Harrison Brome began singing as a way to help his dyslexia as a kid. His mom bought him a karaoke machine, and he realized he could read words properly when they were flashing on a TV screen in sync with a melody. Today, the 19 year old singer-songwriter has upped his skill set to create a sound that’s part James Blake, part The Weekend, with emotion seeping out of every lyric, drum beat and synth melody. As Brome says, “Music is my only outlet. Telling people how I actually feel is not my strong point. I have no other clear way of expressing myself. I want my music to reflect where I’m at in my life at this point.”

Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia

Homebase: I’m still out in Vancouver doing my thing. Often times you can find me working away somewhere in Los Angeles.

We know that your dyslexia (as a child) led you to a musical career. How did that happen?

I couldn’t read when I was younger and started falling behind in school, and it turns out I was extremely dyslexic. My mom decided to come home with a karaoke machine one day and over a period of time I learned to read and sing at the same time. I guess you could say music has really been a part of me since day one.

Was that connected to the epiphany that you wanted to sing and perform for others?

I knew I had the capability of writing/creating music on my own—I was able to express my feelings and what I was going through without having to actually talk to someone about it and still got the satisfaction of being understood. I’ve always been pretty chill when it comes to performing in front of others. Everyone started to feel it and were always asking me for more music. That’s when I realized I could be doing this for the rest of my life.

Do you remember the first song you ever wrote? What was it about?

I think I was about 13 or 14 when I wrote my first fully structured song. It was the start of my teenage years - I guess you could say I was looking for some love. Some people still have a strong connection with that one but I’m sure it’ll never see the light of day.

What's your songwriting process like now?

It usually starts with a chord progression then I’ll just spit out some nonsense until I catch a good flow that works well with the beat. Once the bare bones are there then I’ll start to write the top line.

Who are your musical heroes?

My mom was big on Motown and would always be bumping Marvin Gaye/Otis Redding/Nina Simone in the house. I was brought up on a lot of soul and R&B influences which I feel has brushed off on my style and has been a major contributor when it comes to shaping my sound.

You've been working on an EP. What's it called?

I haven’t unveiled what the title of my EP will be yet and I think I’m going to wait until I release my last song. Most of what I have written about in the past 5 years—which has come to shape this EP—are relatable topics that the everyday person has experienced. I’m very excited with what I have in stock to finish it off and hope that my fans will be feeling what is next to come.

Does living in Vancouver influence your creative process?

There are so many creative people that are always down to support one another so it’s a great environment to live and work in. I’m all about keeping it easy and feeling good so having the opportunity to be in this city just make things that much easier for my creative process. It’s safe for me to say that Vancouver helped the development of who I am as an artist.

Who do you most want to collaborate with?

I would love to work with Action Bronson, J.Cole, and the Gorillaz for artist feature records. Rick Rubin, Alex Da Kid, and Danger Mouse for production. I also have a huge appreciation for pop music and would love to write toplines for artists like Katy Perry, Beyonce and Rihanna.

What's the craziest thing a fan has ever done for you?

I was at a house party one night when a friend pulled out a tattoo gun. Long story short I tattooed my signature on this dudes ass. We thought it was pretty funny at the time.

What do you want people to know about you?

I want people to know that I’m authentic and that I’m just being myself. I want people to be able to connect with me and know that I’m more than just a Pepsi can. If I was selling stadiums I’d still be doing basement shows.

How do you describe your music to people who haven't heard it before?

I feel that my music has a wide range of versatility. I wouldn’t consider myself an artist who focuses on any specific style or sound. I just make the music that I like - I don’t have any urge to put myself in a box.