HIP-HOP/RAP, Music Reviews, New Artists, New Fire Music, TRAP/HIP HOP
Breaking Boundaries with midwxst: A Journey into the World of E3
Sep
In the ever-evolving world of music, midwxst is rewriting the rules with his latest masterpiece, E3. Hailing from Indiana, 20-year-old Edgar Sarratt III has DIYed an impressive path through the industry with a chameleonic style that seamlessly fuses elements of rap, rock, and hyperpop.
Midwxst’s accomplishments are nothing short of extraordinary, having made his mark on prestigious stages like Reading and Leeds festivals, collaborated with luminaries like Denzel Curry and Babytron, and played a pivotal role in shaping an internet genre alongside peers such as glaive, aldn, and ericdoa.
What sets midwxst apart, though, is his ability to deliver an authentic musical experience that echoes the emotions in his heart. E3 showcases raw, impassioned delivery that you can truly feel, inviting listeners to rage, groove, and embrace everything in between. From learning to make music through Discord servers to finding himself working in studios alongside industry giants, midwxst’s story is one of originality, artistic growth, and a deep-rooted commitment to those who matter most.
Recently, I had the privilege of attending an exclusive press conference hosted with Geffen Records and 1824, in celebration of E3. Having talked with Edgar, it’s clear he is a genuine and grounded person who is driven solely by his passion for music and his unwavering devotion to his family. Described as a “fairytale gone wrong”, this concept album and its eponymous protagonist, E3, delve into deep themes of love, adversity, transformation, and personal development.
Hi! Thank you so much for having me. Can you elaborate on the character E3 and how his journey reflects themes of love, conflict, and growth?
“Hi, Caroline. Thank you for that question. If I’m being for real, E3 is just kind of like a dual representation of both the character and myself, and kind of like the things I’ve been going through, and were going through, throughout the creation of this album and this process as a whole,” he explains.
E3 represents an amalgamation of all of Edgar’s perceived flaws and darkness, a profound vessel for storytelling and self-exploration.
“Sonically, it starts out very calm, as if you were in a trance, in a sense–it makes you feel like you’re entering a new world or some sort of ethereal dream,” he continues, describing the album as a journey that gradually moves through darkness, gracefully oscillating between shadows and light, with each song unveiling a distinct aspect of E3’s character.
“So, you’re listening through how he deals with loss, how he deals with attachment issues, dealing with losing somebody, dealing with people’s pain.”
As the album progresses, it evolves sonically, transitioning from an ethereal sound to a darker and more complex sonic landscape that carries E3’s story forward. The fairytale starts to crumble in beginning tracks like “pretty girl”, “warning” speaks to his journey of heartache and heartbreak, and “heartache blues” continues on with a story of remembrance, reflection, and introspection.
“For example, ‘light’s out’ is a full song where it’s just like, I don’t know how I just got to this place that I’m about to start rapping about, and I’m setting the foreground for,” Edgar explains, “but I’m here, and this is like the world of E3 and it’s just like building on top of that.”
Edgar acknowledges E3 is “really sort of like a conceptual idea of all of the things that I am flawed in, and I can’t do correctly, I can’t do right.”
He continues, “…and it’s like I’m learning each day, and I’m learning each moment, and like this whole album in itself was one of the first times I really had to sit down and approach and deal with things that I ain’t never talked about. A lot of the things that I ended up writing about, like I never brought those things to the surface or talked about them ever, but I got in the rooms where it prompted me to be able to just create and think later.”
Midwxst’s willingness to embrace his truth, in all facets, and translate it into a sonic experience through E3 is a testament to his dedication to both his craft and his audience.
“…and just wanting to do that and create a story, create a world, is just like one of those things I view as really essential to not just album making, but artistry. I think it goes over the head a lot of the time because people are very fixated on the norm of what’s right now or what they’re used to instead of doing the extensive research,” he elaborates, emphasizing the importance of crafting a story and a world, often overlooked in the music industry’s mainstream norm.
“You haven’t had a project drop with like, theming around it and a whole rollout around it–the only people that really do that are like, major mainstream artists who have done it before. You don’t really see people doing it, especially for like debuts or sophomore albums or senior albums. I think that that was just really cool.”
You’ve achieved a lot at a young age, including performing at festivals and releasing albums. What goals do you have for your music career in the coming years?
“I really just wanna retire my parents,” he puts it plainly.
“That’s like, the biggest goal ’cause they’ve given me everything that music and everything outside of what I’ve gotten from music and being like, just myself,” he elaborates, “they’ve given me stuff that I can’t pay them back for, in any sort of money or any sort of way at all, besides allowing them to have a bunch of stuff and a bunch of responsibilities lifted off their shoulders and not have to tend to those things. I think Lil Yachty put it best; his mom lives right next to him, you know? That’s the type of shit I’m tryna be on.”
Throughout E3, midwxst pays homage to his loved ones in tracks like ‘grandpa’s interlude’ and ‘ready for you’. It’s clear that beyond the music, it’s his genuine, grounded, and family-oriented character, including the E3 within him, that endears midwxst to fans and fellow artists alike.
Midwxst stands out as an innovator, staying true to his roots and always putting the art form first. With E3, he invites us all to embark on a transformative journey, one filled with innovation, authenticity, and the relentless pursuit of self-discovery. Looking ahead, we have no doubt that midwxst will continue to redefine the boundaries of music.
As midwxst takes center stage with E3 and gears up to embark on a headline tour this fall, the world of music is eagerly anticipating his next chapter. You can check out the tour dates HERE.
Don’t miss out! Stay connected with midwxst on all his socials: Instagram I TikTok I Spotify