Malachiae Warren Talks Love for Atlanta, Singing for the Ladies & New Projects

Malachiae Warren is about to be your mom's favorite R&B artist. The 20-year-old crooner made waves last year with "Thank Yo Momma," which featured Migos. The song, which is an ode to a girl's mother for creating her, also serves as a tribute to the singer's hometown, Atlanta, as it samples "Ain't I" from fellow ATLiens Yung LA, Young Dro and T.I. The visual also takes place in front of Cascade, a roller rink that's featured in the 2006 film. ATL.

And now as the latest to emerge from the A, Malachiae is just getting started as he boasts about having 300 songs ready to be released.

But, as the young singer gears up for the start of his career, he stopped by The Boombox office to talk about his love for his hometown, Atlanta, how being an old soul influences him and why he wears the words "Love Life" on his back. Get into it below.

The Boombox: How did you get into music?

Malachiae: I started when I was like eleven or twelve. It runs in the family not saying it was forced upon me but just to say that it was in the blood. It comes naturally. You know what I mean? I’m from Atlanta, Georgia so you know, that  music speak for itself. I mean there’s so many great musicians that come from Atlanta, Georgia and so much competition but once you find your niche, they’ll support you forever.

Yeah, and you said you grew up music. Did your parents work in music as well?

Yeah, yeah. My mom was into music. Everybody on her side was musically inclined. My uncle, he was in the group. He started a singing group when he was like eleven or twelve. Yeah, so he actually started his own group, wrote and composed all the song and things of that nature. So like I said it runs in the blood.

Do you remember the first song that you sung?

First song I sang...I can’t even remember to be honest. I know the first song I recorded. It was a song called "Off My Mind." It’s actually in YouTube now, I hate looking at it because I was super young and I couldn’t dress at that time (laughs) Yeah, it a song called “Off My Mind” just basically talking about how you can’t get a girl off your mind -- self-explanatory. So that was the first I’ve recorded. I wrote it in my room. I have a little set up in my room so I’ve recorded it.

How old were you then?

I was probably like fifteen or sixteen.

Oh okay.

Yeah. I’m twenty now. I just had a birthday Sept. 2. Shoutout to the Virgos.

When did you know you wanted to be a professional singer?

I knew when girls started gravitating towards it. I’ma do whatever the girls like. You know what I mean? So - yeah just once people started feeling me more and started seeing that I wanted to take it seriously as a career, that’s when they started to show me genuine and authentic support. So once I saw to getting their positive feedback, it just motivated me to keep going and keep perfecting my craft.

You mentioned coming from a musical background before so I’m sure you know about the history of Motown. How is it like being signed with Motown?

It’s great just to come from so many great...greats. You know what I mean? Just the history behind it. It also puts, I feel like it puts pressure on me just because everyone’s status on the label but it just motivates me to be want to be great. Just do the best that I can do and be the best that I can be. You know, I want to be on the same platform as those who came from Motown as well so I just got to work hard and put forth my best effort.

Is there anybody you look up to specifically as a musical influence?

Yeah. Brian McKnight is my favorite vocalist of all time. So I always wanted to do some type of work with him. Whether it’s us writing a song together or just, you know, just me getting his insight on the music industry and his vocal performances. Things of that nature but yeah Brian McKnight, Jodeci, Boyz II Men, like I’m an old soul at heart so I like listening to music with substance and music that comes from experience and music that comes from the heart.

Cool. And you have "Thank Yo Momma" already with Migos but what's your plan for 2016?

Yeah, 2016, if everything goes as planned we still have a new project dropping whether it’s an EP or an album we’re still trying to figure that out right now. But, I am always in the studio recording, creating music, and I have a set up in my room so I record literally whenever I want to and one thing I want people to know is that I don’t want to be classified as just a singer. I produce, I'm a songwriter, I know how to mix, master. I know how to – I love to film my own videos, edit, you know, I do a lot of the behind the scenes work too that a lot of people don’t get to see, you know? They just see me in the spotlight but they don’t really get to see what I have to go through you know? The behind the scenes process of things. So I just want to glorify that to a certain aspect.

Did you teach yourself all that too?

Yeah, I’m self-taught. It’s crazy. I’ve always been like self-motivated and self-contained, so anything that I want to learn I just put my mind to it. And it irks me if I can’t figure it out so I sit there for hours just trying to figure out one thing. It can be the simplest thing and I feel like that got me to where I am at today because if I wasn’t able to record certain songs and shoot certain videos and put them out on YouTube, my buzz wouldn’t be as strong as it is today. I created my own fanbase before the label and everything like that.

Do you have an album or EP that you plan on releasing?

No. I’m not sure yet. Like I said, I’m always recording songs. I just like to create music that comes from experience so I’m pretty sure we'll figure out something soon.

Sounds good. Also, I know you mentioned you produce but are there any producers you want to work with or you are working with?

Yeah, I am working with Jasper Cameron, that’s my main producer now and I’m working with SK. He produced a lot of songs on the album or future album so to speak and you know, myself, I produce a lot and so we might have a couple of songwriters come in here and there but most of the work is me and my main producer, Jasper Cameron.

Do you have any songs you are excited for fans to listen to?

Absolutely. I have so many songs like “Thank Yo Momma." That's the song that’s out right now featuring Migos, just kind of like my introduction to the game. You know what I mean? Something that’s radio friendly. Something that people can dance or have fun to. Basically a song paying homage to girl's mother for blessing her with her beauty. Just being funny, being witty, just vibing out the studio, just something that people can just have fun with.

Any other songs that you haven’t released yet?

Yeah. I probably have like 300 songs just sitting there waiting that I can’t wait to be released. Of course you can’t release them all at once and you know, you got to go through strategic plans and make sure they’re released properly.

If you could pick one though, which one would you say you are most excited to release?

The next song that I’m releasing. I can’t give out too much information but yeah, I’ll be releasing hopefully at the top of 2016. But right now we are just focusing on “Thank Yo Momma” and making sure we hit all the platforms with that and capitalize on that.

Can I know the name?

Yeah. It’s called “Minute Maid.”

Oh okay. What‘s it about?

Just keep an eye on it. It’s just about kind of being on your own, doing your own thing and just showing people like 'I’m here like watch out for me,' you know what I mean? That sort of thing and just being on your grind.

Yeah. And I know you just released your EP, The Ride, so what do you hope fans get out of it? Or feel from it?

Just a great body of work. I want people to know that everything that I record from ballads to turn up songs is all music that I’ve experienced. Like it all comes from experience and stuff that I’m going through or music that comes from the heart. You know, I just want people to know that they can get a great body of work and you know, the fellas could listen to it and the females can listen to it as well. It’s a perfect blend, perfect mixture for all audiences.

Who would you like to collaborate with?

Brian McKnight like I said, Jodeci, definitely want to do that. As for the modern day, Drake, Future, Chris [Brown], you know that’ll be dope. Those are the top three.

You mentioned Jasper Cameron before, who's your creative partner and mentor. How has he guided you?

Yeah, it’s crazy – I tell you the story at that time, we met at a video shoot. My girl wanted me to play the lead guy, her name is King, she signed to RCA so she wanted me to play the lead guy in the video shoot. So I’m just going there to just to have fun, not really thinking anything of it and I go there and she has her label people there and I guess she told them at that time that you know, I could sing or whatever. I wasn’t really taking it seriously like trying to pursue it as a career but people knew that I was capable of doing it.

So she told her people about me and the next day Jasper Cameron was like the main person who reached out to me. He was like, “Yo, King told me you’re talented. I want to send you some beats.” At the time, I knew how to record and stuff like I told you earlier. He sent a beat over, I recorded something and I sent it back to him and he’s like, “Yo! You are dope. We got the work together.” From there on it was history like he introduced me to all of his people, all his connects and just started networking me with people and that’s how I met my management. And from my management, that’s how I got to the label.

It’s crazy how those connections happen.

Yeah and I tell people all the time, any opportunity that’s presented to you if you feel like it can benefit you, make sure you take those opportunities because you never know what could come out of them.

That's good advice. And you guys also came up with "Love Life."

Yeah. Love life is my production company. Me and Jasper, it’s collaborative effort. Love life is basically self-explanatory just telling people to love life and anything you’re doing in life, just put your best foot forward and make sure you do everything to the best of your ability and just to inspire people to live out their dreams you know what I mean? Those are people I look up to, anybody. It could be a six year old kid. If he has a dream and he wants to pursue that dream, and make it become a reality, you know, I’ll look up to that kid. You know whether he’s younger than me or not. It’s self-explanatory, just love your life.

Cool. That's nice. And do you have any interest outside of music?

Yeah, I play basketball. You know, whatever any regular young cat does. I like playing basketball. I like going to the movies, hanging out with girls and just having fun, hanging out with friends and family. You know, I’m big on family.