Tikko: Turning Trauma Into Sound | Memphis Phonk & Horrorcore Interview
- Unknown Artist
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Today, I sit down with an artist who is turning raw emotion, mental health struggles, and real-life survival into music. Tikko blends Memphis phonk, horrorcore, and underground style into a sound that is both dark and deeply personal. This is his story.
Tikko has officially joined Mad Wizard Records, with his latest releases coming through a powerful partnership with Electric Sunshine Cult (ESC). His recent single "Ion Wanna Stay" marks this new era as Mad Wizard expands its roster.
This collaboration represents a significant step forward for Tikko, combining Mad Wizard Records’ focus on dark, alternative, and underground sounds with Electric Sunshine Cult’s global platform for independent artists. The partnership allows Tikko’s raw, honest Memphis phonk and horrorcore to reach wider audiences while staying true to the underground ethos that defines his music.
Produced and supported by longtime collaborator Elendae, this move signals exciting growth and more consistent releases on the horizon.
Listen to "Ion Wanna Stay"
Stream Tikko’s latest single "Ion Wanna Stay" now on all major platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and more.
Who Is Tikko?
Tikko is an emerging underground artist from the Seattle area, bringing his lived experiences — mental health struggles, substance use, and survival through instability — into his music. His work is not just entertainment; it is an unfiltered reflection of his life.
“I’ve been all over the place. I was born in Everett and then moved around a lot, mainly in Seattle. Growing up, we were in Section 8 housing… basically poor, and I was exposed to a lot of drugs and low-life situations from an early age. I started smoking when I was like eleven. I’ve grown up on medication, seen countless therapists, dealt with CPS, and experienced more than most kids my age. All of that has shaped who I am today.”
Environment & Early Influences
Seattle might not be the birthplace of Memphis phonk, but Tikko’s early environment deeply influenced his sound.
“I wouldn’t say my environment encouraged me to make music, but it definitely shaped me as a person. I didn’t really have a phone growing up, so I couldn’t explore music online. What I heard came from my parents. I listened to a lot of dubstep and EDM, Brandi Carlile, heavy metal from my dad and stepmom, and Tech N9ne. All of this built a foundation for the kind of music I would later create.”
How Music Started
Tikko’s journey into music began in a chaotic, real-world moment rather than in a studio.
“I had a friend, he got kicked out of his house and I let him live at mine. He made music, and in a way, he pushed all of us to create music ourselves. He told me, ‘you should write a song.’ At first, it was pretty rough… I’m not going to lie… but I started writing more and more. I got hooked because finally, I could talk about the things I was going through.”
Discovering His Sound
Tikko’s signature sound — a dark, high-to-low demonic type of Memphis phonk fused with horrorcore — is an expression of his inner life.
“What got me into that funk-type, dark sound? Honestly, it wasn’t $uicideboy$ specifically. They’re cool, and they have a sound I respect, but I would say more like Saliva Grey and 99zed really introduced me to that movement. That high-pitched to low, distorted, demonic kind of sound… it expresses how I feel. It connects to my depressive side, and it lets me say things I couldn’t say otherwise.”
He sees his music as more than beats and lyrics; it’s storytelling and emotional release.
“It’s like a journal. I don’t do it for everybody… I do it for myself. Every song I’ve made is something I’ve actually been through. I’ve experienced drug abuse, suicidal thoughts, and all kinds of dark stuff, and my songs are the only way I can express it sometimes. I can put it on a beat, and people can hear it if they want. It doesn’t matter if they don’t understand… it matters to me.”
Mental Health at the Core
Mental health is central to Tikko’s music. He uses his art as both a coping mechanism and form of therapy.
“It helps me cope. It doesn’t erase what I’ve been through, but it helps me get through it. I’m still living through some of this stuff right now, and music is what keeps me moving. I’ve always written about things I can’t talk to everybody else about. It’s honest, and that honesty is powerful.”
Substance Use & Life Experience
Tikko does not glorify drugs; he speaks about them as a part of his reality.
“I’ve used ketamine and other substances heavily. Doing that for a year changed the way I thought about a lot of things. It made me more open, more willing to talk about my experiences, and more honest in my music. Balancing substance use and life isn’t easy, and I won’t pretend it is. But what I want people to understand is that it’s okay to talk about your story. Don’t be scared. Your experiences are yours, and they can have value when you share them.”
Why He Makes Music
For Tikko, music is personal, emotional, and necessary.
“It’s like hearing myself say everything I go through that nobody else wants to talk about. I’m not trying to perform for people or represent anyone else. I do it for myself. I want listeners to understand that I am actually a positive, energetic person in life, but people don’t always see the complexity of someone’s mental state. That’s what I try to express.”
Healing Through Music
Tikko’s work resonates with others because it is authentic and raw.
“Music helps me cope, and maybe it helps others too. I’ve had people tell me they connect with the depressive themes in my songs. It doesn’t fix everything, but it can make someone feel understood, and that matters.”
The Future of His Sound
Tikko is constantly evolving and expanding his sound.
“From when I started to now, my music has improved dramatically. I’ve written a lot of songs, and I have a lot of content ready to release. The evolution of my music is ongoing, and I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
Influences and Inspirations
“I’d say 99zed, Saliva Grey, Slim Gucci, $uicideboy$ and Eminem. Eminem is cliché to say, but I respect how he can fit so many words together, so cleanly, and make them hit. Each of these artists has inspired my own style in different ways.”
Shoutouts
“Shoutout to Elendae for being there for me and helping me get to this point, especially with my music. You’ve been a huge part of my journey.”
Tikko represents a new generation of artists who are unafraid to confront the darkest parts of life and turn them into art. His music is documentation, storytelling, survival, and release. It is as much about expressing his truth as it is about helping listeners feel understood in their own struggles.
If you connect with Tikko’s story, follow his journey. Stream his music, share it, and stay locked into Electric Sunshine Cult for more artists who are keeping it real. This is underground music with honesty, depth, and purpose.
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