Alternative Hip-Hop Artist viisi Wants to Travel Back In Time

We all dread the passing of time; however for some, it moves far too quickly. Alternative hip-hop artist viisi used to be the freshest face on the block, releasing his first EP Run Down in 2020 before record silence. Now, after a three-year hiatus, viisi is back with a story to tell—first with Episode I: Autophobia, released in April 2023, and now with Episode II: Red Windows, his most recent work to date, where he explores themes like losing once-precious connections with loved ones and disillusionment with the music industry.

The EP’s crown jewel is the single “one day”—a moody reminiscence on viisi’s nascent days as a singer, where viisi, accompanied by fellow rising artist Kayla DiVenere, speaks on the bittersweetness of days gone by. Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, viisi—known by friends and family as Matthew Borley—left everything behind to move to Los Angeles and chase his dream. Though, as made evident by the somber tone of “one day,” that single choice was the catalyst for a tumultuous journey through the music industry.

Backed by nothing but a lone guitar, viisi mourns the loss of the times “when we would whip that Hyundai/and talk about that one day.” The addition of Kayla DiVenere on the track is a welcome one; their youthful vocals, tinged with the grit of many lives lived, blend together beautifully in melancholic melody. As viisi says himself": “It’s a song about obsessing over the future till you finally get there, you realize that it doesn’t quite feel like you hoped it would.”

The repetition of the lines, “I don’t feel the same way/the same way that I once did” throughout the song relay a sense of shock at how quickly feelings that were once so strong can be eroded by the passage of time, shock at the finiteness of time, a resource we once thought limitless when we were young. Having this realization is—and I’m sure most young adults would agree—world-shattering. With the help of Kayla DiVenere and producer FERRO, viisi masterfully captures the feeling when the dust settles and you’re left feeling numb with shock, pining after the days you’ve lost and obsessively counting the minutes you have left.
If you love self-reflection and bittersweet nostalgia, follow viisi on Instagram to keep up with all of his new releases! And, let me know if you have any recommendations for other rising artists.