Enter Cloud Rap Sensation, Ethereal Lotus

Maarty Metzelaar, Staff Editor

As I made my way into the home of someone I haven’t met yet, I was wondering how the night may turn out. When I made my way to the door, I was greeted by a familiar face.  My long time friend Manuel Delatorre, or just “Manny” to me and mostly anyone around him.

Going by the stage name Ethereal Lotus (Etherlo for short), Manny has been rapping for over 6 years, recently being added to the rap collective Very Dead Clique. Sporting a pink septum ring and a tuft of neon green hair on top of his head, He had the cloud rap look down.

Of course, after the obligatory and cordial exchange of introductions, I was brought inside to meet the rest of the immediate party, knowing me and my entourage had shown up an hour early.

Natasha was Manny’s friend, and the kind host of the party. Manny and I took to her room with a few other friends and we sat down to begin the interview.

Maarty: So I just wanted to ask what kind of artist’s you listened to growing up.

Etherlo: Well, my dad got me into a lot of different music, A tribe called quest, Rodney O and Joe Cooley, NWA, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and D12. He even got me into Yanni, Abba, Guns and Roses.

Maarty: How did those artists you listened to growing up influence you and your music today?

Etherlo: Well, It was weird how it all influenced me because of how violent and emotional it could be, but like with a tribe called quest, it was all very conscious, talked about peace, love and prosperity, which is how I try to live my life, trying to be the best that I can be.  But with like NWA or Snoop Dogg, it really instilled like a… ‘don’t mess with me or anyone that I love’ kind of attitude.  I’m not necessarily violent, I just dislike when people mess with my family or friends.  But when I started making music, I started with a sort of Hip hop style over a rap style, the differences of which I won’t get into right now.  But groups like A Tribe Called Quest influence my sort of lyrical development, to where I could talk about social issues or politics in my music.  Same with NWA’s fight against racism, which I am certainly for.

Maarty: So, How did you get into recording music, collaborating with artists and playing shows?

Etherlo:  Well, I actually started in 8th grade because of my friend Pablo Castillo, shouts out to OG kuai Liang (Pablo’s stage name).  He put me on to making music.  Having literally listened to rap music in the womb because my dad would play it for me, and growing up, he’d always play it in the house until he moved to Texas.  I always wanted to rap, and when my friend Pablo decided he was going to start rapping he told me I should get into it too.  So it started off as fun little hobby, and naturally I was trash when I was coming up.  But Pablo got me to come to a studio to record in Elgin, and that was the first track I ever made. When it comes to shows, the first show I ever did was when I was 14, with Pablo at a skatepark. That was kind of whatever to me.  The first solo performance I ever did was when I was 16, it went well but it was a short 10 minute set.  I actually got set up with a show at Penny Road pub, doing a set with Yung Deimos.  That sort of brought me up to doing more shows, been talking to a bunch of different artists to collaborate with online.

Maarty:  What was your first motivation when it came to writing your song’s lyrics?

Etherlo:  I’d have to say my family, and how broken it was. I mean my family wasn’t perfect like anybody else’s. We tried.  Regardless, my feelings of getting hurt from my relationship with my family I say inspired me to start writing music, and to just keep going and run with it.  The only way getting my feelings and emotions down was through writing, and to this day I have a hard time articulating them, you’ll really only hear my emotions through my music.  I started to get feelings of depression, and just typical mental illness when I was 8, but I didn’t start writing it down until 13.  That’s what got me to start making music.

Maarty: Alright man, well I think I’ve got plenty of info for now, let’s start enjoying the rest of the night.

Etherlo: Definitely man!  I really appreciate the opportunity and everything!

Maarty: Yeah I know, I’m pretty amazing.

The rest of the night was an enjoyable gathering.  No bitter remarks or ugly comments, yet not void of that awkward bubbly aura of being in a room full of social strangers.  But up the stairs and down the hall, in Natasha’s room, it was the perfect night to spend remembering with one’s friend’s that life is plenty awkward and pretty depressing too.  But realizing that spending it with those who matter, make it matter.