1Tru dives into his songwriting process, his move from Ohio to Albuquerque, his unique connection to "Breaking Bad" and much more!

Coyote Music: I'd love to know about the album's inspiration and concept. The title "Third Run" suggests momentum and growth of a First and Second Run. What does this album represent in your journey as an artist, and how do you feel you've evolved since you began writing and recording?

1Tru: Third Run, yeah, it's just what it sounds like, the next chapter. It's about growing, bouncing back, showing everyone that when life kicks you down, you get up tougher. For me, the first run is when you're figuring out who you are. The second is when your voice starts showing up. The third run? That's when you quit chasing approval and just own your purpose.

When I first started writing and recording, I just wanted to get my thoughts out. Music was therapy, you know? I didn't even know if anyone would ever hear it. Now, I've grown, I'm more intentional with every lyric, every beat, every message. I've learned how to tell my story honestly, but still make something people can connect with.

This album, it shows everything I've been through. The setbacks, the wins, the doubts, the faith, and just that pure determination to keep moving. It sounds and feels more grown-up than anything I've done before. I really spent a lot more time making sure each song had a point, not just filling up a tracklist.

But the biggest change is my head. I don't make music to fit some trend anymore. I make music that's just me. If someone listens to Third Run and hears even a little bit of their own story in mine, then I've done exactly what I wanted to do.

CM: Your music balances melodic hooks with more direct, personal lyricism. Who were the artists that first inspired you to make music, and whose influence do you think still shows up in your sound today?

1Tru: I've always pulled inspiration from artists who weren't afraid to be themselves. Growing up, I listened to a lot of different styles. But the artists who stuck with me, they were the ones who made you feel something. People like Eminem, he showed me how powerful storytelling could be. Lil Wayne? He taught me that confidence and wordplay could become an art form. Then you had artists like Drake and Juice WRLD who showed me you don't have to choose between rapping and being melodic. You can be vulnerable, honest, and still make records that connect with a wide audience.

That said, I've reached a point where I'm less focused on sounding like the artists I grew up listening to. Now, it's more about sounding like . Every influence helped shape the foundation, sure, but my goal now is just to create music that people hear and immediately recognize as mine.

My life experiences have become my biggest influence. Every setback, every lesson, every victory. Every person I've crossed paths with has found its way into the music. That's why I think the songs connect, because they're real. I'm not trying to play a character. When you hear a 1Tru record, you're hearing my perspective, my journey, and my truth.

CM: Can you walk us through your production process on this album? Were you heavily involved in choosing the beats, arranging songs, and shaping the final sound, or did you collaborate closely with producers throughout the project?

1Tru: It's funny how life comes full circle.

About three years before I ever signed with Unrivaled Records, I came across Daniel Cantrell's beats on BeatStars. I remember spending hours listening through his catalog and saving a bunch of instrumentals because his production matched the sound I'd always heard in my head better than just about anything else. I bookmarked them and figured maybe one day I'd get to use them.

Life took its course, and those beats just sat there on my laptop for a few years.

Then everything came full circle.

I signed with Unrivaled Records and ended up working with the same producer whose music had been inspiring me long before we ever met. The craziest part is that during those years, Daniel had gone back and completely reworked a lot of those same beats. He made them bigger, cleaner, and more polished than I remembered. It honestly felt like everything happened exactly when it was supposed to.

When it comes to making music, Daniel handles all of my production. He creates the beats, shapes the overall sound, and helps bring each record to life. That allows me to focus on what I do best—writing, recording, and putting real emotion into every song. We're constantly exchanging ideas and pushing each other creatively, but there's never any pressure to be someone I'm not.

One of the things I appreciate most about Unrivaled Records is that the artist always comes first. Even with Daniel producing every record, I've always had complete creative freedom. If I have a vision for a song or feel strongly about a certain direction, it's respected. That trust allows me to stay true to who I am while working with a producer who knows exactly how to turn those ideas into something special.

To me, it's the best of both worlds. I get to create music with the producer whose sound inspired me years before we ever met, while still making records that are completely, unapologetically 1Tru.

CM: Songs like "Fallin'" and "Wish You Would" blend introspective moments with catchy, melodic choruses. When you're writing, what usually comes first: the beat, the hook, a lyric, or a personal experience you want to talk about?

1Tru: It almost always kicks off with the beat, I'd say. Daniel's got this knack for production that just drops me into a certain headspace. The minute I hear the right instrumental, I already know the kind of story it wants from me. Sometimes I've got a line or an idea tucked away. But mostly, the beat just unlocks it.

Then, the hook usually pops up. I want people to remember the song long after it's done. So I really work on making the chorus honest, melodic, and something folks can connect with. Once I nail the hook's message, the verses pretty much write themselves. I already know what I'm trying to say, you know?

CM: Authenticity is a recurring theme in both your bio and your music. How much of what listeners hear comes directly from your own life, and where do you draw the line between autobiography and artistic storytelling?

1Tru: A lot of what I write comes from my own life--stuff I've been through, things I've seen others go through, or just feelings I've held onto for ages. "Fallin'" and "Wish You Would" are good examples. They're personal, but I write them so listeners can put themselves in the story too.

Look, I never want to just make music that sounds good. Every song needs to mean something. If someone hears one of my records and feels like I just told a piece of their own story? Then I've done exactly what I set out to do.

CM: What's been the biggest challenge in bringing Third Run to life, and what part of the process have you enjoyed the most?

1Tru: The biggest challenge with Third Run has honestly been making sure every song earned its place on the album. I didn't want to rush it or throw tracks together just because I had enough music. I wanted every record to mean something and represent where I am right now—not where I was six months or a year ago. That meant rewriting songs, cutting songs I actually liked, and being patient, which isn't always easy when you're excited to put new music out.

The part I've enjoyed the most has been watching everything come together. Seeing these ideas that started as voice memos or random thoughts turn into fully realized records is an incredible feeling. Working with Daniel and Unrivaled Records has also opened doors into markets and audiences I honestly didn't think I'd be reaching this early. It's been motivating because it reminds me that the music is connecting with people outside of my hometown.

More than anything, Third Run feels like a snapshot of who I am at this point in my life. Every challenge, every late night in the studio, every rewrite—it all made the project stronger. That's what makes the journey worth it.

CM: You're representing Albuquerque, New Mexico. The ABQ! How would you describe the local Hip-Hop scene there? Is it a tight-knit community that supports one another, or have you found yourself looking outside the city to build your audience?

1Tru: That's a question I get a lot because people associate me with Albuquerque, and I completely understand why. Albuquerque is home now, and it's where I've really been able to grow as an artist. But I actually grew up in the Midwest—Ohio is where my story started. That Midwestern mindset is still a huge part of who I am. It taught me to stay grounded, work hard, and let the results speak for themselves.

Since being in Albuquerque, I've found a city with a lot of talented artists and a lot of people who genuinely love Hip-Hop. Like any music scene, there are different circles and different levels of support. There are definitely artists here who want to see each other win, and I've got nothing but respect for the people out here putting in the work.

At the same time, I've never wanted to limit myself to one city or one market. From day one, the goal has been to make music that can reach people anywhere. Thanks to Daniel and Unrivaled Records, we've been able to build an audience far beyond Albuquerque, getting into markets and territories I honestly thought would take years to reach. That's shown me that you don't have to be confined by your zip code anymore.

So I represent Albuquerque proudly because it's been a major chapter in my journey, but I also carry Ohio with me everywhere I go. Both places shaped me in different ways, and I think you can hear that blend in my music.

CM: I've got to ask a Breaking Bad question, right? Do you have any stories about any aspect of the show--seeing any of the stars around town, maybe you or friends being extras, etc.?

1Tru: Yeah, you kind of have to ask a Breaking Bad question when Albuquerque comes up. That show is such a big part of how people outside New Mexico recognize the city now. For me, the funny connection is that my first job was actually at what used to be the Octopus Car Wash, which a lot of people know because of Breaking Bad. So even before I was really thinking about music on this level, I was working at a place that had that connection to something huge in pop culture.

I don't have some crazy story about being on set or hanging out with the cast, but being around Albuquerque, you definitely feel how much the show left its mark. People come through looking for filming locations, taking pictures, talking about different scenes, and it becomes part of the city's identity in a way.

What's cool to me is that Breaking Bad showed people a side of Albuquerque that wasn't polished or fake. It had its own character, its own edge, and I think that's something that connects with the music scene here too. The city has grit, it has personality, and it gives you stories. So even though my connection to the show is more through the city and that first job at Octopus Car Wash, it's still a dope piece of the journey.

CM: Do you perform live very often? If so, what can fans expect from a 1Tru show? If not, is live performance something you're actively working toward as your audience continues to grow?

1Tru: I'm definitely working toward performing live a lot more as my audience grows. Right now, my focus has been on building the music, building the catalog, and making sure people really connect with the records first. I don't want to rush into performing just for the sake of saying I'm doing shows. When I step on stage, I want people to walk away feeling like they experienced something they won't forget.

I've always felt like Hip-Hop concerts can be so much more than just somebody rapping over a backing track. That's never really been my vision. When I get to that point in my career, I want a 1Tru show to feel like an event. I picture live musicians, a full marching band, or even an orchestra bringing the music to life in a way people don't expect from a rap show. Imagine hearing those songs with live drums, horns, strings, and all that energy behind them. That's the kind of experience I want to create.

I want the production, the visuals, and the music to all tell a story together. If someone spends their hard-earned money to come see me, I want them leaving feeling like they got way more than a concert—they got an experience they'll be talking about on the drive home. That's the standard I've set for myself, and I'm willing to wait until I can do it the right way rather than taking shortcuts.

CM: Many independent artists eventually face the question of whether to stay rooted in their hometown or relocate to a larger music market. Do you see Albuquerque as home base for the long haul, or could you see yourself making a move to a city like Atlanta, Los Angeles, or elsewhere to take your career to the next level?

1Tru: That's something I've thought about, and I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. A lot of artists feel like they have to move to Atlanta, Los Angeles, or somewhere like that to make it, and I understand why. Those cities have incredible music scenes and a lot of opportunities.

For me, though, I don't believe success is tied to a zip code anymore. Technology has changed the game. You can make music in one place, build a fanbase halfway across the world, and collaborate with people you've never even met in person. I've already seen that happen in my own career.

Albuquerque has been good to me, and it's become home. At the same time, I'm originally from Ohio, so I've learned that home is really about the people around you more than the place itself. Right now, I'm focused on continuing to build from Albuquerque because that's where my foundation is.

That said, I'm never going to close the door on opportunities. If there comes a point where moving somewhere else genuinely helps take my career to another level—not just because it's expected, but because it makes sense—I'd definitely consider it. I'm not attached to a location; I'm attached to the vision.

At the end of the day, I want the music to travel farther than I ever have. If I can represent Albuquerque, represent where I came from in Ohio, and show people that you don't have to follow the traditional path to build something real, then I feel like I've done my job.

CM: When people finish listening to Third Run, what's the one thing you hope stays with them? Is there a particular message or feeling you wanted this album to leave behind?

1Tru: More than anything, I hope people walk away feeling like they're not alone. We all go through moments where we question ourselves, where life knocks us down, where we're trying to figure out who we are or where we're headed. Third Run is really about pushing through all of that. It's about getting back up one more time, believing in yourself when nobody else does, and refusing to let your story end where somebody else thinks it should.

I don't expect every listener to relate to every lyric the same way I do, but I do hope they find something on the album that feels like it was written for them. If one song gives somebody hope, helps them through a rough day, or inspires them to keep chasing whatever they're after, then I've done what I set out to do.

At the end of the day, Third Run isn't just my story anymore once it's out in the world. It becomes whatever the listener needs it to be. That's one of the things I love most about music. People hear the same song and take away completely different meanings, and they're all valid.

If there's one thing I want to leave people with, it's this: don't let your circumstances define your future. Keep moving, keep growing, and don't be afraid to take that third run when life gives you another chance. Sometimes that's the run that changes everything.

Before we wrap up, I just want to say thank you, Wiley. These were some of the most thoughtful interview questions I’ve been asked. You took the time to go beyond the surface and really dig into the music, the journey, and the vision behind Third Run, and I genuinely appreciate that.

Daniel actually let me know that I was your 1,000th artist [on coyotemusic.com], and I just want to congratulate you on that incredible milestone. Hitting 1,000 is a testament to your consistency, your passion for shining a light on independent artists, and the respect you’ve built within the music community. That’s an amazing accomplishment, and you should be proud of it.

Thank you for giving artists like me a platform to share our stories. I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of such a significant milestone, and I wish you nothing but continued success as you head toward the next thousand interviews.

CM: Much appreciated, 1True. I wish you all the best with Third Run and beyond!