The landscape of modern music is often criticised for its obsession with the "algorithm," but 19-year-old South Carolinian artist Xeno Ray JNB is busy building a world that defies easy categorisation. Following the release of his collaborative LP, 'Whirlwind!' earlier this year, Xeno is pivoting towards a deeply personal and sonically adventurous solo era. His upcoming concept project, ‘Mono Modern’, is a sprawling exploration of art’s sanctity in an age of AI and industry indifference, blending everything from industrial funk to ambient glitch.
Beyond the music, Xeno is a prolific filmmaker, viewing his various creative outputs as a unified mission to inspire uniqueness and positive impact. Drawing heavy thematic influence from Radiohead’s ‘OK Computer’ while channelling the bold energy of Prince and Kendrick Lamar, he is an artist who views the "experimental" label not as a gimmick, but as a necessity for survival. We sat down with Xeno to discuss his evolution, the critique of modern life found in his new single ‘Everything is Chrome’, and why he believes art is a sacred gift that must be protected at all costs.
We took a deep dive into his creative process and the inspirations behind his latest work; here is what Xeno Ray JNB had to share.
Thanks so much for joining us, Xeno! To start off, when did you first start making music and what inspired you to take that first step?
"I started making music under my old name ‘Lil Ray Jnb’ around 2018 about the time I was 11. Around that time it was Lil Uzi Vert who inspired me, but even before that I always admired Ice Cube and wanted to be like him in my younger years. The fact that he was involved with both music and films really inspired me to want to do both. Even though I don’t idolise these people or any celebrities anymore (for various reasons) I still credit Cube for making me realise it’s possible to do both and Uzi for being different and unique with his style and sound."
Can you tell us a bit about your current project, ‘Mono Modern’, and what it means to you personally?
"’Mono Modern’ is a project that deals with modern societal issues that relate to art and small artists who have to live through everything. It’s not for everyone, sonically nor narratively and I don’t want it to be either, but I believe that it will find its own audience and people who appreciate the messages and the different textures and all of that so that’s really all that matters. Mono Modern is also a testament to my own craft and improvement as an artist, and it was 100% human made."
Were there any specific artists or experiences that heavily influenced you while you were creating this release?
"Radiohead’s ‘OK Computer’ is in my opinion the main inspiration behind this project. They predicted the future in a way when that dropped, and it was like wow; it sounds modern yet futuristic at times. I didn’t want to take inspiration behind it sonically though since I’m still learning guitar (I did play guitar on a few songs). Overall, I believe ‘Mono Modern’ is a lot messier than ‘OK Computer’ but it’s designed to be like that. Other inspiration included Kendrick Lamar and Prince, as those two are some of my favourite artists."
With such a wide range of influences, how would you describe the overall sound of ‘Mono Modern’ as a record?
"I’m not too into labelling genres myself; it typically goes in one ear and out the other, but man, if [had] I to describe it, Mono Modern is a blend of ambient glitch, experimental hip-hop, lo-fi, chillwave, industrial, experimental rock, and sound collage. and that’s across all of the songs. Like I said before, it’s not for everyone, yet there might be a person out there who finds it all dope, and that’s what matters."
What did your songwriting process look like for this project, and how did all these different ideas come together?
"It originally started back in August 2025 (just before my EP ‘the StaRteR pack’ was released in September) when I took a photo of some fish bait in a bucket and then over time I wanted to build an EP off that cover art and then the next following months I started seeing and hearing about multiple artists getting screwed over by their distributors and labels, getting into Radiohead’s music, then started doing some research on Black American History and the amazing culture that it is along with my friend Dashawn and over time the ideas just started flowing into one another. All of that laid the groundwork for what I wanted to write about on this project. I didn’t want to just drop another experimental project just for the sake of being experimental; this one has an actual purpose this time."
Is there a central message or a specific theme you are trying to convey through this latest release?
"There is no central theme, I’d say, but more so mini themes that try to tie the whole message together. The Bottom line is that art is sacred. In my opinion, ART is a gift from The Most High God. We use art to express ourselves and to move and impact people and I believe it can bring out the best outcomes in life when you really value your work and treat it with love and care. Paintbrushes and canvases, microphones and beats, clay, and stones – all of that is the start-up to our limitless ideas and personal creations."
When you’re in the middle of writing a song, what do you find is the most important element to focus on?
"Depends. Sometimes I like to take inspiration and add my own spin on it, other times I like imagining the actual music in my head, like if I were in a movie or show and where it would be placed and I just go from there."
Do you have any advice for new bands or artists who are just starting out and trying to make their mark in the industry?
"Create and never stop creating. Stop walking into the damn studio expecting to make the perfect song, and stop carefully painting on a canvas like there’s a gun to your head and you’re not trying to mess up. Make mistakes in your art and experiment; try new recording techniques and just practise with different flows and rhyme schemes. It’s all about doing things differently sometimes, which makes the art better, and also that’s what makes it unique and like no other in God’s eyes."
Looking back, what has been your best moment as a musician so far, and how has the reception been to your work?
"With ‘Mono Modern’ at the time I’m writing this, I don’t know, nor do I care to be honest. I believe some people will like it; some people will not like it. I have this philosophy that sticks with me in life: it’s the mere fact that people like Jesus Christ or Michael Jackson (not trying to compare the two) are two of the world’s most beloved people, yet they still had haters and people who didn’t like them, yet they still did what they did without any shame or doubt.”
“Bottom line is that you will naturally have people who don’t like you for whatever reason (unless they have a good reason to not like you), so regardless, stay on your path and realise if everyone liked you on earth, life would be boring as hell. With Whirlwind! though, that collab album did get a lot of hate, and I’ll take the fall for it. It was just a misaligned vision and didn’t work out. I still give my props to Totojira and wish him the best."
Finally, is there anything else you’d like to say to our audience, and how can they best support your journey?
"I appreciate you all for having me, and you can support me by connecting with socials and staying up-to-date with the latest updates regarding music. Do you guys want merch or a live performance? Those might be happening soon, so stay on the lookout, yeah? The digital plane is arriving, and it’s time for all of us to catch this flight to head into ‘Mono Modern’. See you in the chrome. God bless you all and stay xeno!"
With ‘Everything is Chrome’ dropping on 24th April and the full ‘Mono Modern’ experience arriving on 8th May, Xeno Ray JNB is an artist to watch for anyone who values raw, human-made creativity.
You can follow Xeno Ray JNB on Instagram and X to stay updated on his music, films, and upcoming live performances.
