Walking around the halls at ETHS, there is a high chance of there being earbuds and sound traveling through the outer ear, striking the ear drum causing it to vibrate. Music and sound can play vital moments to a lot of our lives. We all have the soundtrack to our seasons, the soundtrack when working out, the soundtrack when doing homework. A variety of genres and music always seem to transform and combine because one genre can’t always provide what we need to hear. 

One person attempting to provide music for all people and all genres is fellow ETHS senior Ion Hooks who goes by the artist name Father Iconic. Hooks, who has been around music and experimenting with it ever since he was ten years old, began to get serious about his craft when he was a sophomore in high school after he recorded his first song titled “Far Away” on Soundcloud in early 2018 . 

“After I made my first real song, I wasn’t even paying attention to what other people thought about it, but I was instead intrigued by how much I loved it and how much I enjoyed listening to it,” Hooks says. 

Hooks’s passion has led him to continue refining his craft.

“Every day I would do something to contribute to a song. Whether it’s finding a beat, writing lyrics or discovering a melody, I would continuously do it,”Hooks says.

In 2019, Hooks released his first official project titled “Folding Blossom,” which he put together after a time of heartbreak; he used it as a way to get his emotions out.

“Folding Blossom was something I needed to release for myself, and was something I had to get out,” Hooks says.

After “Folding Blossom,” Hooks has continued experimenting with different sounds and genres, and in a six-month period since about the beginning of school, has finished 50 different songs and carefully selected 14 to be in his upcoming debut album titled Ascension, which will be released in full on Soundcloud today.

“I’ve spent a lot of time on this and am releasing songs for everybody. No matter what you listen to in the hallways, at home or in your bedroom, this album is for you, and there will be songs you enjoy on it,” Hooks says.

Through two years of making music, and for the most part averaging really low listening numbers for his music, Hooks hopes to make the next stride and to reach larger audiences with the release of Ascension.

“Just give my music a chance and let me know what you think…At the end of the day I make it for y’all,” Hooks says. 

You can stream Hook’s new album Ascension today on Soundcloud at the account FatherIconic.