The album’s called Anywhere But Here — what’s the story behind that title? Is it a feeling, a place, a state of mind?
[It’s definitely a state of mind, and it’s born out of a feeling that I think absolutely everyone has experienced. In fact, the very first line of the title track is, ‘There’s just some days you gotta get away.’
We all hit that wall sometimes. Whether it’s the grind of daily life, stress, or just a heavy week, there are moments where you look around and just think, ‘I need to be anywhere but here right now.’ It’s that primal urge to escape, reset, and find some breathing room.
But as you listen through the album, Anywhere But Here becomes more than just wanting to run away. It’s about transition. It’s about leaving behind the darkness, the doubts, or the things that hold you back, and pushing forward toward something better. So while it starts with that relatable itch to just pack up and get away for a day, the bigger story of the album is about the journey to a better state of mind.]
You kicked things off with “Crushin’ On You” as the lead single. What made you go with that track first — was it always the one you wanted to open with, or did it just feel right at the time?
[You know, you often write a batch of songs and wonder which one is going to lead the charge. But with ‘Crushin’ On You,’ the choice was made for me the moment I laid it down. Once I recorded it, I just knew it had to be the first single.
There was an immediate energy in the studio that felt undeniable. It has this driving, infectious rock vibe that just jumps out of the speakers right away. When you’re introducing a new album like Anywhere But Here, you want that first statement to be bold and high-energy. It wasn’t a tactical decision or a long debate—it was purely a gut feeling. The track just felt right, it set the bar, and it felt like the perfect invitation for listeners to join the ride.]
You went from hip-hop as King B.A.V. to full-on rock. Now you’ve got a sophomore album under your belt — does it feel like the rock version of you has really settled in, or are you still figuring it out as you go?
[It definitely feels like the rock version of me has settled in and found its footing. Moving from the hip-hop space as King B.A.V. over to full-on rock with B Victorious was a massive shift, but it was driven by a need to express a different kind of raw, live energy.
With the first rock record, you’re breaking ground and laying the foundation. But now, having a sophomore album like Anywhere But Here under my belt, I feel a lot more dialed in. The songwriting is more focused, the sonic identity is sharper, and I know exactly what the B Victorious sound is now.
That said, I think the moment an artist says they have it ‘all figured out’ is the moment they stop growing. So while the confidence and the rock foundation are absolutely locked in, I’m always figuring out new ways to evolve. And honestly, the King B.A.V. music is far from over as there will be a brand new hip-hop album on the way for that project as well. For me, it’s all about creative freedom, and right now, Anywhere But Here is the perfect showcase of where my rock journey is heading.]
You wrote, produced, and played everything yourself on your debut. Did you keep that same solo approach for Anywhere But Here, or did this one look a little different in the studio?
[I did keep that same solo approach. I was proudly in charge of all aspects of the album again for Anywhere But Here, from writing and performing to producing. I love that hands-on process; it’s how I connect deepest with the music and my fans.
My debut album was a massive achievement for me, and I’m so incredibly proud of the energy and the songs we put out on that record. It set a really high bar. But as an artist, you never want to just step in place. You always want to push for growth as a songwriter, performer, and producer.
So with Anywhere But Here, it wasn’t about changing what worked, but rather building on that strong foundation. Because I had that first experience under my belt, I felt even more confident in the studio this time around. The songwriting feels a bit more seasoned, the performances are more nuanced, and the production layer has expanded. It’s taking everything people loved about the first album and leveling it up.]
Your debut covered a lot of emotional ground — love, resilience, self-discovery. Where does Anywhere But Here sit emotionally compared to that? Did something specific push it in a new direction?
[I’ve always believed that the best rock music has to have real stakes. I love writing from genuine emotional situations and adding that extra layer of depth to the lyrics. I don’t ever want to just scratch the surface.
Emotionally, Anywhere But Here sits in a very fascinating space. If the debut was about discovering the grit to stand up and survive, this album is about the journey that happens after you find your footing. It covers the heavy, raw moments of wanting to escape the noise of life, but it also captures the lighter, more exhilarating sides of human connection. It’s a full spectrum.
Nothing pushes you in a new direction quite like life experience, and this album reflects that balance of depth and release. In fact, that’s exactly why a track like ‘Crushin’ On You’ is such a crucial piece of this puzzle. Even when an album tackles deep emotional ground, you need those moments of pure, high-voltage passion and attraction to balance out the weight. It transitions the record into this incredibly fun, high-energy rock space that completely recharges the emotional battery.]
“Crushin’ On You” is about that obsessive pull toward someone you just can’t shake. Were you drawing from a real experience, or is it more of a universal feeling you wanted to capture?
[I think the best songs always start with a spark of something real, whether it’s a specific memory, a vibe, or a universal feeling that hits you out of nowhere. With ‘Crushin’ On You,’ it’s definitely capturing that intense, obsessive pull that almost everyone has felt at some point in their life.
But as a songwriter, I’ve always believed that you shouldn’t give too much away. If I lay out every single detail of exactly who or what inspired it, I rob the listener of their own experience with the track.
I want people to plug their own stories, their own thoughts, and their own memories into the music when they listen to it. The song is high-energy, it’s passionate, and it’s meant to be a ride. By leaving those lyrical spaces open to interpretation, it becomes a personal anthem for whoever is blasting it in their car, rather than just a story about me. I want them to feel that pull for themselves.]
The album fuses classic rock with a modern edge — which classic rock artists or albums were you listening to while making this, even if just for vibes?
[You know, there wasn’t one specific album or artist that I sat down and used as a blueprint for Anywhere But Here. I don’t really write that way. Instead, I’m constantly listening to artists who are just incredible songwriters, regardless of the era. I’m drawn to strong hooks, great structures, and melodies that stick with you.
That said, certain influences are just baked into my musical DNA. Def Leppard is always a massive influence for me, the way they construct those huge, anthemic choruses and tight rock arrangements is unmatched. On the modern side, Halestorm is a big one. Lzzy Hale and the band just bring this raw, uncompromising power and vocal grit that I absolutely love.
So while I wasn’t trying to recreate a specific record in the studio, the spirit of bands like Def Leppard and Halestorm, where brilliant songwriting meets high-octane rock energy definitely helped fuel the overall vibe of this album.]
Was there a moment during the making of Anywhere But Here where you thought, “okay, this is really coming together” — like a song or a session that felt like a turning point?
[Absolutely. I’m an artist who always writes songs with the full album in mind. I don’t just write random tracks and hope for the best; I have a very deliberate process. When I’m in the writing phase, I already have a clear vision of the album’s arc and a good idea of exactly where each song is going to fit into the grand scheme of things.
But there’s a big difference between planning it on paper and hearing it come to life. For me, the turning point hit about three songs into the recording process. That was the moment where I stepped back from what we were capturing and just felt the magic.
Up until that point, you’re hoping the vision in your head translates perfectly. Once those first three tracks were laid down, they started feeding off each other’s energy. Then, actually going through the tracklist, sequencing the songs and seeing how they flowed into one another even after the recording was done, made the whole project gel even more. It took that initial roadmap I had while writing and locked it into this seamless, powerful sonic journey.]
You’ve said “Crushin’ On You” is meant to be played loud. Is there a track on Anywhere But Here that surprised even you — one that ended up going somewhere you didn’t expect?
[There definitely is. The track that completely surprised me on this record was ‘If Anyone Cries.’
When you sit down to write what is essentially a moderate ballad, you usually expect it to live in a softer, more reserved space. It started out as a deeply emotional song, but once we got into the studio and started tracking it, the song took on a life of its own. It evolved into this incredibly high-energy piece of music while still holding onto all that raw emotion.
It completely caught me off guard in the best way possible. It proved that a ballad doesn’t have to be quiet or gentle to hit you hard, it can have this massive, driving energy behind it. Finding that perfect balance where intense, heavy emotion meets high-voltage rock delivery was a huge pleasant surprise, and it turned ‘If Anyone Cries’ into one of the most powerful moments on the album.]
Now that the album is out in the world, what are you hoping people actually feel when they listen to it front to back?
[Ultimately, what I really want fans to understand is that Anywhere But Here was built to be a complete experience. In a world where music is so often consumed in random, bite-sized singles, I want people to turn off the distractions, put on some great headphones or crank up the car speakers, and listen to this album front to back.
From that opening line where you feel that urgent need to escape the noise, through the high-voltage passion of ‘Crushin’ On You,’ all the way to the unexpected, emotional energy of ‘If Anyone Cries,’ there is a deliberate narrative arc.
And it all leads to the final track, ‘Future Unknown.’ That song is the perfect punctuation mark for the entire record. Anywhere But Here is all about the journey of leaving behind the things that hold you back and pushing forward and ‘Future Unknown’ encapsulates that exact moment where you step across the threshold. You might not know exactly what lies ahead, but you have the strength and the freedom to face it.
By the time that final track fades out, I hope listeners feel energized, re-charged, and like they’ve just taken a powerful journey with me. It’s an open invitation to escape for a little while, and I want them to live inside that experience.]
