Celebrities and their origin stories have always been a source of intrigue and inspiration. The public traces artists’ early days before fame, wondering what life was like before the spotlight found them. Every so often, these humble beginning stories aren’t waiting to be found in the past.
For Knox Wright, a radio-television-film freshman whose stage name is Knox Write, his story is still being written. Coming off his performance at South by Southwest and gearing up for an album release later this year, Knox’s career has only just begun. Born and raised in Houston to a musical family, Knox found himself writing music and singing from an early age.
“I’ve never been afraid to make music,” Knox said. “There’s a lot of documented songs when I was in elementary school, writing about heartbreak, which is funny because … there is no reason for me to be writing love songs when I know I would be playing kickball at recess.”
Knox’s real introduction to the music industry arrived in middle school, when he made beats on his laptop and started producing for other artists. Knox’s older brother, Baxter Wright, remembers witnessing Knox’s musical success as a kid.
“Knox would be calling me because people would be purchasing his type beats that they find on YouTube, literally making thousands of dollars while he was in middle school, which was mind-blowing to see at the time,” Baxter said. “It used to be funny, because he was too young to have a PayPal or Cash App or anything like that, so it was always really cool to be able to help him with all of that.”
Despite having a distinct sound and style now – one that garners over 60,000 streams on Spotify – Knox said he didn’t always have a clear idea of what he wanted to sound like.
“I would sing on my own songs, and I would look up Juice WRLD or The Kid LAROI or whatever I was into at that time, and I struggled because obviously I wasn’t (them), and I just wanted my voice to sound like that,” Knox said. “Then I realized that I really should be just making the instrumentals behind my own music, and that’s how I would be able to formulate a specific sound. And even though it didn’t sound like Playboi Carti, or whatever I was into when I was 14, it was the most authentically me at that time, and it still is, it still grows with me.”
Now, Knox notes that many Texan artists like BROCKHAMPTON and Travis Scott have influenced him not only with their music, but also with their love for where they’re from. Knox highlights his love of BROCKHAMPTON since middle school, and he feels as if he’s come full circle by being able to work with Kevin Abstract.
“Moving to Austin has changed my music more than ever, because for the first time, I’m surrounded by over 50 creatives here, I live in a dorm with a jazz saxophone player,” Knox said. “I feel more collaborative than ever, and there’s nothing that advances you more than help from others, and I feel like I’m in the right place.”
Ben Goodman, a jazz performance freshman and Knox’s roommate, said he has nothing but love and admiration for how hard Knox has worked. When asked where he sees Knox going in the future, Goodman said, “He’s making it big.”
