A Conversation with Flwr Chyld & Grimm Lynn | Café Noir
'We had a few third spaces that we lost to the pandemic, and so the concept for the project and the tour is birthed from that.'
Evan Dale // June 29, 2024
A cup of tea and a glass of wine. Pre-show in the green room at the Marquis Theater – an intimate haunt in Downtown Denver that doubles as a window-service pizza joint – Flwr Chyld and Grimm Lynn – a multi-instrumentalist and producer; a vocalist and songwriter, respectively – are getting ready for something like their ninth show over the course of a two week span. At some point, that kind of performing prolificity requires less conscious preparation, and becomes more of a subconscious routine. At some point, things naturally begin to entropy towards a blurry memory of life on the road, even when the tour is still pushing onwards.
‘Apologies in advance for the low energy,’ Flwr Chyld greeted me.
Though either artist could just as easily have been the one assumed to loosen up with a cup of tea or a glass of wine – both are immensely laid-back, seemingly introspective young creatives that evoke the characteristics of their elixirs of choice – Flwr Chyld – an Atlanta-rooted auditory alchemist whose compositions cemented in his keystrokes meld together a jazzy, neo-soul liquidity – is sipping a Sauvignon Blanc; while Grimm Lynn – who met Flwr Chyld along with the majority of their touring band to date while attending university at Georgia State, brings the poeticism into focus with a silky, delicate register – is steeping herbal tea.
GRIMM LYNN: ‘We’re almost done, man,’ said Lynn referencing the final stretch of California shows they had slated for the coming weekend, ‘We started in Toronto. I love it, but at the same time, boy, it takes a toll. That high altitude will make you tired, too.’
RNGLDR: ‘Where were you before coming to Denver?’
FLWR CHYLD: ‘We were in Albuquerque. Our second off day was yesterday. So, we got in like the night before that. And then yesterday we just kind of chilled.’
RNGLDR: ‘It’s important to do nothing here and there.’
FLWR CHYLD: ‘Most of my days consist of me doing nothing. Because I live in Brooklyn and I just kind of have the same routine every day. It depends on what I'm doing though. If I'm in project mode, like I'm working on music, I'll wake up, breakfast, coffee shop, come back home, work on stuff, maybe go for another walk. You know, I live a very minimal lifestyle. But when you kind of get thrown into the fire with touring, it's so much, I will say… because we did five days last year, it kind of preps you, you know what I'm saying? Like how to approach it the next year.
GRIMM LYNN: ‘I will say that last year was only tougher because we had to catch a lot of flights. So, it's a lot of jet lag and being on planes for a couple hours and then having to drive to hotels and do the same thing over and over. Driving isn't so bad. Like, we're just chillin in the back, you know? Depending on how long, that's why we've been breaking up trips.’
RNGLDR: ‘With the creation of ‘Café Noir,’ you guys obviously created a cohesive concept kind of project. So, for you, what was the vision for that concept – what were you trying to create for yourselves and for your listeners?’
FLWR CHYLD: ‘For sure, from top to bottom. We had a few third spaces that we lost to the pandemic, and so the concept is birthed from that. It was like: All right, how can we create this imaginary space for people to come and commune together and just enjoy music, like the stuff that Thrice is spinning right now,’ he said about their DJ, Thrice Groove opening up the show as we spoke.
‘You know what I'm saying? Cause I know you've been to a lot of parties and they spin a lot of the same shit. And it becomes old. That was a concept, you know, as a space for us, by us, because there aren't very many. And the goal is to kind of continue that. We did a release party in New York at the Ace Hotel, and we smoked it. They wanted us to come back. I was like, alright, well, why don't we just turn this into part of a series where we're able to take people to different places, you know? Obviously you hear the sound design within the music, within this imaginary hotel slash coffee space.
RNGLDR: ‘I do love that feeling of being able to listen to the project and be transported to that space. Everyone listening is probably being transported to some different version of that space, but the same story is still unfolding.’
FLWR CHYLD: ‘Use your imagination – that’s the goal. Like, you hear the footsteps on the intro, and that’s your invitation to step into this other world.’
GRIMM LYNN: ‘All that stuff plays a huge role. Like, with the elevator sounds too, because certain songs segway into some other creative mood. For instance, 'Ms. Ebony Brown' going into 'Suite Love' is all about creating this vibe before you get there. While being immersed in the story, you meet this potential person of interest. And you want to, you know, make the night last longer. So, the night goes on.’
FLWR CHYLD: ‘But yeah, and then like, ‘Beautiful Days’ - At least for me, that was reminiscent of, ‘Morning After.’ And then ‘See You Again’ fully encapsulates the experience of like alright, I had this night, But I want to do it all over again. So I'll see you next week.’
RNGLDR: ‘How long have you guys been working together?’
GRIMM LYNN: ‘2016. We met at school.’
FLWR CHYLD: ‘Yeah, that's where we met all of these guys, with the exception of Charles. I met Charles two years ago, but everybody else we've known for like eight years or so now.’
RNGLDR: ‘Those are real connections to last that long.’
FLWR CHYLD: ‘Oh yeah. I mean it kind of reflects – hopefully you hear that within the set tonight because we've all been playing together for so long.’
NASHID CHROMA: Yeah, exactly. I don't want to feel like a factory or a machine, just doing stuff for other people's likes.
RINGLEADER: If you start to explore chefs and athletes like you just talked about, I think in that space at least, you’ll get a little bit of reprieve from feeling like you're producing a lot of the same stuff that people want. It’ll still feel new to you in some way, refreshing to you.
How did your like family take it when you decided to change paths from something more traditional and structured like architecture to art?
NASHID CHROMA: When I was studying art, my parents were so angry. They hated that. They did not trust the vision, and respectfully so. Sure, I'm telling you some crazy far-fetched idea, and I get the skepticism that comes with that.
While I was working, after I graduated, I had talked to a bunch of people at the firm, ranging in ages from, you know, a few years older than me to much, like 10, 15, 20 years older than me. Just to see what their experience was like? Is it generally happy? Have you enjoyed it? Do you have any regrets? And the general sentiment was not happy. Obviously, the bias is that this was a particular type of firm. So, I don't know what that experience would be like at a different firm.
But, with that data, it strangely made me feel a little more secure. Like, ‘if I leave this. And it doesn't work out, it's only a year of my life. No one's gonna take an architecture degree away from me. I could find another job.’
My relationship with my parents is a little bit strained. My dad is very proud now and sort of talks to everyone about what I do. But then he will also still make sure to remind people that I was an architectural engineer. It’s like, ‘you can't have your cake and eat it too.’
RINGLEADER: Parents are tough. First generation parents are even tougher. And parents that moved from another place for new opportunities are bound to be the toughest when it comes to their children’s career trajectory and stuff like that.
NASHID CHROMA: I think being born in Bangladesh is what also creates this ethnic confusion in me because, I don't know, even though I have no idea what the culture there was like when I was born – or what it's like now – I do know that it's also a completely different landscape. I have this connection to it. I think just out of this loyalty to being born on the soil. So, that's something that I wish to explore as well – my identity and maybe more geopolitical stuff.
RINGLEADER: When was the last time you went back?
NASHID CHROMA: The last time I went back was 2012. It's changed so much. I'd like to go back again soon though. One of my friend's cousins is a teacher there, and she has some interesting connections to artists, prolific artists in the country. So we had a conversation about having me go out there to speak at the university.
RINGLEADER: That would be an amazing opportunity.
NASHID CHROMA: Yeah, for sure. Potentially a little confusing for everyone, but it would be special. Aside from that, plenty of other things I want to continue working towards and a lot of cool work hopefully coming soon.
RINGLEADER: Well, we’ll keep an eye out. Thank you and Afsha so much for hospitality and showing us your home and studio.
NASHID CHROMA: Of course. Thank you guys for coming to my home.
