twinnjrr is carving out his own lane directly from his hometown of Richmond, Virginia, with the help of his own creative collective.
Known for his emotionally driven music that balances nostalgia, heartbreak and youthful ambition, twinnjrr has amassed thousands of streams and garnered interest from major labels off the strength of a surge of popular 2026 releases, including “tung” and “CHECK ME OUT.”
From creating songs in a matter of minutes to building a creative collective alongside his closest friends, the rising artist is focused on making music that resonates with listeners during both the highs and lows of life. In an exclusive Q&A with 1stDayFresh, twinnjrr breaks down how he and his collective, AV8!, came together this year and galvanized their trailblazing run, along with their plans breakthrough to the masses before the end of 2026.
Q: What’s one song people should know by you?
twinnjrr: “‘Tung’ by me.”
Q: What was the creative process behind the track, and how long did it take to make?
twinnjrr: “The song honestly didn’t take long at all. My homie Alex found the beat and showed it to me, and I recorded the whole song front to back within like nine minutes.”
Q: What’s your favorite bar from ‘Poets Poem,’ and why does it stand out to you?
twinnjrr: “Probably, ‘Bitch, I named myself Twin, wanted someone to relate to me.’ That’s the reason I started making music because I was always so deep into the art that it made me feel connected to whoever I was listening to. I wanted to create that same escape with my music for other people.”
Q: What does the release mean to you personally?
twinnjrr: “That song is like my baby. It’s my first ever hit, per se. It was produced by my homie duxk, who’s in my collective AV8!, and my homie viirxl, who’s also in AV8! They’re both very close personal friends.”
Q: What inspired the release?
twinnjrr: “At the time I recorded my verse, I was going through a breakup, and it was also two weeks before graduating high school. I felt very nostalgic, but I was also in a dark place.”
Q: Were there any artists or collaborators who influenced the direction of the song?
twinnjrr: “It was duxk’s idea. He’s one of my favorite producers to work with, and he’s very talented for his age. The artists who inspire me day to day are all my friends and fellow artists in my collective AV8!. They’re my inspirations and make it easier to keep going.
“I just wanted to convey a nostalgic but bittersweet feeling. I knew a lot of people could understand that feeling of life moving forward whether you like it or not. It’s a scary feeling, but it’s easier when you have someone who can relate to it so you feel less alone.”
Q: Describe your creative relationship and friendship with your ‘Kount It Up’ collaborator.
twinnjrr: “That’s my homie Siah. I met him through my friend Jonah, who I met through my childhood friend Abhi. He’s a very talented artist and deserves a lot more recognition and love.”
Q: What would you like to do with this concept moving forward?
twinnjrr: “I want to keep making music that people can relate to, whether they’re going through one of the best times in their life or one of the worst. A lot of my music comes from personal experiences and emotions, and I want to keep building on that by telling more stories that make people feel understood.
“At the same time, I don’t always want to stay in a dark place creatively. I want to make fun music too—music that helps people escape, puts them in a better mood or gives them something to smile about and have fun with. No matter what, the goal is always the same: to make people feel less alone and give them something they can connect with.”
Q: What are your plans for the rest of 2026?
twinnjrr: “I’m currently working on a deluxe version of my album, saint, that I’m planning to release later this year. Maybe an EP or two before then, but the biggest focus is the album. I’m going to drop so many songs it’ll be hard to ignore me.”
Q: Tell us about AV8!—what is the collective, who’s involved and how did it begin?
twinnjrr: “AV8! is a creative collective and movement founded in Virginia, although not everyone in the collective is from Virginia. The name stands for ‘Always Elevate,’ which represents the mindset behind everything we do: growth, loyalty, unity and continuously pushing forward through every stage of life and creativity.
“The collective is made up of artists, producers, designers and creators from across the United States. The lineup includes twinnjrr, itskxso, ny4, bizarreblvd, vvjohnda, ntfsean, sawbuckss, typhunn, viirxl and duxkblattz. We also have creators and visual contributors like hh5te, jordiewordieeeeee, whxtjah._, alex3vc and aj_mccusker_2, who help expand the vision beyond just music.
“AV8! is more than just a collective—it’s my support system. These are the people I grew up creatively with, learned with and built with. Over time, it became a space built on trust, loyalty and genuine connection. It started through natural friendships and a shared passion for music and creation, and developed into something much bigger than just working together.
“At its core, AV8! is about elevating together—not just as artists, but as people—and continuing to grow while building something meaningful as a unit.”
Follow twinnjrr’s upcoming music releases via his social channels here.
1stDayFresh.com 