The Energy in the Room | Depreston on Local Music Somewhere

Q &A with Depreston

Annaliese Pearl: Hey everyone, welcome back to Local Music Somewhere here at rBeatz.com. I’m Annaliese, and today we’re joined by singer, songwriter, and producer Depreston. He just released his new album, The Energy in the Room, which dropped on October 5th. He’s here to talk all about it. Depreston, how’s it going?

Depreston: Doing great, thanks for having me. It’s awesome to be here.

Annaliese: Absolutely! So, you’re the co-founder of the Upstairs Basement studio here in Charlotte. How did you get into music, and what led you to start the studio?

Depreston: I started making music about seven years ago in high school with my best friend at the time, Lucas. We were at his house one day, deciding if we should play video games, but then his brother suggested making a beat instead. I was like, “Make a beat? Alright, let’s try it!” So, we pulled up FL Studio, made a beat, and I was like that was a lot of fun. I tried rapping to it. I wrote like four bars and I was like, “This is gonna be crazy.” It was terrible. It was absolutely awful. I was like, “I’m never rapping again I’m gonna download autotune I’m gonna start singing so I did that I cracked autotune on my computer and started making songs and I was like this is the best feeling ever.

So, how did Upstairs Basement come together? Was it always meant to be a studio?

Actually, no. Upstairs Basement started out as more of a collective for me and my friends to make music together. It was our own little group, like a Charlotte version of Brockhampton. We released music as a collective under that name, and over time, it evolved into the studio space it is now. Yeah, so it really all started with me and my friends just hanging out and making music in my bonus room. It was upstairs, but it felt like a basement since we’d spend all day there, so we called it the Upstairs Basement.

That’s amazing! And look at you now—debut album released, and you’re about to go on tour! We’ll get into that, but first, tell me about the album title, The Energy in the Room. Where did that come from?

Funny story. I’d never actually planned on making an album. I’d been making music for years, just releasing singles. But one week, my friend Moonlander asked me to house-sit for him to watch his dogs, and he said, “If you’re going to be here for a week, I want an album done by the time I get back.” So, I called up my friend Thursday, and we just started making music non-stop. By the end of the week, we had twelve tracks.

That’s incredible! And the name—The Energy in the Room—how did you settle on that?

We were sitting on the back porch afterward, and I asked, “What is this album really about? What do we feel when we listen to this?” We realized that every time we created a song, the vibe of the room was everything. Sometimes, if the energy wasn’t right, like if someone who didn’t fit was there, the song wouldn’t come out right. So, we decided the album name should capture that—it’s all about The Energy in the Room.  It just made sense, so that became the title.

That’s so powerful. And the album cover really hits that vibe, too. How did you create it?

My bro Gabe, he’s a wizard. An incredible photographer and videographer, created it. Originally, I tried using AI to generate a cover, but it didn’t feel authentic. I was on a tight deadline, so I reached out to Gabe two days before I wanted to upload the album. I told him, “I just want your creative mind to bring this to life.” He ended up positioning himself above me on a ladder, creating this incredible shot that captured the feeling we wanted. He brought the energy to life in that cover.

I have chills, that’s amazing! It’s great to have a team that brings those creative ideas to life.

Absolutely. It’s all about bringing in the right people who can make things even better.

You’ve worked with Moonlander and other artists on songs like I Found Out, I Want to Stop Lying, and Now, F** All That Talking*. How did you two connect?

We went to the same high school, though we never actually overlapped. When I was 17, I released a song called Tucking in My Homies, which I made with friends in that “upstairs basement.” He commented on my Instagram, and I remember being starstruck since he was the only person in our city making music consistently. I DMed him to thank him, and soon after, he invited me over to make some music. The timing just felt right.

That’s amazing timing! And now you’re going on tour with him, right?

Yeah, we decided to go for it after watching a local artist, Belize, do her first headlining tour. Moonlander saw her and realized he could do it too. So, he’s headlining, and I’m joining him, performing our songs together and a few of my own. We’re even heading to Toronto—I’ve never been! Going to be a blast!

That sounds incredible. You’ll have to come back and tell us all about it. And I heard your first song was Doing Things, back in 2017. How does your process now compare to those early days?

It’s definitely evolved. Back then, it was just me trying to sing with autotune, figuring things out. Now, I’ve got my home studio setup and a clearer process, working with producers like Thursday and just putting out the best music I can.

That’s wonderful. And how has it been working with Thursday?

Meeting him was a blessing. We haven’t even known each other a full year, but it feels like we’ve been friends forever. He’s helped me see the importance of being in the right room with the right people—you make magic when the vibe is right.

That’s fantastic. It’s amazing to see how far you’ve come! So, you mentioned you had a brief interaction with Yung Gravy. Tell us more about that encounter.

Yeah! It was a funny moment – I saw him while he was getting a massage, and he just said, “What up, boy?” I replied, “Hope you’re having a nice massage!” I probably could have talked more, but I didn’t want to overstep since I was there supporting Moonlander with his merch. I just took it as a learning moment to observe and absorb the experience.

That’s a great story! A very “Yung Gravy” moment, for sure! Now, speaking of collaborations, you recently teamed up with Chris Gere on Back in My Day. What was it like working with him?

Honestly, working with Chris Gere is amazing! When I first met him, he mentioned he found his passion for music at 40, and he’s all in! His authenticity and dedication are unmatched; he’s completely himself and is a huge inspiration. Even though I was busy with my album release, I was so motivated to contribute to Back in My Day because of the energy and respect I have for him.

That’s fantastic! I love how close-knit and supportive the Charlotte music community is. Speaking of your album, is there a song that stands out to you as the most personal?

It changes, but All I Do is Fall unlocked something in my artistry. For the first time, I experimented with my vocal range, discovering new ways to express myself. It’s not necessarily my favorite, but it felt transformative. On the other hand, Out of Line holds a special place because of the connection I felt creating it – it was late at night with just me, Moonlander, and some good vibes.

That’s amazing! It really seems like this album is a journey. What message do you hope listeners take away from it?

I want listeners to know that our time is precious. It’s okay to say no, to walk away if a situation doesn’t feel right, and to protect the energy around you. Surround yourself with people who motivate and inspire you because the right circle makes all the difference.

Who are some of your biggest influences?

XXXTENTACIÓN was a huge influence, especially early on. I also listen to artists like Lil Peep, Juice Wrld. But recently I’ve gotten really into Pierre Bourne. I don’t know if you know who he is. He’s a producer, but he makes his own music as well. He does a lot of Playboy Cardi stuff and Young Newdy. But he is right now definitely my favorite artist that I listen to regularly. But my biggest inspirations are actually my friends—Moonlander, Thursday, and Studa, the people I make music with daily.

And you can feel that connection in the album. So, what has been your favorite place to perform so far?

The Neighborhood Theater with Moonlander was incredible. But honestly, the most memorable was our album release party in the “upstairs basement.” It was a small room packed with people, but I loved the intimacy—it felt so special to connect with everyone up close.

I was there! It was such a great atmosphere. It must have been so fulfilling to see everyone there supporting you.

It was. Even after performing in front of bigger crowds on tour, that release party felt like home. It reminded me why I love performing.

That’s amazing. We’re going to take a quick break, but when we come back, we’ll hear Depreston perform his new song, Pushing the Limit.

Welcome back to Local Music Somewhere! We’re thrilled to have Depreston here in the studio, and he’s ready to perform his brand new track, Pushing the Limit. So, let’s give it up for Depreston!

Depreston: (sings)
“I’mma be fine, wherever I go
I’m on the day, you already know
Said I should write up a plan, I already got one
I gotta take this chance, it’s gonna be a long run…”

*[Chorus]
Pushing the limits once again, yeah, I’m rising up…
I’m all in it, and there’s no quitting…
This game is made for the faith, it’s what I desire…”

…

Wow, Depreston, that was incredible! You really had the whole studio vibing!

Thank you! It’s always a blast sharing my music with y’all.

I know our listeners will want to follow you! Where can they find you?

I’m on Spotify under ‘Depreston,’ spelled D-E-P-R-E-S-T-O-N, and you can follow me on Instagram and other socials @Depreston704.

Thank you so much for coming through! I know you have the Space Cowboy Tour coming up, so I can’t wait to see where the journey takes you next. And listeners, keep an ear out—there’s more music on the way! This has been Local Music Somewhere on rBeatz.com. I’m Annaliese Pearl, and we’ll catch you next time!