Johnny Burgos’ ‘Future Soul’ Draws on His Past

At The Table / photo by Henny Cakes/ courtesy of the artist

Johnny Burgos, perhaps best known as the lead vocalist and percussionist with Bridge City Hustle, calls his music “future soul.” He explains the genre to Brooklyn Roads as being “rooted in principles of traditional R&B/soul in terms of its grooves, instrumentation and acknowledgement of both a personal and cultural struggle,” but also forward-thinking in its “lack of boundaries when it comes to genre and crossover appeal.”

In The Loft / photo by Derrick Davis/ courtesy of the artist

Being rhythm driven, he adds, “I’m influenced by almost anything with a good groove … soul music, salsa, hip-hop, reggae and ’90s pop. So I aspire to create a sound where all these influences live in harmony under the roof of a great song. “

There’s also an element of struggle in Burgos’ music. “I’ve overcome a lot adversity,” including childhood trauma, incarceration, PTSD and depression,” he tells us. “As a result, my creative process has become more purpose driven … to inspire others to persevere in the face of their struggles.”

Up On The Roof/ photo by Henny Cakes/ courtesy of the artist

Having been raised by a Puerto Rican father and a mother of Portuguese/Cape Verdean descent, both music lovers, “I was exposed to a diverse musical palette that had me hooked on salsa and soul music from the womb. Music was such an important part of our family culture,” Burgos says. The family member who perhaps most inspired him is his uncle, acclaimed percussionist André Martinez. “He was the first example of creating some level of success and foundation for [living] your life through art.”  In addition, “He’s always been super real with me in terms of keeping the ego in check and making it more about the art than anything.”

Beyond family, Brooklyn’s melting pot of cultures also exerted its influence. “Growing up in certain neighborhoods with different ethnic communities exposed me to so many different worlds of music that I wouldn’t know otherwise,” he tells us. “It’s also my hometown, so there’s a sense of responsibility to represent that grit and ambition in the most honest way possible, and honor the lives that inspires my art the most.”

Burgos tells Brooklyn Roads that the essential difference between his current solo projects and his work with Bridge City Hustle is that, “I’ve grown so much since the BCH days, both personally and artistically, which has changed what inspires me and who I seek to inspire. [I’m] learning to trust my ideas and not depend so much on external validation to see them through. I also feel like more of my hip hop influences get to shine.”

Looking ahead, Burgos plans to release an album by the fall, and “a few singles leading up to that, including some collaborations and very cool feature artists TBA.” He also has “a few social media and web-based plans for performances.” Beyond all that, “I’m creating every day as I’m very inspired lately by the distance between us all and the craving to connect.”