Unless you’ve been hidden under a rock for the last five years, you’ll recognise the face of Anthony Ramos from the original run of Hamilton (playing both roles of Alexander Hamilton’s son Philip as well as statesman John Laurens, NBD), or more recently as Lady Gaga’s BFF Ramon in A Star Is Born. And let’s not forget buzzy acting credits in Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It and Monsters and Men. We stan so hard.

The award-winning actor added yet another notch to his already overloaded belt back in 2017 with a solo EP titled “The Freedom.” And now, news has dropped that on October 25, Ramos will release his full-length debut album, The Good & The Bad, following with a tour in the fall.

We caught up with Ramos, who has released his first single from the record below, “Mind Over Matter”…

Listen to “Mind Over Matter” below…

Hi Anthony, how are you?
I’m great. Life is good. Planning a wedding, promoting an album full of songs that tell the most authentic story about my life, spending time with my loved ones, and doing it all at home. It’s a whole vibe.

You’ve had a very busy year, have you had time to catch your breath?
I actually have been actively being better about catching my breath. I’ve always had the habit of trying to get in contact with people or do something if I saw any space in my day. I guess it was because I felt like if I was free, I wasn’t being productive. Very different mindset these days. I’ll come home sometimes and not let anyone know I’m back. Not because I don’t want to see people, but because I know I’m not disciplined enough yet to not want to see everyone and do everything! Boundaries on myself are a big thing I’m working on.

You’ve got an amazing acting career with credits including A Star Is Born, She’s Gotta Have It, Monsters and Men and more – when did you first realise you wanted to pursue music?
I realised I wanted to pursue music after I did Hamilton on Broadway. I was on stage singing about revolution every night and a guy who wrote his way out of his circumstance and into history, retold by a Latinx writer from Washington Heights New York. I eventually asked myself after more than five hundred shows of this: “Well, what are you writing?”. Meeting my executive producer and best friend Will Wells (who was on the music team for Hamilton at the time) definitely changed the game. He walked up to me after opening night off-Broadway and said: “Everyone on that stage is talented, but you?.. You’re special.. You ever made a record?”. I replied “No”. He said, “Have you ever wanted to do that?” I said “Yeah”. He said “Let’s talk”. Three years later we have a debut album to give to the world.

Who did you grow up listening to?
50 Cent, Eminem, Daddy Yankee, Wisin Y Yandel, John Mayer, John Legend, Usher, The Temptations, Owl City, Marc Anthony, Bon Iver. Just to name a few.

How does your Puerto Rican heritage and Bushwick childhood affect the kind of music/influences you have?
My neighbourhood was predominantly African American and Latino, so the spectrum of music I listened to was broad. I love Motown, Funk, Gospel, Hip-Hop, R&B, Salsa, Reggaeton, Merengue, and Reggae. These styles of music were just some that made up the heartbeat of my community. I got into Pop music just from listening to the radio. Pop music wasn’t popular in our house. There was a lot of Tito Rojas and Victor Manuel. My brother was playing Jay-Z and 50 Cent. I grew up in church, so Gospel was a huge part of my musical influence and still is.

You’ve just signed a record deal and you’re releasing your debut album, can you tell me a bit about the name “The Good & The Bad”?
This album is about a guy who leaves home on a quest to chase his dreams and the person he hopes to be. This guy goes through a series of events, growing pains, if you will, The Good & The Bad. On this journey he realises that maybe all of the answers he needed in life were right in front of him at home. The Good & The Bad is about the journey in between that gives us the opportunity to live and grow to our fullest potential. The Middle. Where all the best stuff’s at.

What’s it inspired by?
Real life events that are turned into songs. Everything on this album actually happened to me.

How would you describe your genre?
R&B meets Pop meets the homie that never thought about rapping until he found out he could.

What do you love about each about theatre/Broadway, film and music?
Theatre you get one try, film you get multiple tries, music is like colouring with the muggiest Crayon selection. The colours are endless. Especially when it’s yours.

Do you plan to keep up acting and making music in equal measure or do you think one will gradually overtake the other?
My focus is definitely on music at the moment, but I love acting. I don’t think I’ll ever stop. There’s always a balance and I am confident I will find it. The focus isn’t on either or, but to follow the best stories and tell them in the best way. Sometimes it’s a play, sometimes a song, sometimes a film.

What’s your 5-year goal when it comes to music?
My 5-year-goal is to be playing music for crowds all over the world, while having a movie out that people connect to, while producing other projects to give other artists the same opportunities I’ve been gifted. I want to do it all… in moderation. Tell stories that find their way into the hearts of people around the world.