The House of Hudson: A Conversation with Trevell Hudson

The articulation of voice has to be one of the most important foundations when it comes to music. It lays out the structure of songs, the flow of it’s beat, and defines the rhythmic pattern for listeners when they’re depicting the piece of music. As the lights of the R&B genre may fade with the emergence of other sub-genres coming into play and the fact that the prime artists are getting older, some such as Bryson Tiller, Tory Lanez, and Jacquees are generating sounds that are keeping it alive. As the engine for the soulful genre may be running, they are a few gears that need to be updated with its infrastructure and the delivery that it once provided. The missing link can be found in a budding southern artist by the name of Trevell Hudson.

Born in the Creole-influenced culture of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and migrated to Houston later in life, Hudson has sparked a sound that squeezes out originality and vulnerability at it’s finest. The creative balance he displays in his music shows the range in his voice and subject matter, whether it’s bouncing off of past relationships to the matters of being a man to ultimately feeling comfortable with himself. The versatile portrait he’s illustrated with works such as For The Time Being may be small feats for Hudson, but they’re huge steps towards what’s to come.

Even though he has a string of loose singles and a short but strong project, Hudson has much potential not to offer only the city but beyond. I recently had a chance to speak to Hudson about his upbringing, his mindset while making the project For The Time Being, the state of R&B, and more.

FPH: How’s life for you at this moment?

Trevell Hudson: Life cool right now, getting better and I’m healthy, so I can’t complain.

FPH: You’re not originally from Houston, you moved here from Baton Rouge. Describe your upbringing there and how has it shaped as an artist?

Hudson: My BR upbringing was like any other hood ass environment, but it ain’t seem as dangerous as it actually was. Every day it was finding something to get into, whether it was productive or just regular hood rat shit. My dad was one of the big time drug dealers there, so I was always exposed and around shit kids wasn’t suppose to be around. That shit shaped me a lot because when I’m not singing ’bout women, I’m talking about real shit I either done or seen done for real. My love for my city is unmatched.

FPH: You have a strong soul background, do some of the musical influences tie into your hometown sounds?

Hudson: I’m going to come clean, none of my musical influences come from my city. BR has its own sound when its comes to music, which is really not my style even though the shit is fire. I get influenced by so many things though, just not anything in my city.

FPH: Being an artist, the art of R&B is fading away to an extent but it’s still a select few of artists who are keeping it live like yourself. Why do you feel it’s a need for R&B in music right now?

Hudson: R&B need to get back to strictly loving women and uplifting women. I mean cause that’s who we do it for right?! It seems like all new R&B artists besides the few like Bryson Tiller or Jacquees; everybody else just wanna disrespect women in their songs or be “up in the club turning up.” I hate that shit so much, its wack. It’s so easy to be corny, people just don’t understand.

FPH: How do you think you can renew the youthful energy into this fading genre?

Hudson: Just by being me and displaying myself the way I envision it. I’m not trying hard to be somebody I’m not. I think everybody will enjoy the way I present my music, plus I think everybody or close to everybody loves R&B if they admit it or not.

FPH: Your first full-length, For The Time Being, shows how flexible you are in your music. What things do you strive to accomplish every time you get in the studio?

Hudson: The things I strive to do every time is just to make quality shit. The first few years of me making music, my material was terrible to me sonically. I just try to make a good sound I will enjoy listening to forever.

FPH: If you have to choose your favorite song from this project, what would it be and why so?

Hudson: I would probably say “Treat You Better” because that song is how I feel about every girl from my past for the most part.

FPH: When it comes to your aesthetic as an artist, how do you feel like you separate yourself from the rest of the city?

Hudson: I don’t sound like anybody, period. Well, the way I make music and my voice pretty distinctive, I think. I don’t strive to make music that sounds like the music I fuck with at the time.

FPH: Before the year is over, what are some things you want to accomplish to get better?

Hudson: I have to get my new project out its called LONGOVERDUE. I’ve been working hella hard on it. Also, I think I’m going to get some nice features as well. Last thing, I have to get all these videos out the way because that’s the most important part of all this.

FPH: How do you want to cap off your legacy when it’s all said and done?

Hudson: I want to be huge man. I want to be very respected in the music industry for my music and my creative ability. I want to be so huge, the Grammy’s dedicate their whole show to me when I die. I have to be remembered as a musical inspiration and legend.

by Gregory Harris