INTERVIEW: IRVIN RIVERA

WORDS: JESSE ZAPATERO

Known by his stage name Eyedress, Idris Ennolandy Vicuña is an unique creative, often recognized by his distinctive slick black sunglasses. His diverse discography, influenced by his upbringing in the Philippines and exposure to the Phoenix, Arizona punk scene, reflects an anti-establishment perspective. Traversing between the Philippines and the U.S., Eyedress weaves a global sound, fusing genres such as hip-hop, post-punk, shoegaze, and beyond.

His collaborations showcase a wide range of influences, most recently teaming up with Grammy-nominated band The Marías to working with iconic figures like Mac DeMarco, N.E.R.D.'s Chad Hugo, and Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine. Eyedress's openness to collaboration extends to emerging artists, reflecting his commitment to fostering creativity and helping others grow.

Beyond music, Eyedress HAS fOUND a balance between creative outlets.His journey serves as an inspiration, reinforcing his counsel to aspiring creatives on the importance of authenticity, kindness, and staying true to oneself.With numerous projects in the pipeline, Eyedress remains a creative force, poised to continue surprising and inspiring audiences across the globe.

Eyedress! How are you doing? What’s keeping you busy nowadays? 

Mostly, I’ve been working on my major label debut album for RCA Records. Also, I’ve been working on a new 80s synth pop mixtape with all my homies, and I got a punk rap mixtape on the way too. I’m all over the place. I have an album with my friend HOMESHAKE that has taken me years to make, as well a rap mixtape with my friend Na-Kel, and as much as I can, of course, I’m with my family. We love going to theme parks or the train at Griffith Park. On a wholesome vibe most of the time. But yeah, lots of work and family time.   

You recently teamed up with Grammy-nominated band The Marías on “Separate Ways.” How did this collaboration unfold, and what unique elements did The Marías bring to the creative process? 

I think María hit me up out of the blue on the gram, then we did a session at their studio in Silverlake in Josh Conway’s backyard. Josh produces all The Marías’ music and had me and my wife come over. I brought a rough idea to María and Josh, which was the instrumental for “Separate Ways,” which I made partly with my friend, Grammy Award-winning producer John Hill, in his studio in Venice. It was a chill day, we got a babysitter to watch my son at home, and Elvia and María had some tea while I smoked my brains away as usual lol. From that day, we wrote the vocals together for “Separate Ways,” Josh added a new bass line and added some more textures on the synthesizer and guitar, and that’s a wrap. María did all her vocals that day, and I did like a shitty rough take of mine. Then, I eventually revisited the song another time back at John’s studio in Venice and finished my vocals several weeks later.

The Marías describe their music as a fusion of jazz, psychedelia, funk, and lounge. How did the collaboration on “Separate Ways” explore this fusion, and what was the creative dynamic like working with such a unique band? 

I’ve been a fan of The Marías’ music, so I knew what I was getting into since I’m also a fan of jazz and taking psychedelics. I feel like we all had really good chemistry. We all have such unique styles and similar tastes in sound, so the marriage of the sounds all made sense together.

The “Separate Ways” music video, much like “My Simple Jeep,” seems to have a distinct visual narrative. How do you approach translating your music into visually captivating stories, and what role does storytelling play in your art? 

I usually get super baked and try to think of some far-out shit. For the video for “Separate Ways,” I collaborated with LA-based animators at PRTND Studios, who specialize in Claymation. I told them of a rough idea I had in my mind that I thought of with María and Josh about aliens, and PRTND Studios helped me flesh out the entire story. It ended up being about me and María being abducted by aliens, and then my son and wife go on a rocket up to the ship and save us from these alien invaders.

Let’s talk about your collaboration with Mac DeMarco on “My Simple Jeep” and its laid-back, guitar-driven vibe. Can you share the story behind the song and how this collaboration came about?

Me and Mac started collaborating earlier this year. Our first time was when I rented a mansion up in Malibu for me and my producers to record in for a week. Mac came up one day, and we made two ideas for my album. We didn’t make “My Simple Jeep” then, but he was having a hard time coming up with vocals to “The Dark Prince,” which is why we met up again, this time at my management’s office in Burbank, which has a few studios inside. So, the second time we met, we recorded “My Simple Jeep,” and Mac pretty much played everything except one guitar solo that I did. In the video, he’s playing the guitar during the solo, but I didn’t really care it looked cool that way and it wasn’t intentional or anything. But yeah, Mac had this idea about keeping it simple despite having plenty of wealth, which I really related to. Sometimes, I feel like a clown when I wear anything designer, and lowkey, that song helped me embrace not being so flashy and helped me be more secure with myself. I guess when you’re born into poverty like I was, you wanna have all these luxurious things once you start getting money, and I was like really going crazy shopping and buying ridiculous shit at the time. That song helped me appreciate the simple things in life and the whole experience really changed me and humbled me.

The music video for “My Simple Jeep” has this imaginative world made of cardboard and papier-mâché. How did the visual concept for the video come together, and what was it like working with director Sandy Kim? 

Well, me and Sandy had a bunch of ideas we worked on before, and I remember Mac mentioning to me how it would be funny to blow a jeep up in the desert, so at first, me and Sandy were trying to do that, but we ended up changing it. We even thought of going to Japan to film it, but it ended up stressing us out, so we decided to go with the miniature set and shoot it here in LA so we wouldn’t have to lose our minds and just have fun while making the video. Sandy is extremely patient and very professional as far as working together goes. We worked with this production company called Open The Portal, and they helped build the miniature set me and Mac were in. But yeah, the shoot was fun. Just felt like a bunch of friends hanging out trying to get some silly shots. 

In “My Simple Jeep,” you and Mac sing about the simpler things in life. What inspired the lyrics, and do these themes carry through your other works? 

Mac had the idea, and I just kind of went along with it. It awakened something inside of me in the process and helped me find some peace of mind because of the message behind it. It reminded me of all the times I used to drive around in Elvia’s car before we were married. When we first started dating, I didn’t have a car, and she had this funky beat-up Honda Civic that got us everywhere we needed. This was before I had a nice ass car, so it brought me back to those days when money didn’t really mean anything, and we were just having fun doing simple things like going on dates and all those sweet things you do when you first fall in love with someone. 

Your music catalog spans diverse genres. How do you approach blending different styles, and what drives this musical experimentation?

I grew up watching TRL on MTV where they would have a Top 10 countdown of the best of the best of all styles in music, so I think having that exposure to that show early on helped me appreciate just good songs in general despite what genre or style it was. I also got into more niche styles of music through skateboarding videos I used to buy on VHS when I was a kid, and they would always have such diverse soundtracks you’d go from Black Flag to Iron Maiden to Gangstarr all in one video. All that really inspired my way of thinking, and my musical tastes became diverse because of its influence on me at such a young age.

You've mentioned that you were introduced to punk music in Phoenix, Arizona. How has your early exposure to punk influenced your current sound and style as an artist? 

It made me hate capitalism and be anti-everything at a young age, but as I got older, I had to grow up and realize that I couldn’t really change the world with my point of view. I mean, maybe I could spark a train of thought or an idea through my music and art, but yeah, I basically grew up and gave up on being against every fucking thing and stopped being punk and accepted capitalism and this capitalist world we all have to live in. I don’t even know if I’m punk anymore, but to come from that kind of counterculture way of thinking definitely challenged me to be different in everything that I do and to also practice fairness and equality in my work and the people that I work with. it helped me respect all walks of life and gave me a deeper sense of appreciation for everything and the roots of the musical genres that I grew up loving. If anything, growing up on punk music helped me dive deeper into all the musical styles and subcultures that came before punk and helped me embrace it all as a whole. I’m the kind of guy who can make a R&B song about love and then do a complete 180 and make a punk song about committing crimes and hating on the police. I love it all. I’m not too cool for anything, and I try to be as open-minded as I can so that I don’t limit my experiences on this planet. 

Your journey from Manila to Los Angeles has been quite a musical adventure. How has this geographical transition impacted your music, and what aspects of each place find their way into your creative process? 

It made my sound more worldly, I guess. Also, moving back to Manila after growing up in America was kind of crazy, too. The way Filipinos back home didn’t accept me because I sounded too American also hurt my soul. I was very confused growing up, and I think that confusion translates into my music. I’m like a mixture of all the different places I lived, whether I was in the hood in Phoenix, Arizona or white ass Orange County, I always managed to be myself no matter where I was but in the Philippines is where I realized who I was and gained a sense of identity because there I really stood out like a sore thumb. I just never dressed or liked the same things as anyone, and when I found my group of friends there, we stuck like glue and built this Eyedress thing from the ground up.

You know, living in the hood probably is why my music can be a little rough and heavy sometimes, because of the harsh realities I had to face early on as a kid growing up in Phoenix, Arizona. I got robbed, I got jumped and got into so many fights. There’s a lot of violence in America, and that made me street smart, but yeah, when I moved to San Clemente in Orange County, California, it was super safe, and the only kind of gangs I saw were skinheads versus all the crazy gangs I grew up around in Arizona. In California, I got into bands and started playing in bands, so I’m grateful for that move because I would be a whole different type of person if I had never moved there. Then, moving back to Manila after living in America for so long made me appreciate all the music I got into in America, and it made me wanna share all that with the community I was immersed in in Manila. Whether my life was dark or not so dark, it all bleeds into my music somehow. All my experiences, not being sober and being a fuck up also gave me wisdom much later in my life. I think now my music has matured, but it’s crazy that I was able to document all these different times in my life with my music.

The release of “Jealous” in 2019 marked a significant breakthrough with its viral success on TikTok. How did this unexpected journey shape your approach to subsequent projects like “Let's Skip to the Wedding” and “Mulholland Drive”?

I tried not to let it change what I was doing. If anything, it made me trust what I was already doing more than I did before, and it helped me feel more certain about all that moves that I was going to make afterward. 

You've collaborated with artists like Mac DeMarco, N.E.R.D.'s Chad Hugo, and even Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine. How do these collaborations influence your artistic growth, and is there a dream collaboration you're still hoping for? 

I really just wanna make music with all my favorite artists. There’s too many I could think of, and I wouldn’t wanna mention any because I don’t wanna be thirsty. If it happens, it happens, and I’d be very grateful for the opportunity if it happened as organically as possible. Of course, I’d love to work with big artists, but I also love working with artists who are just starting and watching them grow is also a very beautiful thing to see. Helping people develop is interesting too because it’s like planting seeds into the dirt and then watching them turn into giant trees where they help all their friends. It’s all so trippy to see, but that’s what I do it for. But yeah, when I collaborate with Mac or Chad or Kevin Shields, it’s a huge milestone for me because back when I first started, I never thought I would actually be doing these things in my lifetime. It was always more like a dream/fantasy sort of thing, then when it happens, you realize that these are all real people just like yourself, and yeah, I just hope I can keep watering all these relationships I have with everyone I work with because in the end, all we can leave behind is our work and I hope we can continue to make beautiful things with meaning and good intentions always.

Your latest album, 'Full Time Lover,' features 28 tracks of hip-hop, post-punk, and shoegaze. How did you approach such a diverse range of genres within one album, and what messages or emotions were you trying to convey?

Just that I’m very in love, and that love is the glue that holds us all together. Without it, there is destruction, and that destroys the balance, but having all those different genres was an intentional thing. I wanted my music to be known not just as one style but every style that I like at least, and I hope people can embrace all these different things because I grew up in a time when purists were too cool for all the new music coming out and I was always the person in the middle who liked what the purists like and liked all the new music coming out, so I guess the message there is to embrace the old and the new and to have an appreciation for everything because there is beauty in it all.

The track “House of Cards” from 'Full Time Lover' received a remix from Kevin Shields. What was it like having your work reimagined by such an iconic figure, and how did this collaboration come about? 

I still can’t believe it. Still waiting for someone to tell me it’s not real haha, but yeah, it’s pretty crazy because Kevin Shields is my fucking lord, and the head of my old label at Lex Records, Tom, made that a reality for me. I think it was his parting gift for me because he knew I was gonna sign to RCA, and honestly, it’s one of the best gifts anyone could ever give me. I never even got to meet or speak with Kevin, but I hope if he reads this, he sees how much love I got for everything he’s done. I’m really just a big fan.

Your latest project, 'Siblings,' is a collaboration with Zzzahara. How did this partnership evolve, and what unique elements does Zzzahara bring to the creative process? 

Zahara helped me in a time in my life where it felt like everything was crumbling. They might be my long-lost Filipino sister from another mother. We always joked to people who didn’t really know us that we were related, but yeah, it was just a one-time-only type of record, and I just wanted to show Zahara my appreciation for all the help she’s given me in my life. When I first moved to LA, she helped me not lose my mind and helped me play all my early shows when I moved back out to America. I also met Elvia because of her, so I’m eternally grateful and wanted to show that by making this album with her. 

With “Something About You” going viral in the US, what was your initial reaction to the track's success, and how do you navigate the pressures of following up on a hit single? 

I don’t. Of course, in the back of my mind, I’d love to make another hit, but I really just like to enjoy what I’m doing and not think about the result of it while I’m creating something new. It kills the vibe and makes it feel like work. For me, music has always been something I do for fun and to express my true feelings, so for me as long as I keep it real in my songs it’s bound to affect someone who can relate it to it somehow. I used to feel pressure, but after having three of my songs go viral, I just try to keep the spirit of having fun in my music and also keeping it real and honest and vulnerable helps with connecting with so many people. I think, just as a music fan also, I try to just make things that other people can relate to instead of being this robot that shits out hits. I don’t think of music that way. It’s very sacred for me, and I’d like to keep it that way forever.

You started making beats at a young age and later ventured into clothing design. How do these diverse creative outlets inform each other, and do you find inspiration for your music in unexpected places? 

Well, the clothing thing started when The Cobrasnake gave me my first opportunity early on. When I was just a teenager, I sent him an email of some logo flips I made of him when I was living in Manila, and he replied and actually used my graphics that I made on Photoshop. From there, he started making the things I sent him into shirts and stickers. He gifted me a camera when he visited Manila, and he even got me to help him work on a Vans shoe for Colette in Paris. That made me so cool amongst all my friends in Manila and helped motivate me to keep pursuing my love for design and clothing. I usually like to do other creative things when I’ve been doing too much music stuff. So, it helps me have a balance in my life and keeps me healthy as a creative. 

Looking ahead, what can fans anticipate from your future projects and collaborations? Are there any new sounds or genres you're eager to explore? 

I’m doing so much; I’ll be flooding your feeds all 2024 all the way til the future. I am a creative powerhouse, and when I get burnt out, I’ll take little healthy breaks to regenerate, but the goal is to never stop and to keep creating and staying creative until my last breath. It’s the gift I was given, and all I know is to keep giving in the hopes that it inspires someone out there who wants to do the same. I’d rather not say what I’m gonna do and just do it, so yeah, you’ll see!

Is there any advice that you can provide to any aspiring creative individual who wants to break into the industry and establish themselves as a business? 

Just be yourself and don’t try to follow the herd. Also, kindness goes a long way in the industry, so don’t be a dick or a diva and just be cool and good to others, and good things will keep happening to you! Take care of your friends and family, and make sure the people you help would do the same for you! That is all - peace! 

If you were a book, what book would you be and why?

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. Why? Because it’s my favorite book and who doesn’t want food to fall from the sky.