R&B singer and songwriter Vedo, best known for his unforgettable performances on NBC’s talent competition “The Voice,” is bringing the heat this spring with his new EP, State of Mind. In addition to his music project, Vedo is making boss moves behind the scenes by launching his own music label, New WAV Music Group, based in Atlanta and is currently serving as a brand ambassador for the Lung Cancer Alliance. The organization is devoted to saving lives through advanced research by educating and empowering those who are at risk or diagnosed with the illness. Vedo lost his mother to stage four lung cancer a few years ago, so he keeps her spirit alive through giving back to the community. Rolling out spoke to Vedo to find out more on the charities he’s involved in, how his career has changed since the show, and the important role style plays for artists.
Initially, you got your big break on “The Voice” as one of the top finalists. How has your music career progressed since being on the show?
The Voice was definitely a tremendous boost for me in my career and in my life. I’ve met a lot of influential people like Usher and Blake Shelton. All these people gave me really good advice on life, period. As far as my music it put me in front of the audience that I needed to see me and to actually exploit my talent. It gave me a glimpse of tour life from going to sleep super late and getting up four hours later to do it all over again. It made me appreciate the small things like getting sleep when you can. For my career, it launched me in the right direction and I’m pretty content with that.
What music projects do you have coming out over the next few months?
I am working on my new EP called State of Mind, which will be coming out on April 8. I also have a couple of videos coming out soon. I am also starting my own music label called New WAV Music Group. I also have four major placements. I am super busy right now.
You faced a lot of changes in your career on “The Voice” but it is also reported that your mother died during the competition. What charities have you been involved in since her loss to lung cancer?
It’s actually her birthday today. I try my best to become a part of all charities as an artist, but I am always so busy so I try not to stretch myself too thin. Right now, I’m currently the ambassador for the Lung Cancer Alliance and that is actually what my mother passed away from. That was a way of me giving back and also becoming a part of something in my mother’s name. We do 5K runs and we do a bunch of things to help strengthen the lungs and just raise awareness about it. A lot of people aren’t as aware of those cancers and not to say that they downplay it but it’s not as big as breast cancer so we just trying to shed light on it. I am proud to be a part of that.
As an artist, your image is as important as your music. How do you keep your style fresh and fashion-forward?
I think everybody has style, but we all just have our own way of showing it. My style just comes from what I like. I like fitted clothes and I try not to match too much. In the fashion world being matchy isn’t really a good thing. If you have on red shoes and a red shirt you might want to throw on some blue. My style just comes from a different place and it just depends on the mood I’m in at the moment. If I’m feeling down I wear all black. It’s my mom’s birthday so I’m really mellow.
What is your go-to outfit for spring?
I love my Timberlands. I am from Michigan, so we wear Timberlands year-round and it doesn’t really matter if it’s hot or cold outside. I think my go-to outfit would be black-on-black because I like wearing it with gold accessories. Gold always looks good on black. It’s just one of my favorite colors and, of course, with red as well. I try to switch it up.
Who do you look to for your style inspiration?
I definitely like some of the stuff Kanye West rocks. I thought Yeezy Season 3 was cool. I think some of it does a little much for me but it’s all for someone. Usher is another one because he is one of those artists where he doesn’t have to do so much. He might put on a regular, plain shirt with some jeans and throw on some accessories but it’s the way it’s cut or the way it falls that really matters the most to me. It not about what you wear it’s how you wear it. It’s not about your pants costing 300 dollars or your pants costing 400 dollars. The shirt I’m wearing cost 50 dollars, so it is just about how you wear it.
