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Artist Profile: Behind the Mask of Myles Blue

The Kyoudai Collective is made up of Levy (Myles Blue), Hiro Sakuma (Romus), Josh Jackson (Jarou), Aman Singh (Cheez), and Hunter Tsao (HTsao).
The Kyoudai Collective is made up of Levy (Myles Blue), Hiro Sakuma (Romus), Josh Jackson (Jarou), Aman Singh (Cheez), and Hunter Tsao (HTsao). By Courtesy of Justin Case
By J.J. Moore, Crimson Staff Writer

Over the past two years, Levy has developed tremendously as a musician, learning from those he listens to and his four friends that he is in a music group with. Kyoudai Collective is made up of Levy (Myles Blue), Hiro Sakuma (Romus), Josh Jackson (Jarou), Aman Singh (Cheez), and Hunter Tsao (HTsao). They performed together for the first time in March 2022 at their high school’s talent show. “It went super well to a point where, at the end of it, people started to group us together… even compare us,” Levy said.

“[People] respect us individually and as a group because our styles are so different,” he added.

The contrast in their musical styles has ultimately pushed Levy to grow as a musician. At the beginning of Levy’s career, he focused heavily on lyricism; “When I started making music with [Aman,] who was very much the opposite, he would stress the importance of vibe and his hooks would be something that I never really explored myself,” Levy said. Singh became a strong influence on the structure of Levy’s music and has shaped his sound as Myles Blue.

Currently, Levy’s talent shines through with themes of love and passion. When asked about his lyrics, Levy immediately springs to life, rapping from his original song “Polygon": “It’s in your room to be square like a radical. / Last week my girl called and said we compatible. / Since the time spent multiplying quickly is addable. / Point is I’m moving up, while you move quadrilateral.”

When discussing how he came up with these lyrics, Levy shared a story of struggling with writer’s block. “Everything that I was writing didn’t stick [or] seem cohesive. It felt like I was just pandering,” he said. Levy came up with the lyrics for “Polygon” on the spot. In the song he raps about not having anything to rap about and it was in that moment he turned to geometry. “Polygon” is Levy’s attempt to shake loose a spark of creativity. It ultimately became his favorite song he’s ever written.

Although Levy’s passion for music is strong, it does not stop him from searching for balance in his life. Along with making music, he runs track for the Harvard team and also creates videos. He is currently planning on concentrating in Art, Film, and Visual Studies. But at the end of the day, Levy wants to continue telling stories through music because it most clearly expresses what he believes needs to be said.

“Growing up I had these instances where I would choose to work on my craft and write some music or stay at home doing these things that I love to do instead of going out with my friends or to functions,” he said. “For a long time there was this internal struggle where I used to wonder if this was worth it. Am I really depriving myself of this fun?”

In times like these, Levy turns to music. His song “Been Different” highlights this internal struggle, ultimately stating: “No, this is who I am and doing these things is what makes me me.”

Levy’s work is emotionally honest. His work is a collage of his personality — as if he is using his lyrics as a diary of troublesome thoughts and inspirational ideas. “I’d say [my music] is innovative, meta, new. Any of those three words. I’m actively trying to not do the same thing twice,” he said. “Regardless of the song that I’m making or the verse that I’m writing or performing, at the end of the day they all come from me. My mind, my soul, my heart. I am not just doing it for the sake of doing it.” As Myles Blue, Levy is unfiltered, authentic, and raw.

Reminiscent of Tyler, the Creator and MF DOOM, Levy’s lyricism, rhythm, and sampling of sounds helps him tell a story that connects him to his music and his listeners to him. What seems a constant for Levy is his genuine passion for making unique and mesmerizing sounds. In the future, he is hoping to continue working with Kyoudai and on his own under Myles Blue. Currently, he can be found on all streaming services and he will have more songs and music videos coming out later this year and in the spring of 2023.

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