Yung Gravy at Val Air Ballroom

For Collin Stedman, better known as “Pertinence,”. It all began in a high school auditorium. What started as being an MC in high school formed the blueprint for where he is today. Though the young artist chose a career in music, it seems more likely that music ultimately chose him. Pertinence provides wisdom to the likes of Lauryn Hill’s “Interlude No. 5,” discussing topics of the value of intentional repetition and what it means to protect your inner and outer man. It is easy to become high-strung on forming a social status or income as a small artist, but for Pertinence, it’s all about being grounded in his approach to music and what it means to be represented authentically. In January 2022, the artist began releasing a song a week, contributing to his growing music collection. Pertinence discusses how the challenge helped him understand what it means for an artist to connect with their audience. “It comes through more genuine, more authentic. I feel like they know me more when there’s that much music and it’s that versatile coming out every week. It’s like you get every corner of me opposed to this image a couple of times a year [that] I’d take time to present this ‘polish’ thing.” Pertinence’s sense of wisdom isn’t the only impressive thing. At 20 years old, he has released 66 songs, including 37 singles, 1 EP, and 2 albums over three years’ time. This is evidence of his constant dedication and development as an artist. His most recent release on July 31st, “Bobby Boucher (Adam Sandler),” further reveals his growth and reached over 100,000 streams in its first week. With commentary on social media and its effect on the music industry, Pert explains what it’s like to stay genuine to himself and his audience as he gains more recognition. He provides a grounded perspective on what it means to make good music and uses repetition to his advantage as a creative. "I’ve had a lot of success with TikTok. I hate that app, but it’s a necessary evil at this point."