music allows me to express emotions I haven't always given myself the space to feel. Music, for me, is a diary in which I talk about my personal experiences; it helps me make sense of my world. It’s a way for me to understand and get to know the different sides of me, a way for me to process what's going on in my life.
"What do you consider your biggest accomplishment in music?"
I hope that by sharing how I feel, the people who listen will get to understand themselves a little bit better. Ultimately I’m sharing my story and I hope they receive a new perspective on their story which helps them continue to enjoy living life.
"Who is your inspiration?"
Right now, my sister inspires me because of the way she shows up for herself in her many different creative mediums. She reminds me that it's possible to live outside the box—the box of a single career path. Musically, I'm inspired by Kings of Leon because I love the way their music feels. It's instrument-based, and I'm a sucker for emotionally-driven pop rock. I enjoy combining rap and storytelling with that genre. Creatively I’m inspired by Childish Gambino because of the way he is so fluid in his forms of expression (music, directing, acting and writing) and lyrically I’m inspired by Lil Wayne because he seems to be constantly writing lyrics - I love when I am in a space where it’s almost as if the pen is using me to write.
"What is your guilty pleasure in music?"
“Love Story (taylor's version)” by Taylor Swift - it gave me the most unrealistic idea of love and I love it to this day.
"You often mention storytelling. Can you elaborate on what it means to you?"
Storytelling is the act of taking lived experiences and creating something others can live through. It comes in many different forms: It can be modeling, creating a scene, a live show, acting, creating a visual production, writing a poem, writing a fairytale, an inspiring conversation - it’s all one big story. When I label myself a storyteller it allows me to step outside the box of just being a musician or model and step into the world of ART.
"What do you mean by being a full artist?"
To me it means being able to communicate how I feel. I believe there is a story in everything; there is something to learn in every situation you find yourself in, and storytelling creates an enjoyable interpretation of this.
Often I feel like I’m forced to learn and storytelling provides me with a more enjoyable way of learning, a way in which I can look at myself or a situation from the outside and not be so attached to what’s going on.
"In what other forms do you create and share your stories?"
I create and share stories through acting, modeling, styling, writing poetry, and short stories. I'm currently working on a novel.
Creative direction is another medium I use, but ultimately, I am invested in telling my story through various forms of expression. I love to try new things - and for me it's about allowing these different processes to align.
I'm committed to learning how to tell not only my own story but also the stories of others, because that is where I learn how to tell my story the most!
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"Can you tell us about the 'Good Nightmare' music video and the awards it has won?
The music video for Good Nightmare was one of the best projects I've worked on and one of the stories I'm most proud of because it was a visual representation of my history - it focus’ on my perspective of my religious upbringing, it focus’ on the chaos I ran into while running away from religion, it focus’ on my inner child and it focus’ on me finding peace with being me. It's the tale of an Afro-European navigating his way through sexuality, spirituality, and mental health and was visual It was created in collaboration with Kaos Arena, and we shot it in a theater, which I find to be one of the most inspiring places to tell a story.
"Can you tell us about the nominations and wins the 'Good Nightmare' music video has received?"
We submitted the music video to various film festivals across Europe, and the response showed that the story resonated with others. It was nominated for 10 finals all over europe, and has currently won three awards: "Best Music Video" at the Paris Film Festival and "Best Music Video" at the Germany Rostock Film Festival and also ‘Best Music Video’ at Stockholm City Film Festival.
“Is there new music coming?”
There is an upcoming EP titled, HELL OF AN ANGEL which I’m very excited to share. The them being ‘it’s better to feel pain than nothing at all’ and ‘I don't want to save you if it means hurting myself’.
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