Fraser Valley – FVMA award winner, Saint Soldier, is still a warrior for peace but of a different kind. His album trilogy comes to a close with Karma, and Saint veers from his previous path of activism to be reflective and personal.
In this album, Saint Soldier is valiantly vulnerable while leading us into a conversation about the music industry, ourselves, and the identity of self.
“I went from wanting to change society to wanting to help the individual,” Saint says.
He explains, “10 years ago I felt like changing the world for the better was an objective of mine but I began to lose peace in that. But if I can’t find peace in myself, I can’t give peace to others. I became reclusive. Now I just share what gives me peace.”
Infinity, Duality, and Karma. Why a trilogy and what do they mean? According to Saint, “Karma means to act or to do, the act of doing. It’s connected to the ego and sense of self. The three albums are a cycle, And a trilogy.”
“Though these albums seem to say it as it is, there’s such an infinite depth to understanding that you can never truly know. That’s why the body of work is summed up in 3 letters; I.D.K.”
In Karma, Saint is proud to pair up with artists entirely (-1) from British Columbia; (producers) Empwer, Hunny Beatz, Rajzilla, DJ Hark, Skinny Local, Meemo, and DJ Big Smoke, (UK Producer) KIRWVN, (vocal features) Rozsa, Neesh, Junk, and Known.
Saint says, “It was a no-brainer Known should be on “Gift Rap”, one my of favourite tracks of the album because of it’s fresh, vibrant sound and silky vocals. His cadence, flow, delivery and lyricism had me put my hands up. I just knew he could do justice to this Empwer beat.”
Saint brings an old homie onto Tony Montana, produced by Empwer and Rajzilla, a flex track with an underlying message. “Junk and I go back 10 years, kicking freestyles outside the Anza Club till 4 am with the cypher crew. I am always impressed by his ability to bring the heat.”
Saint discusses his first time meeting Neesh (featured on the full-length version of “Role Models”) after watching him perform for the first time (with Skinny Local), at a warehouse party. “I was impressed by this young man’s energy and devotion to his craft. We clicked and quickly began making music together.”
Saint Soldier takes his writing process seriously, and describes “[it] has been evolving greatly as I experiment and learn from other artists. I see hip hop lyricism as a puzzle; the pieces are painted with words and shaped with sounds. They all need to fit to complete the picture.”
Each song may be a puzzle but the album is a puzzle of its own. Saint says, “choosing the tracks for Karma was challenging, I wrote close to 80 songs. In 2015, I read Michael Jackson would create 100 songs to cut a 10 track album, and I love MJ.”
Now that the picture is complete, Saint feels “like a chapter is closed. It’s liberating.”
Speaking of pictures, Saint says, “this album will be followed up by a series of sick music videos featuring songs off the album.”
“The visuals and aesthetics couldn’t have been completed without Bassment Studios which is run by my day 1 homie, Paul. [Since 2004], the two of us motivated and constantly pushed each other to do better. His support is unparalleled, I love that dude.”
“Except for the support of my wife, Rozsa,” featured on Everything Is Mental, a tell-it-straight track with space-warping sounds produced by Hunny Beatz, “who acts as my mirror and reflects back nothing but the truth for me. And kills it with the vocals.”
Now that the trilogy is complete, Saint is reinventing himself, “I don’t know if I’ll be releasing any more albums under Saint Soldier but there will be singles.”
Karma is set to drop June 20th, available on all streaming platforms, and will be accompanied by a music video premiere for “Role Models”. Choice tracks from Karma will be released with lyric videos in the weeks before and, following the album release, there will be three music video premieres.
Two tracks off Karma have already been released with lyric videos; Assumptions, on May 29th and Elon, on June 5th (lyric videos attached)
