My first article for this online publication was dedicated to highlighting the talents and creative scope of Donald Price, a third-year advertising and branding student, on his journey through his musical career. The multifaceted artist placed himself in a very unique category of music, almost pioneering his footprint for the genre and his success. Over the course of the 2020-2021 school year, he’s had a lot of time to work on his craft, and what I was able to capture from him was nothing short of amazing.
I asked Cello to provide me with an update on his music and a personal message from it and what shocked me the most was his ability to illustrate everything with just visuals alone. I think more than anything, Cello has a unique voice that will alter the way we all hear music and, in our parallel universe, see the music as well.
To stream “Higher,” click this link.
On the same note, there were more images from the shoot that the cover art derived from, which are just as grand.
More importantly, this is what Cello had to say about the project:
“When creating higher, I wasn’t deep into creating my project. I had just got my first synth and loved how it made my voice feel. Steve lacy then dropped his project and he had a song called ‘HATE CD (hate coming down).’ That song made me realize how much I absolutely enjoy love songs that are metaphoric and not the typical straight out ‘I love you.’ I wanted my own version, so I created a beat, grabbed the mic and the lyrics flowed like a current. Love to me is a high, which is why people always chase it, and when one person can’t give it you or you exhaust it, you jump to the next person or thing that brings you excitement. In the song ‘Higher,’ I talked about how my ex’s love made me flush and took me to higher places. The yearning and the craving of that love being so enduring that it can be as sick as a drug. The visualizer is a homage to love-sick people that feel like they have to love and over-indulge in their emotional beliefs. This also coincides with the Jim Jones massacre and people running blindly in love which leads to their dooms. Though the song is based on a love-sick experience, I hope that one day we all can find a high that doesn’t bring us to our end.”
To see more of Cello/Phn’s work and music, visit his Instagram.
