Ahead of the impending release of his newest EP GO, Rodney Chrome caught us up on his latest creative era, working with executive producer underscores, and why the world needs to lock in on the Arkansas-born, Brooklyn-based singer, songwriter, dancer, and multi-faceted visionary.

Hi Rodney, thanks so much for speaking with us! You’ve been dropping some hot singles like “BBL” and most recently, “Cyborg”. Tell us a little bit more about this era for you—what’s your current creative vibe these days?

Hi! The pleasure is truly mine.

Before I began assembling songs for this project, including tracks like “Cyborg” and “BBL,” I created a folder in my Logic library titled “FUN.” This space became my creative hub over the next few months, where I embraced the challenge of crafting unconventional beats and high-energy tracks while collaborating with my artist friend underscores. The creation of the project “GO” naturally evolved from my desire to amplify Rodney Chrome’s unique artistic voice.

What made this journey particularly intriguing for me was the absence of a specific theme or guiding concept for this collection of songs. Instead, my focus was on enhancing the clarity and impact of Rodney Chrome’s message, striving to make it resonate with even greater intensity than before.

Your incredible dancing is a huge part of your project, and something that I immediately connected with growing up in the era of music videos, Step Up and So You Think You Can Dance. When did you start dancing, and how have you continued your passion for it?

I started my dance journey when I was 10 years old. There was a dance studio a lot of the girls at my elementary school went to called “Dance Dynamics.” I eventually came and took a free class and once it was over the studio lead came and said “I’ll let you take class here for free if your parents allow you to come compete for our competition team.” My parents at first were not hearing it at all… but eventually when I told them Tupac took ballet before, they eventually thought it could help with my potential football career.

You name drop Amanda Bynes on “Cyborg”—why do you find yourself returning to those moments in time with artists like Missy Elliott and Timbaland reigning supreme on the radio?

This is interesting because my best friend just told me, “you love to create choreography based off of what an artist is saying in the song.” I think that translates with my own writing because I like to paint the picture as best as possible for my listener. My production and beats often incorporate unconventional sounds and elements, and pairing that energy with unique lines or influences from artists I admire enhances the creative process, making it more “fun!” for myself and also my listeners. Those subtle catchy lines help guide my physical movement of how playful or serious my choreography or dance could be for the song. Sean Bankhead and Todd Williamson are two of my biggest influences and inspirations as a dancer.

How do your southern roots influence your art?

People kinda forget about Arkansas a lot of times. Even though it’s kinda tucked away it was something about Arkansas that influenced my art to be something other than the norm. Little Rock, Arkansas is a space that can be very conservative. I subconsciously think that Rodney Chrome was born out of the need for Rodney Anderson to have an outlet to say the things that were unheard of back home.

Who has helped you execute your creative vision as Rodney Chrome and how did you connect with them?

The biggest—
The baddest—
The most lavish—
The best to ever do it—
THEEE Kyle Tildon AKA “KT”!

Not only is he my manager but he truly is like a brother that I found along this music journey. Have you ever met someone where your taste in art or anything in life was insanely similar? That’s our relationship. Whenever we are in a creative meeting or even ones about the next step of my career, we can always see what the other is feeling by even just our body language. He has been the foundation for getting the world to know about Rodney Chrome. The amplifier to my creative microphone.

What qualities do you look for in collaborators?

Individuality! Do they make things I wish I woulda made first?
Do our worlds make sense colliding?
Is their energy positive and open to collaboration?
Are they a fan of me just as much as I’m a fan of them?

How do you know when a song is finished?

I know a song is finished when I try to do a final pass for extra harmonies or vocal adlib ideas and the song starts to sound too busy or it was fine the way it was.

Where can fans find you?

You can follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and soon you’ll be seeing me on every screen near you.