Over the course of 2023 there’s been a few house heads that have stuck out to us and Rich Furniss is undoubtedly one of them. We’re not the only ones he’s caught the attention of, as on top of his production prowess the NYC talent was recently tapped to join operations of the burgeoning Quincy Boy label by its founder LEFTI.
What a way to cap off the year, yea? Especially considering that 2022 was Rich’s first full year after launching his brand in September 2021. The growth through impeccable records like “Game On” and “Summertime.” To celebrate his big year and the integration with Quincy Boy, we brought both Rich and LEFTI into the dojo for a chat on what’s upcoming, as well as their insights as we move into 2023!
TMN: What advice would you give to other artists who are trying to grow their digital presence on and offline?
LEFTI: Well, I think the way to grow your presence is to show presence. Digitally – you can put out music, DJ mixes, bootlegs, edits, live streams, and network online just by commenting and liking posts. Get involved with the community and just be part of it. As you contribute to the stream, eventually, things will grab and connect. Offline, there is nothing more powerful as an artist or DJ than going out. Go meet people, run into acquaintances, and hopefully, get some introductions and make new ones. Be supportive of others and guarantee you will always meet someone who may connect with you down the line.
Rich: BE YOURSELF. Let your personality shine through in your art. Let it shine through on social media and when you’re out doing shows. Being genuinely yourself will help you create the connection you are looking for.
TMN: How would you describe the vision of Quincy Boy Records?
LEFTI: The vision of Quincy Boy is simple, we just want to put out music we love with people we like. We want to build our own little community of artists and like-minded individuals – that’s really it.
Rich: I just want to do what I love with the people I love. I’m super excited to work even more closely with LEFTI and N2N. I really hope to bring some of my skills to help with events and branding.
TMN: What was one of the coolest or most uplifting moments of this year?
LEFTI: There have been a few. We received some major, MAJOR support from a plethora of A-listers which was incredible to receive, but to be honest, it wasn’t until we really took it to the streets and started putting on events. This was where I personally felt the excitement of the label in more of a “physical” sense. I’ll never forget our first official event which just happened. We walk up to the door guy and he goes, “Oh, YOU are Quincy Boy, there are a bunch of people that were asking about the party on the way in.” I instantly think to myself, “Oh cool, I wonder which of my friends are here,” and to my surprise, I didn’t know a single person in the venue! It was a great moment and an incredible party.
TMN: What are some 2023 goals?
LEFTI: It feels like we are just getting started. Although technically it’s almost two years in, now building things up in the ‘events’ space, we want to see where that takes us as we do have some tiered goals for venues we hope to collab with on a party. Otherwise, we are hoping to get a further reach with our releases as we continue to grow our catalog and roster.
TMN: Looking back, what were some of the best choices that helped you get where you are today?
LEFTI: Believing in yourself and trusting your gut. All of the times I’ve made choices against these concepts, things didn’t work out how I was hoping, and sometimes, it’s intimidating to take matters into your own hands but another choice that has helped me is learning to be as self-sufficient as possible and learning as much as I can both on the technical and business sides of the industry.
Rich: I think for me, it’s all about the community that you surround yourself with both in and out of music. Being around people that inspire you, that dares you to be better, and push you. There are so many people that have helped bring me to where I am today, some that do not even know what an impact they have made. I am thankful for everyone that has been part of my path. This is another reason I am so excited to work on Quincy Boy with LEFTI and N2N.
TMN: What would be your dream label to release on?
Rich: Quincy Boy, of course.
TMN: What most excites you about 2023?
Rich: I’m excited to keep growing, to continue to make better and better music, and to keep growing my community. I truly love what I do, and I’m excited to have the opportunity to keep doing it on bigger and bigger stages. I’m excited about the journey.
