Colin! - Underground Artist Spotlight

Colin! talks about the future as if it were already written. The only variable, in his mind, is how good his music will sound when he gets there.

“In five years imma be on top… I don’t know what the music industry will look like in five years, but I know my work will only improve and the whole world finna see it,” he said.

That confidence reflects an artist focused on growth and is committed to building a classic catalog.

I recently spoke with Colin! about his music, influences and what’s next. While he is still early in his career, he has already been part of a track that has reached a wide audience.

Colin! appeared on “PREACHER,” a collaboration track with John Michel and Anthony James that has earned more than 700,000 streams on Spotify off of the duo’s highly regarded album “Egotrip.” The track stands as one of his most notable appearances so far and highlights his ability to contribute to a collaborative sound.

His connection with Anthony James goes back years, making that collaboration more meaningful.

“Me and Anthony have been friends for a few years now. Us actually getting a full song together was a long time coming. He’s helped me out with projects in the past so I felt like I owed him a great feature, plus the song was fire,” Colin! said.

That relationship helped shape both the track's performance and its intent, showing how collaboration plays a role in his development as an artist.

Colin! credits Kanye West as the artist who first inspired him to pursue music. “I think Kanye was the first artist to really make me want to make music,” he said, pointing to eighth grade as the moment everything shifted.

That influence shows up most in how he approaches his sound. Rather than staying in one lane, Colin! is focusing on improving his sound over time. He mixes strong musical production with his own personality, combining soulful samples with hard-hitting rap, influenced in part by Kanye.

“I always wanted my music to have insane musicality but also some swag to it. I think that’s exactly what my style is,” he said. “I’m just a cool ahh dude over beautiful chords. At least that’s what I’m making right now.”

He also acknowledges how much his sound has grown over time.

“My favorite is by far ‘BY ANY MEANS.’ All my other projects are cool but they definitely remind me that they were made by a younger version of myself. I’m so much better at music now than I was when they came out. ‘BY ANY MEANS’ is the project where I hit my musical puberty,” he said.

That project represents a turning point where his vision began to translate into his music. The album holds a 7.5/10 rating on AlbumOfTheYear.org, a site known for its typically critical scoring.

While he notes that some of his older work does not completely reflect his current style, he makes it clear that the foundation was always there. That progression is now carrying into his next major step.

Colin! confirmed that he is currently working on a new album and did not hold back when describing it.

“I’m working on an album and it’s insane,” he said.

While details remain limited, the confidence suggests a project that builds on the identity he has been developing.

Colin!’s long-term outlook ties everything together. He is not focused on chasing trends or predicting the direction the music industry will go. Instead, he is focused on making sure his own music continues to improve.

“In five years imma be on top,” he said.

It is a bold statement, but it is grounded in a clear mindset. Keep working, keep evolving and trust the vision.

If his upcoming album delivers on that belief, it could mark the next step in his rise and build on the momentum he has already established with tracks like “PREACHER” and projects like “BY ANY MEANS.”

Jack Dobbins is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jwd5889@psu.edu.