This Saturday, April 27th, Portland Maine’s very own B. Aull will be opening for Kyle at the University of New England’s spring concert. B. Aull is a rising star is the Rap/Hip-Hop genre and has won Portland’s Best Rap/Hip-Hip act by the Portland Pheniox. To get to know about B. Aull before he steps on stage to hype up the crowd with his unique and eccentric music vibe, he answered  “5 Questions for an Artist.” While 5 questions are not enough to unravel the trending musician, it does provide some insight into the man that will be on stage performing for us. Here are his responses!

How did you get into music?

I’ve always loved music. When I was younger my mom would always be blasting it through the house and my cousin would put me on to new artists and songs all the time. When I was in high school I started to write lyrics here and there, but it wasn’t until my senior year when I saw J. Cole perform live at Port City Music Hall in 2011 that I KNEW I wanted to make music and perform live on stage. Haven’t looked back since!

Who are your influences/ people who inspire you?

My musical inspirations span from old school to new age hip-hop. J. Cole, Kendrick, Drake, 50 Cent, Nas, Kanye, Goldlink, Anderson, Paak, and so many more. I could go on forever. There’s so much great music out there, I try to draw inspiration from any and everyone.

Favorite part of performing live and in the studio?

I love being on stage more than any other aspect of being an artist. The best part about being on stage is just giving the crowd energy and seeing them reciprocate it. It feels amazing to be on a stage in front of so many people, and for me during this come up stage of my career, it’s pretty much always my chance to leave a lasting first impression. Being in the studio is a completely different vibe. Lately, I’ve really come to love sitting down with my homies and producer friends while we bounce ideas back and forth. You never know what word or phrase will be said that could spark your next hit song.

What is your favorite audience to perform for? Where/when/how do you feel most connected to your audience?

College shows! College shows are definitely my favorite because the energy is almost always through the roof. I’m not far removed from college myself so I know I can really relate to the crowd, too. I love the moments when I’m in-between songs and can talk to the crowd a little bit and just have fun. You never know when I might just bust out a random dance party on stage mid-set, either. Those moments where I can be care free on stage and just go with the flow are easily when I feel most connected to the crowd because it’s genuinely who I am.

What is the peak of your career so far? In other words, where do you aspire to be in your career?

The peak of my career thus far is tough to say. There’s definitely been a few shining moments and accomplishments I’m proud of. I’d say landing a song on Spotify’s Fresh Finds playlist and sharing stages with huge artists I’ve listened to/listen to now like Snoop Dogg, Sean Paul, Ty Dolla $ign, Post Malone and more, would definitely have to be up there. There have been a few peaks, for sure. As for my aspirations, I want to be the artist people point to and say, “he’s from Maine!? I can’t believe that,” when I’m at the Grammy’s someday. I want my music to take me around the world on tour. If I’m living solely off of my music with no other job, that would be the dream, and it feels more realistic every day I progress.

Nothing short of a hyped up and passionate performance from B. Aull is what we can expect this Saturday. If you haven’t already, go purchase tickets at the UNE box office. Doors open at 7 pm and the show starts at 7:30. Don’t miss out!