In Conversation with Voldy
- Valentina Reynolds
- 6 days ago
- 7 min read
For VOLDY, the music starts with a feeling before anything else. That approach runs through everything, from the way he writes to the world he’s building around his sound. There’s honesty in it, but also intention. A refusal to move just for the sake of movement.
Across this conversation, he speaks on identity, influence and what it means to stay grounded in your own voice while everything around you is constantly shifting. It’s less about labels or genres, and more about understanding what you’re here to say, and standing on it.
People often place you slightly outside of the traditional Australian rap space. Hearing you speak about honesty and emotion being at the centre of your music, it feels like that’s a conscious choice. Tell me more about the world you feel you’re creating with your sound, especially for someone hearing you for the first time?
The world I’m building with my music is rooted in honesty and emotion. I create music that speaks to everyday thoughts and feelings - the things that sit in your mind long after a moment passes. It’s about expressing what the soul feels at its core.
Some people might label it “alternative”, but for me it’s really just authenticity. I’m not trying to fit into a particular box. I’m trying to create something that feels real and uplifting music that people can return to whenever they need clarity, motivation, or reflection.
If someone listens to my music and finds even a small piece of themselves in it, then I feel like I’ve done my job as an artist.
You spoke about growing up between South African and Congolese influences, and how that shaped your ear early on. That mix of gospel, rumba, hip-hop and soul feels quite rich. How did those sounds start to come together in a way that felt like you as an artist?
My influences really come from my upbringing and the environments I was surrounded by. I was born and raised in South Africa, but my household carried strong Congolese roots from my parents. So growing up, Congolese rumba was always playing artists like Papa Wemba and Koffi Olomidé were a big part of that soundscape.
Alongside that was a lot of gospel music, which gave me an appreciation for soul and emotion in music. Then outside of home, South African artists like AKA and Nasty C were shaping the hip-hop culture I was seeing around me, while artists like Kelvin Momo and Black Coffee brought in the influence of amapiano and Afro-soul.
At the same time, I was listening to American artists like 2Pac, Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, Isaiah Rashad, SiR, Kendrick Lamar and GoldLink. What all these artists share is a sense of truth in their music. They tell stories and express real emotions.
That’s really where my identity as an artist comes from blending those influences together while keeping the honesty that made me fall in love with music in the first place.
The idea of leSHEEPNOIR being about embracing difference really stands out. That sense of walking your own path, even when it’s misunderstood, isn’t easy. What did stepping fully into that identity look like for you while making that project?
leSHEEPNOIR is probably the clearest statement I’ve made as an artist so far. The title translates to “The Black Sheep”, and for me it represents embracing difference and walking your own path even when that path might be misunderstood by others.
The project is really about self-affirmation. I leaned fully into who I am, what I stand for, and the kind of artist I want to be. There’s always pressure in music to follow trends or blend in with what’s already working, but I realised that if I wanted to create something meaningful, I had to fully commit to my own lane. So leSHEEPNOIR became a celebration of individuality and defiance. It’s about understanding that sometimes the person who stands apart from the flock is actually the one leading a new direction.
You mentioned your process starts with asking yourself how you feel, which feels quite introspective. When you’re in that early stage of creating, how do you balance sitting with emotion versus knowing when a track is ready to take shape?
My process usually starts with a simple question: How do I feel right now?
From there, I try to understand what I actually want to say and what the intention behind the song should be. Once I know the emotion or message I’m trying to capture, everything else begins to take shape. Sometimes that means experimenting with different sounds or flows until something feels right. Other times it’s about sitting with the idea and letting the words come naturally. I’ve learned that my best work comes when I allow myself to explore rather than force a result.
For me, the creative process is about discovery - seeing what my voice can do on sounds that inspire me and allowing the music to reveal itself over time.
Hearing the story behind “STAY ON TOP”, especially that it was sitting for a while before being released, is interesting. When you saw the response it received, what did that moment mean for you and the people you created it with?
“STAY ON TOP” was a really special moment for all of us. IJALE, Jaal and I had all released projects in 2025, but the record itself was actually made back in 2023.
When Perth artist Mali José visited Melbourne, we were playing through music and he heard the track and couldn’t believe it was still sitting in the vault. That moment really made us realise the song deserved to come out.
We decided to release it in early 2026 as an anthem for where we were heading as artists. At that point, all three of us were entering a new chapter creatively, and the song captured that energy perfectly.
Seeing the response after release was incredible - the track landed on major editorial playlists and even debuted at number one on Apple Music’s “The New Australia” playlist.
We also received radio support and were featured on Rap Life Radio with Ebro, which was huge for us. The most rewarding part though was that a lot of the growth came organically. It showed us that when the music connects, it will find its way to people.
You described Melbourne as a place that values authenticity and experimentation. That must have had an impact on how freely you approach your sound. How has being in that environment shaped your confidence in staying true to your own direction?
Melbourne has a very honest creative energy. It’s a city where artists aren’t afraid to experiment and build something unique, and that definitely influenced how I approach music.
When I moved here, I realised the scene values authenticity more than trying to replicate sounds from other places. That encouraged me to lean deeper into my own identity and not worry about fitting into a particular trend.
It’s also a very collaborative city. You’ll find producers, visual artists, designers and musicians all supporting each other and building together. That sense of community plays a big role in why the scene here feels so alive.
Melbourne really taught me that independence and creativity can coexist - and that if you stay true to your vision, people will eventually connect with it.
When you talk about collaborations, you’re very clear on alignment and protecting your authenticity. In a space where a lot of artists take every opportunity, how have you learned to be selective without feeling like you’re missing out?
For me it always comes down to alignment. I see collaborations as an extension of the story I’m building as an artist, so they need to feel authentic. If a brand genuinely understands culture and supports creativity, then the partnership makes sense. I’m not interested in collaborations that feel forced or disconnected from the community I represent.
Working with brands like Converse, Puma and Football Australia felt natural because they exist in spaces where music, sport and culture intersect. Those collaborations allowed me to express creativity while staying true to who I am.
At the end of the day, the goal is always to protect the authenticity of the art.
You mentioned that the shift in your career came through a series of small moments rather than one big breakthrough. Looking back now, were there any moments that felt subtle at the time but actually meant more than you realised?
The shift didn’t come from one single moment it was a series of small milestones that started to add up.
Releasing Solplay Vol. 1 was the first step because it showed me people were genuinely connecting with the music. But over time, other opportunities started appearing that confirmed the momentum was building.
Being recognised as a Converse All Star, collaborating with brands, performing at bigger shows, and seeing the response to leSHEEPNOIR all felt like signals that things were evolving.
What really stood out to me was when people started repeating the message behind the music back to me.
"When listeners tell you that your work helped them feel seen or understood, that’s when you realise something meaningful is happening."
There’s a strong sense of control in how you approach your music and visuals. You touched on the importance of shaping your own narrative. What made you realise early on that this was something you needed to take ownership of?
It’s extremely important. For me, music is more than just sound it’s a complete world. The visuals, the storytelling, the collaborations and even the way a project is introduced all contribute to the experience.
As an independent artist, I learned quickly that if you don’t shape your narrative, someone else will. So I try to be intentional about every part of the process.
That doesn’t mean everything has to be perfect, but it does mean everything should have purpose. I want people to understand the vision behind the music and see how every element connects to that bigger story.
You spoke about this being just the beginning and that VOLDY is a long-term vision. That’s interesting, especially in an industry that moves so quickly. When you think about what’s ahead, what do you feel people haven’t fully seen from you yet?
I think what people are seeing right now is just the beginning.
What I want people to understand is that VOLDY isn’t just a moment it’s a long-term vision. The music will keep evolving, the sounds will keep expanding, and the ideas will continue to grow.
The core of it all will always stay the same though: honesty, emotion, and storytelling. Whether that comes through hip-hop, soul, African influences or something completely unexpected, the goal is always to create music that connects with people on a deeper level.
Being the “black sheep” was never about standing apart just for the sake of it. It’s about trusting your voice and building something meaningful in your own way.
And I think as the next chapters unfold, people will start to see just how big that vision really is.
What comes through clearly is that VOLDY isn’t trying to keep up, he’s trying to stay aligned. Whether he’s talking about his process, his independence, or the way he approaches growth, everything circles back to the same idea: move with purpose, not pressure.