What’s your stage name and where are you from?
I go by Eddie, Edwaffle, and I’m a Haitian-born, Miami-based artist.
What’s the story behind your stage name?
Everyone always thinks there’s a deeper story behind my name, but it’s actually just from someone not remembering and mispronouncing my real name (Edwive) as Eduarfo; this was back in college. I remember being super hurt and feeling like I must not be memorable. I find it ironic making that the name people will remember.
Describe your musical journey in three sentences.
I’ve always been passionate about lyricism and music, but I really started experimenting with music when I was around 16, producing for my then 10-year-old little brother. Since then, I’ve worked on perfecting my ideas, honing my skills by doing tons of research, going to school for Music and Audio Production, and collaborating with some extremely talented people. Fast forward to 14 years later, I’ve founded and produced for a collective of artists called the WAFFLE SHOP, and we’re ready for the world to hear what we bring to the game.
Share an interesting experience you had while creating your latest track.
I’m currently working on a second compilation project with the WAFFLE SHOP collective. During the last project, I focused more on producing and didn’t put much effort into rapping. I really wanted to bring some strong vocal appearances on this next project. I wrote my first verse on the album for the song Ok Ok, and I was really proud of it. Everything about it felt right to me, so I sent a snippet with my vocals to Kidd Zero (the other artist I feature on the song). This dude sent me back his snippet the same day. I’m usually hyper-critical about everything, but I listened to his verse and was like, “Dang, I might have to rewrite mine.” I ended up not rewriting the verse, but it did inspire me to go extra hard on every other song because I knew everyone was going to bring their A-game.
What message do you want to convey through your music?
I want my music to inspire others to be their best selves. Whatever it is that you do, I want you to do it with passion and overcome all boundaries and obstacles.
Tell us about a challenge you faced during production and how you overcame it.
I think the biggest challenge for me working on this project (besides coordinating everything) is that I sometimes find it difficult to edit myself. I mentioned I was really passionate about music, so I’m really into hearing chords and melodies. Sometimes I get too into it and end up having too much going on. I found that happening a lot with the song Ok Ok (along with some other ones on the album). My production was overshadowing the vocals, and the track went on 2 minutes too long. I had to constantly reinvent the song to be more concise. Checking in with the other people involved and getting opinions helped. Opinions can help when you already have a clear vision.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
There’s a long list, but Pharrell is somewhere on top. I love the many influences you can hear in his music, and he’s also established a clear identity that allows him to be versatile and work with anyone from Ariana Grande to Pusha T. Andre 3000 is somewhere up there too because of his willingness to experiment. I actually have a whole PowerPoint that I wanted to pitch to Andre for an album. To make it short, he would be jamming out with other musicians either on the flute or with vocals if inclined, and I would record and provide additional production. Two years after I made that PowerPoint, he comes out with the Flute Album; I found it interesting that I sorta predicted it.
Where do you see your music taking you in the next year?
Over the next year, I’ll be promoting this new project, and it’s going to establish how unique the WAFFLE SHOP is. We’ll pop up on more blogs and music outlets and reach new audiences to truly solidify our fanbase. We also currently do a monthly show in Miami, so I feel like this new set of songs will bring an extra layer to the shows and help us reach more venues.
What’s the next big step for you as an artist?
My next big step is touring the album through our WAFFLE SHOP shows. I would like to expand the shows to more states, make more connections in the industry, and create some buzz. I’m aiming for a Grammy!
Are there any other promotional opportunities you’re looking for to boost your visibility?
I would love to get a review when the album comes out.
Where can we hear/watch your most recent work?
https://soundcloud.com/eddie-edwaffle and be on the lookout for WAFFLE SHOP Vol. 2 on all platforms.
What is the best way to contact you if fans want to give feedback or if other artists/producers want to collaborate?
The best way to contact me is through Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/edwaffle.
