We were lucky to catch up with Trey (Xotrey) Mullin recently and have shared our conversation below.
Xotrey, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
My upcoming song “Agony” holds a real special place in my soul. It’s an important milestone for me, being the first project I’ve worked on and will release following my debut album. When I set out to write my album, I poured the deepest sanctions of my heart into the lyricism, really aiming to tell my whole story across 12 tracks. For months and months after the album I would sit with my pen and paper and just stare at the blank pages thinking to myself: what is left of me to reveal? When I think that I told the whole world everything that there is to know about Trey, what more do I tell them? Is there more to me than I’m not conscious of that wasn’t shared on the album?
The need to discover the answers to all of my questions sparked a transformative spiritual journey that would span over the course of several months following my birthday in October 2022 all the way to mid April of this year. During this period of time I underwent personal sacrifices that would further shape the meaning behind “Agony.” I’ve created a disciplined mind profoundly impacting both my creative process and my personal growth. To test my discipline and devotion to this project, I vowed to leave my face unshaven until the release of the song. Everyday as I looked into the mirror, I saw a physical representation of my progress. It’s a physical manifestation that symbolizes the rawness of emotions embedded within the song. As I dove deeper and deeper into discovering who I am as a human being, I was on the constant investigation of whether or not that ‘being’ aligned with the artist who created that first debut album. With the help of the blissful instrumental created by my new friend and collaborator Josh Yates, I became enabled to explore and express my emotions and truths that I had long repressed.
When writing the song, I began to surprise myself by realizing how easily I was able to find the courage to address many of the problems I’ve formerly pushed down to the bottom of my existence. I found the courage to talk about family dynamics that I’ve been haunted by for years, even going as far as to extend my sincerest apologies to my grandparents for the strained relationship we’ve had. I felt like it was finally time that I mend family ties and apologize for my lack of presence in everyone’s life. “Agony” is the embodiment of my entire life experience, displaying both the growth and resilience I have had to face along the way. It signifies my transformation and evolution into becoming the “product of agony” who has triumphed over so much. This is a deeply personal track in which I feel the most authentic version of myself I ever have. I have found solace in sharing my truths with the world.
Xotrey, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My only light in the darkest moments of a dreadful existence has been the saving grace of music. It’s the only outlet that I’ve discovered for positive self-expression and healing. It is therapy. It is the confrontation of my demons. It’s my self care. It’s never been about the money, and will never be about the money. It’s been nice to always have the financial means to continue my life of sin or whatever because of my album sales and shit, but you take all of the dollar signs away, and I’m still sharing my same authentic self. I’m still the same person using music as an avenue to feel all the emotions of life. Without it, I’m gone.
I know I’m the best rapper in the city of East Lansing, and I’m starting to think I might be the best in this entire capital area. I’ve mastered the ability to tap into my personal experiences. Every song I drop is a testament to the power of authentic storytelling. With the release of my debut album, “Things Will Never Be The Same,” in addition to my upcoming single and music video drop with Narration Creative Studios (shoutout Ethan Smith, Matt Bonham, and Will Young), I really don’t see how anybody is touching me. I pride myself especially on my live performances, bringing an entirely unmatched level of energy and chaos to any stage that I grace. I’ve built quite a great reputation of being one of the most exciting artists to see live. My manager line been buzzing with venues wanting me back in their establishments this fall. It’s my promise, it’s my vow, and it’s my creed to keep pushing the boundaries of music to be the best.
While my music and personality may exude confidence, it’s important that everyone knows what’s going on behind the scenes. I’ve struggled with anxiety and depression my entire life and for me to say that I’m even somewhat good at something is a huge step forward for me. I’ve been so hard on myself and this pressure has created a literal rap superstar. I want everyone who listens to me or even complete strangers that have never heard of me to know that none of ya’ll are ever alone in any battle that you’re facing. I want people to listen to my music and not only hear an incredible performer, but also someone who can empathize with their struggles. I really want to be your friend through my music. I’m the voice you can turn to in your headphones during hard times. On top of this, I have a deep, genuine connection to my community and aim to collaborate with more creatives around me. Despite any perception of cockiness or anything like that, I really am just a kind guy aiming to support other artists.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Not everyone is always going to be on the same timing as you. It sucks waiting for others and doing so can make progressing extremely aggravating. Understanding that the whole creative and professional process behind making and releasing a song takes time and has the potential to involve a large number of people, it’s important for you to set time aside for yourself to learn all the necessary skills and achieve self-sufficiency. When my graphic designer went MIA for a while to focus on personal goals, I downloaded photoshop and learned how to make cover art myself. When I had no producer for a while and was itching to rap on an original beat, I opened my audio software and learned how to produce. When my engineer took time off and I needed my vocals mixed and mastered, I picked up my laptop and learned how to mix. etc etc
With every skill you acquire, you become more and more independent and efficient in creating every element required to put out a song or project. It will provide you with a much better understanding of both the artistic and technical processes behind the scenes, making you a better team leader in both oversight and collaboration. Acquiring all of this knowledge of every different part of the music industry has made me more than capable of being an amazing business manager as the CEO of Inner Ring Entertainment.
Certainly, I am not undermining the value of collaboration and the importance of building a solid team. You need this foundation of knowledge to help guide your team towards effectively achieving your creative vision. Your contribution and understanding of both the creative and business sides of this industry will make you a well-rounded, empowered artist.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I’m honestly a lil slut for mental health podcasts nowadays. It’s just something about a middle aged lady telling me everything is going to be okay in a soft voice that scratches some strange part of my brain. The main one that I listen to is “Sunday Scaries by Headspace.” If you’re not familiar with the term “Sunday Scaries,” it’s the feeling you get that stays with you throughout the day when you wake up on Sunday morning. Typically, a lot of people use the term to describe the severity of their hangover from drinking the night before, but can also be used to describe the anxiety of returning the work the next day or the fatigue felt from a long work week. The purpose of the podcast is the walk you through these thoughts and feelings that you’re experiencing that day. There’s a different prompt covered every week that is focused on appreciating the small things in life. It makes me think about stuff that I normally wouldn’t think about, like the gratitude I have for my elementary school teachers or the phenomenon of nature occurring without fail around me everyday.
I try to take some time to myself every Sunday. Each episode of this podcast sets aside at least 5 minutes at the end of every discussion to provide me with the opportunity to just sit down, close my eyes, and breathe. You for real don’t want to sleep on the concept of meditation, be it guided or not. The value of breathing and letting your thoughts come and go with every exhale is unmatched. I guess that what I want to say to conclude this thought is music doesn’t have to be the only thing played in your headphones. You can learn so much from listening to others. You can learn a lot more by listening to the Earth. 
Contact Info:
- Website: innerring.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imxotrey/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/imxotrey
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@imxotrey
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/62GBjn3FxYQfiV8ssoQI6i?si=1E_ZfQubRqCjup2CqTYFjA
- Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/xotrey/1552155459
- Email: Innerringentertainment@gmail.com
Image Credits
Sam Haddad / Inner Ring Entertainment