A little chaotic, a little crazy and little confused — 19-year-old singer-songwriter Adrian Lyles made a bold entrance into the music scene with his debut single, “Formalize Me,” released on Sept. 20, 2024. In less than 7 days, the track has garnered more than 16,000 plays on Spotify and landed on several prominent playlists across both Apple Music and Spotify.
After making his television debut on the third and fourth seasons of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019-2023) on Disney+, inspired by the iconic 2000s High School Musical franchise, Lyles is now establishing himself as a solo musical artist. “Formalize Me” sees Lyles wanting to break away from the reigns of his past to be seen on his own terms. He wrestles with the idea of being shaped or controlled by others, only to feel discarded or reduced to something less.
Lyles sat down with Melodic Mag to discuss the inspiration behind his debut single, the process of creating the music video and his journey since starring on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
How did you feel about booking High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and your journey after that?
I came down and I booked High School Musical [The Musical: The Series]. It was fantastic to be on this music kind of show with all of these other artists, like Olivia [Rodrigo] and Josh [Bassett]. Coming out of that, I really wanted to make sure that I had my sound figured out—the kind of art I wanted to put forward — before I released anything. We took some time to really crack down on my authentic sound. I didn’t want to release something right after High School Musical because I didn’t have it fully figured out at the time. Now, after some time focusing on what feels like me, I feel like we finally found it. Now, we’re putting everything out to the world.
Dominic Fike seems to be an influence for you. Did he inspire your song “Formalize Me”?
Absolutely, I think Dominic is an insane guitarist. He has a song called “Mama’s Boy,” and at the end, there’s this huge moment where everything crashes down. I had already written a rough draft of “Formalize Me” before I heard that song, but after I heard it, I brought that energy into the session and said, “The end of ‘Formalize Me’ needs to feel like this.” I don’t try to emulate sound, but I do try to emulate the feeling a song gives. I wanted that huge, crashing-down moment at the end of “Formalize Me.”
Can you talk about the inspiration behind “Formalize Me” and the production process?
“Formalize Me” is about fighting the pressure to conform, to fit in. It tells the story of someone doing art, wondering if they should conform to what’s popular or do what feels right to them. That theme resonates with different parts of my life — whether it’s relationships, work, or friendships. The song says, “Don’t do that. You can be yourself in your environment.” I worked with Phil Simmons, an amazing producer. I had a rough draft of the song that was only about a minute and 30 seconds long. Phil loved it and suggested we make it a full song. He played me some drums and violin he’d been working on, and we combined those ideas with the song I wrote. That’s how “Formalize Me” came together.
There’s a music video for “Formalize Me.” Can you talk about how that came to be, and the inspiration behind the visuals and single art?
I’m very excited to be at Hollywood Records because they’ve let me fully embrace the creative side. Getting to do a music video right out of the gate was incredible. The video perfectly aligns with the song’s message — this person wondering if they should be like everyone else to make them happy or go the other way to make themselves happy. The single art reflects the theme, showing who I really am, even though you don’t see that in the video. It all walks the same thematic line.
How has the response to “Formalize Me” been so far?
I’m ecstatic! The reaction has been incredible, with people noticing all the little details and asking questions. The music video hit 10k views in three days, and the song hit 15k. It’s been amazing to have such a supportive group of friends and fans who really love art and dive into it deeply. Seeing people pick up on the fine details, especially in the music video, has been really cool. That’s one of the main reasons I do art — sparking something in someone’s brain.
The music video is very elaborate with so many people in it. How did that all come together?
It was great to go all out with extras, a double for the mask, the office building, everything. The song feels chaotic, especially at the end, and I wanted the video to match that energy. That’s why there are so many camera cuts and people — it feels aggressive, like the song. What’s funny is when we posted teasers, some people thought the video was just me driving in a car, which I thought was hilarious. But I wanted the video to encapsulate the same energy as the song.
“Formalize Me” has been featured on several Spotify playlists like soda, Fresh Finds and New Pop Picks. How does that feel?
It’s ridiculous! This was my first label single and the debut of everything surrounding me, so I didn’t know what to expect. When I got calls from my label and management saying it’s on all these playlists, I couldn’t believe it. Seeing it on playlists with other artists I admire was mind-blowing. It means a lot because everyone worked so hard on this, from the producers to the videographers. As a debut single, I’m really glad it’s getting attention.
Looking back on the process of making and promoting “Formalize Me,” what was the most exciting or challenging part?
My favorite thing about music is that every part of the process is exciting. When Phil and I got the demo back, it was like, “Oh my gosh, this is crazy!” Then finishing the song was another high, and writing the music video idea was the same. Every step felt incredible. But for me, creating the song is the most vital part because everything hinges on it. Hearing the finished song the way Phil and I envisioned it was amazing — it felt like we brought something into existence that didn’t exist before. That’s a crazy feeling.
What can fans expect moving forward? Any new projects coming up?
Definitely new music, with videos to go along with it. There’s also something bigger coming, but I can’t announce it yet. What I’ve learned from working with my label and management is that everything is planned out six months ahead. So, be ready for more music and hints about the bigger project coming after that. I try to keep everything thematically aligned, and I hope fans pick up on the overall story I’m telling.
Now that “Formalize Me” is out, what do you hope fans take away from this debut?
Two things. First, I hope they think, “This sounds cool, I want to hear more.” Please listen to the other stuff! Second, from a thematic standpoint, I hope people realize they don’t have to change who they are to fit into an environment. Whether it’s at work or with friends, you don’t have to be different to make others happy. Do what makes you happy and embrace who you are.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about the song or upcoming projects? You covered most of it! There are some exciting things coming up that I can’t announce yet, but stay tuned. Thank you so much for doing this! I’m so happy to be here. Thank you!
Keep up with Adrian Lyles: Instagram // Spotify // X // TikTok // Facebook // Website
