There’s no rulebook guiding SQUAL’s rise out of Seattle, and that’s exactly the point. With the release of FUN!, a four-track EP that leans fully into chaos, melody, and emotion, the Seattle artist is carving out space in the city’s underground by doing the opposite of playing it safe. The goal isn’t to fit in—it’s to stand out, and to make it unmistakably fun while doing it.
SQUAL started rapping at 12 years old, not in studios or structured sessions, but in the most honest way possible: making diss tracks aimed at classmates in middle school. Those early records weren’t about streams or careers—they were about expression, reaction, and finding a voice. What began as jokes and competition slowly turned into something deeper. Over time, that instinct to speak his mind evolved into a real belief that music could be more than just a hobby. Today, SQUAL sees his work as part of a larger manifestation—actively building the life he’s always imagined as a rapper.
Sonically, SQUAL exists in a space that refuses clean labels. His influences stretch across internet rap, rage, emo, alternative, and experimental worlds. Artists like Che, Osamason, Nettspend, Xaviersobased, Feng, Fakemink, and Ecco2k sit alongside SoFaygo, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, and XXXTentacion, while bands and artists such as Pierce the Veil, Deftones, EDEN, Jane Remover, Osquinn, 2Hollis, Prettifun, Jaydes, and others add an emotional and atmospheric edge. The result is a sound that’s raw, melodic, distorted, and unpredictable—sometimes all within the same song.
That unpredictability defines FUN!. The EP moves with a playful but intentional energy, balancing warped beats, expressive vocals, and a DIY spirit that feels true to the underground. With four recordstotal and a single feature from 8AKER, the project keeps things focused while still showing range. It’s less about overloading listeners and more about introducing a world—one that’s colorful, messy, and honest.
Seattle’s underground has always thrived on individuality, and SQUAL fits naturally into that tradition while pushing it forward. Rather than chasing a specific lane, he’s aiming to cement himself this year by bringing a creative, unique, and unapologetically fun sound to the scene. Every release feels like a step toward something bigger, built on instinct rather than formula.
