Peter Collins started off by posting videos of himself covering songs on his Instagram account and people instantly fell in love with him. Late last year, he released his debut single “Love Like.” When I first heard the song, I was honestly blown away. He has an amazingly soft and comforting voice with great range. The song itself is extremely catchy and can be played over and over. It left me wanting more from Collins. Luckily, he’s working on his debut album which he hopes to release next year. Get a taste of Collins’ angelic voice by listening to “Love Like” below and read our interview that follows.
You started off by doing covers of songs, but you released your first original song, “Love Like,” last November. What kind of response has that single gotten so far?
The single has gotten an overwhelming positive response. The feedback we got was really tremendous. People from different countries, all over the world, have purchased the single and often times at my shows, the audience sings with me. The response fills me with so much joy.
How would you describe your sound?
My sound is an eclectic mix of R&B, Soul, and Jazz with an Inspirational foundation. There are so many old school ideas and sounds in my music that I aim to give a whole new energy to. It is this binding together of the past with the present moving into the future. The way I sing, my goal is to provide the listener with a whole host of intimate emotions. Music is my passion; it’s my love. Creating a mood for people is what I want to do.
What has singing allowed you to accomplish in life so far?
Singing has allowed me to travel to so many wonderful places and meet some incredible people. I have the greatest supporters that any artist can ask for. It has allowed me to further develop my craft and expand my writing. It’s been an amazing experience thus far.
Who inspires you?
Oh, Inspiration is everywhere … Life, my father-who sings, people, experiences, but my inspiration mostly comes from God. All I have to do is listen, the inspiration is there.
What’s it like to work independently?
It is an amazing experience. As an independent artist I avoid record labels’ stringent timetables and demands for albums and promotion. Being an independent artist also allows me the freedom to follow my instincts in terms of what I want to present artistically. I can really experience the music the way I want to, and get it to the supporters the way I want. The music that I create is totally organic and genuine, and it is all driven by my love and passion for music. Maintaining self-sufficiency as an independent artist and a businessman is a must. There are always perks to owning what you do, whether it’s your time, your craft [or] how your work is created. I operate as my own CEO of my own situation.
Does this present any challenges for you?
The challenge of building a music career that keeps me busy while financially providing for my life, and having the patience for the process to build. Another [problem is that] many have tried to categorize my music or the type of artist that I am. Whereas, I draw from all the genres. I don’t belong to just one. I am inspirational; I am R&B; I am jazz; I am music from other cultures. They are all my music. One of the problems with categories and genres is that they easily become barriers to creativity and risk taking. So I often say, I create music. That’s my genre.
Building a business model that is geared towards ensuring long-term success is very challenging. My goal is to build a profitable and sustainable music career in such a way that I am not adversely affected by fickle outside influences of trends and markets. Financial decisions are another challenge. It can be overwhelming at times trying to plan and ensure that gigs are worthwhile and profitable, that merchandise will sell in a reasonable amount of time, and that time spent on marketing, songwriting etc. have specific, wisely chosen, purposeful goals and measurable results. And so many other challenges.
Where do you want to be in five years?
In five years, I want to be settled in a successful music career. I want a Grammy! I want to be traveling the world touring- sharing my music all over, meeting my supporters at home and abroad. I would like to have other albums under my belt. I would also like to write songs and produce for other artists. I want to have expanded my music vocabulary and stretched my artistry to a new level.
When can we expect your debut album to release?
Don’t want to stick my foot in my mouth, but the release of the album can be expected in 2018.
Follow Peter Collins on 
Instagram and 
SoundCloud. Also, you can help fund Collins’ album here.