Interview with Full Crate

You were on tour in North America and we met in Toronto. Can you tell me about your relationship with this city?
Toronto… I have a really beautiful relationship with this city. I used to date someone here for quite a while, so I definitely have a personal connection to it. I’ve spent a lot of time here on and off. The people, the culture, the music, the food, just the city itself, I have a lot of love for it. I’m very grateful to be back. It’s been a couple of years.

What’s your favorite part of being on tour?
Performing, of course, but beyond that, it’s connecting with people. I love staying after shows, talking to fans, hearing their thoughts. Creating art starts as something personal—you need to get something out of your system. But once it’s out, it belongs to everyone. And connecting over that is really special.

We’re in a tattoo shop right now, and your friend Leith is tattooing you. Can you tell us about your friendship and what you’re doing today?
Yeah, I’m at a tattoo shop in Toronto and one of my closest friends, Leith Hakim, is tattooing me as we speak. We met about 15 years ago. You know when you just meet someone and instantly know you’re going to be friends? That was us. He’s someone I talk to regularly, and even when we don’t speak for a while, the relationship never fades. He’s an incredible artist and a huge inspiration to me—not just creatively, but as a person. Since he started tattooing, I had to get one from him. So yeah, that’s what we’re doing today.

Is this the first tattoo he’s done on you?
Yeah, this is the first one. It’s a very special day.

How many tattoos do you have? And which one is the most special?
I honestly don’t know—I’ve lost count. It’s definitely more than 20. The most special one is this tattoo here, it’s my grandfather’s signature. He passed away, and he was a painter and a huge inspiration to me. So having his signature tattooed on me means a lot. And of course, the one I’m getting right now is also very special.

Do you often get tattoos while traveling?
Not really. I usually stick with the same tattoo artist—Morrison from Amsterdam. She now works in LA, so I’m excited to get more work from her when I’m back there. I’ve gotten tattoos in Indonesia before, but this is probably only my second or third one while traveling. Usually, I prefer doing it during calmer periods.

Photo: Bex Fracois

With your album A Kid from Yerevan, how does it feel to represent your Armenian heritage around the world?
My Armenian culture and heritage are really important to me. I didn’t fully connect with it when I was younger, it was always there through family, of course. But as I’ve grown older, that connection has deepened. It’s a bit of a cliché, but you do reconnect with your roots more as you age. Now I’m making a conscious effort to bring that into my art—not just the music, but visuals and who I am overall. It’s part of my everyday life.

Living in LA also helps because there’s a big Armenian community there. I’m still learning, though—I left Armenia when I was 12.

So you grew up in the Netherlands?
Yeah. After leaving Armenia, I lived in Russia for a bit, then moved to Amsterdam at 13. I spent over 20 years there, and now I live in LA.

Has your Armenian heritage connected you to a wider community in music?
It’s interesting because it's only recently people have started realizing I’m Armenian, especially because of the album title. Before that, I wasn’t hiding it, but I wasn’t actively highlighting it either. Now that I’m more open about it, I’ve been receiving messages from Armenians all over the world. The community is building, and I’m really excited about that.

Are you collaborating with Armenian creatives as well?
Yeah, actually I’m working with an amazing Armenian fashion designer based in LA. She designed my red suit—the one I’m performing in tonight. It’s a custom one-of-one.

Growing up in the Netherlands, did you build strong connections with other artists there?
Definitely. Most of my close friends are artists. I’ve been lucky to travel the world and create music with people I genuinely care about. That’s a blessing.

You seem very connected to each city you visit. Where does that come from?
I think it comes from being an immigrant. I try to create a sense of home wherever I go. It helps with loneliness. I also have friends in many cities, and even in new places, I’ll usually know someone or I’ll make new friends. I’m good at being social, but I’m also an introvert. I get overstimulated easily, so I like calm environments. It’s funny because my job puts me in very social situations, but it’s different when you’re in control of the environment.

How do you handle touring, especially when it gets tiring or lonely?
It can definitely be exhausting and lonely. The connection with fans helps a lot. Their energy keeps me going. Sometimes I travel with a team, but lately I’ve been mostly on my own in the US and Canada. What helps is having friends in different cities and creating small routines—like organizing my space the same way everywhere I go.

What do you think about the current R&B scene—artists like FLO, Leon Thomas, Victoria Monét?
I love all of them. I think R&B is in a healthy place, though there’s always room to grow. Leon Thomas, Victoria Monét, they’re incredible. I’d love to work with them. Also Rimon from the Netherlands, she’s a friend and it’s funny we’ve never collaborated.

Are there any recent artists you’ve been listening to a lot?
“Blew up” is a tricky term because I often discover artists early. But Leon Thomas really impressed me with his authenticity. There’s also an artist called THEARTIST with a song called “Ghost”—I’ve had that on repeat. And G.A.W.D. I think they’re phenomenal. Definitely R&B-driven but beyond genre.

Do you listen to music before performing?
Not really. I mostly listen to music when I’m driving or cleaning, or hanging out with friends. When I travel, I usually don’t listen to music—I watch movies or make music instead.

What’s the best movie you’ve seen in 2025?
Sinners. I’ve seen it five times in theaters. I’m a huge fan of Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan, and the whole cast. It’s a 100 out of 10 for me.

When you create music, who hears it first?
Usually whoever’s in the room with me. If I’m alone, it depends—sometimes I’ll send it to the person I have in mind for the track, or to close friends and family. That’s my feedback circle.

Which artists inspire you the most right now?
Tyler, The Creator: because of how he approaches artistry and believes in himself.Also Lucky Daye, D-Mile, and honestly, a lot of my friends. Being surrounded by talented people pushes you to be better.

Interview with Full Crate

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