Born Yesterday | Nelo & Siah Rain’n

Born Yesterday: How One Local Artist Found Rebirth on KUVO’S Airwaves

Denver based artist/producer Siah Rain’n is fresh off a hot 2024. The release of his collaboration with local MC Nelo, “Born Yesterday” has cemented both of them as forces in the Denver scene, and their reach is only growing. “Born Yesterday” is an exploration in reinvention. In it you can follow Nelo, Siah, and their extensive list of collaborators as they journey into themselves. It is a love letter to self in many ways, all the “selves” that we are, “Born Yesterday” only validates that there is room for all of them. Standout tracks include “Euros“, “Leave the Club” and “Next Stop Denver“. Nelo’s raspy vocals and Siah Rain’n’s deft use of samples create an album that you’ll want to listen to over and over again. Siah, an avid KUVO listener drew inspiration from what he heard over the airwaves and below you can read, in his own words, how KUVO JAZZ helped shape “Born Yesterday” 

Tell us a little about yourself and your artistic journey? 

I started making music in high school, I was really just playing guitar and singing. Coffee shop gigs around my hometown and wanting to be a guitar player, I moved to Denver to attend CU Denver for their music program. Things quickly shifted for me, going from a singer songwriter to more of a producer. Making beats kind of took over my life, I remember downloading Ableton and that was the last day I went to class. After leaving school I was just going for it, making as much music as I could. Whether that was writing to other peoples beats or making my own for myself or other people, I was sure of my purpose. This led to what I do now, as a professional engineer and producer I have collaborated all over this city, and my music has grown so much since then. 

 What does jazz music mean to you and how does it inform your artistic perspective? 

Jazz, to me, is the foundation of what I like to listen to and create. It constantly inspires me in my own music, whether that’s listening to the movement through the piece, the instrumentation, or those thick chords you don’t find anywhere else. It helps me connect with those before me, and helps me bring new sounds to light often. It gives me confidence to try new things in hip-hop. There is always a way to make sense of something with music theory or jazz theory. 

How did you and Nelo connect? 

I met Nelo when I was performing a couple years back. He was also there and we got to talking. Eventually this led to us meeting up to make some music. Nelo is an artist that doesn’t even have to try in order for us to have chemistry. The songs we make together flow out easily and we compliment each other nicely. 

What is the concept behind Born Yesterday? 

“Born Yesterday” is a project about letting go of others’ expectations and reinventing yourself. The phrase “born yesterday” suggests naivety, highlighting the pressure of meeting certain standards. Through upbeat songs, Nelo and Siah Rain’n share their personal views on topics like religion, clubs, and travel, showing that everyone can redefine themselves at any point in life. In short, you can redefine yourself as you see fit at any point in your life. 

How do the playlists and music discovery on KUVO inspire your production style when working on Born Yesterday. 

I often listen to KUVO, on my app or in my car. I love listening to the radio especially when in my car because it helps me not look at my phone. As I listen through, when I hear something that jumps out at me, I then pull my phone out and shazam the song, or go look in the app at the playlist. From here I will download the song and sample it into a beat. I love the songs i find there because often times they are from smaller artists who i never would have discovered if it weren’t for KUVO. Pretty much all my samples come directly from KUVO. (Check it out in songs like Example, Walk by Faith and Next Stop Denver off our recent project) 

How do you see the evolution of jazz music relating to the concept of self evolution in Born Yesterday? 

Something I always love to consider about jazz, is that mistakes don’t really exist. There is always a way to describe what happened sonically if you make a “mistake”. It could be a mistake to you, but to the next person they just heard some dirty tone beautifully resolved. To relate it to the project, you have to let go of those things holding you back in life, let go of the way others perceive your art. Allowing yourself to make mistakes to add that color to life, making it an even sweeter resolution. What you think is terrible could be someone’s most favorite thing on earth. 

What is next for you? 

This year I hope to continue where I left off with Nelo, we have another project just about done that we are going to roll out in 2025. I also have 2 other projects almost done with myself on vocals and another with my friend DNA Picasso. The next step for me is to stay consistent in making content and music, making the best thing I can everyday. I also hope to start performing my own music more this year, along with helping Nelo in his performances. 

How can people find you, Nelo and Born Yesterday? 

Check us out on all streaming Platforms to find Born Yesterday and other music by us. If you really want to stay up to date with us follow us on Instagram (@gr.nelo and @siah_rainn) where we frequently post new music and future announcements.