"If you watched 54 Ultra's music video for "Upside Down" and came away thinking it was a relic from 1980s music programs like "Solid Gold" or "Night Tracks" - you'd be forgiven for making the assumption. Aside from the 25-year-old's vintage wardrobe, hairstyle, and 'stache that harks to that decade, the song itself - a silky, boppy ballad that channels the energy of groups like the Chi-Lites or solo acts like Johnnie Taylor -"
"It was sometime between 2019 and 2020 that he interned at a few different recording studios, songwriting in his spare time with the intention of writing and producing music for others. "I remember I was trying to find a way to make a living out of music and introduce myself to other artists," he says over the phone, recalling all the demos he had recorded and presented to artists he'd cross paths with."
54 Ultra (JohnAnthony Rodríguez) is a 25-year-old New Jersey artist of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent whose stage name merges Frank Ocean's Nostalgia, Ultra and Studio 54. The Upside Down music video emphasizes 1980s aesthetics through vintage wardrobe, hairstyle, and a 'stache, while the song channels silky, boppy soul reminiscent of the Chi-Lites and Johnnie Taylor. Rodríguez began releasing solo music three years ago, initially rooted in indie rock. Between 2019 and 2020 he interned at recording studios, wrote demos for others, and then decided to release his own work after repeated encouragement. Recent singles move toward retro R&B and soul.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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