Fresh off his two back-to-back sold out tours, singer-songwriter Quinn XCII is already gearing up for a summer filled with festival appearances, new music and a little bit of fun. The Detroit-native’s debut album The Story of Us was released in late 2017 and the artist immediately embarked on an international tour with singer Chelsea Cutler as his opener. A deluxe version of the album was released in early 2018, adding four new songs to Quinn XCII’s set list, offering a breath of fresh air to the second leg of the tour. “It’s just so cool and humbling because this is all off one album, my debut album” Quinn says of the reaction to the tour. “We’ve been able to tour for like, seven months. It’s really crazy to see the longevity in the project.”
The Story of Us was an especially self-reflective album for Quinn, offering a look at his more vulnerable side in terms of his various relationships and life experiences. “I wanted to give people a general idea of who I am and my thoughts. It was my debut album, so I wanted to say things in the strongest way possible,” he says. Through his music, Quinn says he’s found that he has been able to reach people on a much deeper level than he’d imagined. With fans admitting they fully relate to his lyrics and what he’s gone through is especially rewarding to Quinn. “It’s cool to reflect on things when it comes to an album and make something conceptual. I think people really do appreciate that, and that’s what the debut album was.”
Quinn XCII
Though it hasn’t been a year since Quinn released The Story of Us, he has already started working on his sophomore album, and is planning on going in a different direction. “I want to make something a little more sonically pleasing and not so thematical,” he says. “I put out my debut album and now I want to give fans something fun they can play.”
In between writing and recording new music, due out later this year, Quinn will be making his first appearance on the festival circuit this summer. From Governors Ball in New York City to Lollapalooza in Chicago, he’ll be working to expand his fanbase immensely. “It will allow me to get in front of fans who might not know who I am and hopefully I’ll scoop up some fans before my next album drops,” he says.
The highlight of his festival run seems to be more of a personal tie, since Lollapalooza neighbors his hometown of Detroit. “It’s super nostalgic for me to be playing this year. It’s the one I always told myself I would love to play,” he admits. Referring to Lollapalooza as “the Coachella of the Midwest,” Quinn is expecting to have a ton of family members and friends in attendance to catch his set.
With a busy summer ahead of him, including a recent collaboration with Gryffin and Daniel Wilson on a summer banger “Winnebago,” Quinn says his rigorous schedule just means he’s keeping momentum on his side in terms of his musical career. From college shows to festival performances and a new album expected to drop later this year, we’re definitely going to be keeping our eye on Quinn XCII.
