Exclusive: Infinite Coles Talks ‘SweetFace Killah’ Album, Owning His Story & More

Infinite Coles is stepping into his moment with ‘SweetFace Killah.’

The debut album marks a powerful turning point for the New York artist, blending raw vulnerability, genre-blurring production and fearless self-expression into a body of work. From unpacking complicated family dynamics with his dad GhostFace Killah, to embracing femininity, survival and self-belief, Coles shares it all.

In this conversation with That Grape Juice, Coles opens up about claiming his flowers, finding freedoms through nonconformity and why telling his story on his own terms was non-negotiable.

Read the exclusive interview below:

That Grape Juice (Nadia): Congratulations on SweetFace Killah. What does releasing this debut album mean to you right now?

Infinite Coles: It honestly feels really, really beautiful. I’ve said this before, but I’ve been feeling like the underdog for so long. I knew my potential for so long, and no one else ever saw it, I guess. So it just feels good to finally get my life and my flowers, even from people I would have never expected to give me my flowers. I have my brothers hitting me up, they’re so happy for me. I never had this moment with you guys before, so it feels new, it feels different, but it feels so amazing at the same time.

That Grape Juice: You performed the album live at Pxssy Palace on release night. How did it feel sharing these songs with that community first?

Infinite Coles: You know, London is really my second home, to be honest. I’ve been here so many times and met so many beautiful people. The connection with Pxssy Palace, with Mya and Nadine, was so easy, and they were just so supportive in helping me promote this album. I’m just so grateful. London, I don’t know. The talent here, the way people think, and the music they love is just so fab.

They love everything different in London. They give everything a chance, and we don’t really have that in New York. New York is very much, “I like what I like, and that’s it.” If you don’t sound like this, I don’t really know about it. But in London, they’re always giving you a chance. They love brand new things and sounds. That’s how I discovered FKA Twigs. I was like, wait a minute, I’ve never heard anything like this before. So I’m excited to be in London and share this release with you guys.

That Grape Juice: What did you push yourself to reveal or express on this album that you had not shared before?

Infinite Coles: I would say a lot of the emotions I was dealing with that pertain to my father. I definitely pushed that on this album. The title itself says a lot about where I was going with the songs. But I didn’t want that to be the main focus of the album. I really pushed myself to tell my story in general. This is my best writing ever, honestly. Whether it’s about my dad or my insecurities, or finally finding myself and owning those insecurities, I really pushed myself.

That Grape Juice: How did embracing your identity and refusing conformity influence the writing and vocals across the album?

Infinite Coles: Yeah, in ‘Boots’, for example, I’m just talking with this character in DMs. I’m being my authentic feminine self. That’s really what it all is. Even the visuals come down to me being myself and not caring what anyone else thinks. We’re all different in our own ways, and if we embrace those differences, that’s what makes you stand out and be authentic.

I was also living in a shelter during COVID, and that moment made me so much stronger. It was really sad, and I was angry at first, with the commute back and forth. But at a certain point, I learned to embrace that moment because it gave me time to really talk to myself, think to myself, and see where I wanted to go moving forward and how I was going to make this new project.

It made my writing better. I was like, wait a minute, I’m in this shelter by myself while everyone else has a roof over their head. Why would I still care about what anyone thinks about my music? I did all of this for a whole year by myself. After that, I wasn’t worried about anybody else. It became about me. I had to fight for me. If I like it, then that’s all that matters. People are going to resonate regardless, even if it’s just one person.

That all shows throughout the visuals and the writing. Through ‘Boots’, ‘DMs’, and ‘Black Girl Magic’, I’m saying things how I want to say them and talking about what I want to talk about. Whether that’s my insecurities or embracing my femininity, that’s what it’s going to be.

That Grape Juice: Who are some of your musical influences?

Infinite Coles: I get asked this question a lot. Back in the day, I would have said Aretha Franklin or Lauryn Hill. Lauryn Hill will always be there. Nicki Minaj will always be there, too, believe it or not.

I don’t even listen to those artists as much anymore. I find myself really inspired by DJs when I’m out at functions. I love how a DJ can take Aretha, Whitney, whoever, and mix them over a house beat or something unexpected. I’m always infatuated by the mashups. I’ll be like, wait a minute, you did not just put Aretha on this dance beat. And it sounds so fab. I’ve never heard anything like it before.

So DJs really inspire me. I can’t name one specifically, but DJs who aren’t afraid to mix genres. If I had to choose artists, Lauryn Hill and Nicki Minaj are huge for me. Nicki is the first person who made me want to listen to Rap. She was the first person I connected to in that space.

I grew up around a lot of rappers in my family, but I didn’t resonate with the stories. A lot of it made me uncomfortable, and male rap felt too gritty for me growing up. When I heard Nicki, it felt feminine and gave me confidence to be myself. Because of her, I started listening to Lil Wayne, then Eminem. Nicki opened the door for me to connect with Rap in a way that felt authentic.

That Grape Juice: ‘Thankful’ is such a core track. What were you tapping into emotionally when you wrote it?

Infinite Coles: I was being grateful for life, honestly, and for where I knew this album could take me. I was thankful for being able to see and hear my own growth. That’s hard sometimes because we’re our own worst critics.

When you can give yourself a pat on the back, that should mean everything. I talk about scars on my body that could have been way worse, but I’m still here. I attempted to end my own life multiple times.

There were so many reasons to be thankful. I’m really here now, and I never want to feel like I don’t want to be here again. I see how far I can take this with all the love and support I’ve been getting. I don’t feel like anyone else is telling stories like mine. I’m not here to just shake ass. I’m trying to tell something real, something that’s mine.

That Grape Juice: Dad & I is incredibly raw. What helped you approach that relationship with honesty?

Infinite Coles: I was going through a lot. After the shelter, I was finally in my own place, but there was so much happening with my family, my mom, my sister, a newborn baby. We needed help, and he was the only one who could help, but he chose not to respond.

I got really angry because I didn’t know what else to do. I said what I said online back in 2023. I don’t like to say I aired him out, but that’s what it was. That felt like my last straw.

All my emotions came out on paper so organically. I was writing line after line and thinking, this is good. Then the chorus came, and I was like, this is it. I wanted to tell my story in a way he might understand. If that meant Hip-Hop, then that’s what it was going to be. It was very much a last straw moment.

That Grape Juice: Now that ‘SweetFace Killah’ is out, what can fans look forward to next?

Infinite Coles: I want to be on my new album very, very soon. I already have ideas. I pay attention to the positive comments, and I study what my audience wants to see from me.

I know people love my rapping, so I’m going to do more of that. There are features coming, and a new album at some point. I just want to keep creating.

That Grape Juice: Can you tell us anything about the features?

Infinite Coles: I can’t really name names, but there are different vibes coming my way, from Vogue House to DJs, producers, and Hip-Hop artists from the male scene. It feels amazing. I really do feel like Hip-Hop is one of my lanes.

A producer recently told me he thought of Madonna when working with me, like a Hip-Hop Madonna. I was like, that’s Doechii already. But the beat was beautiful, and it just flowed. Singing on the chorus, rapping on the verses, it felt natural.

I know I’m versatile, and I’m excited to explore different sounds. I’m just giving everything a try.

Listen to ‘SweetFace Killah’