Icky Rogers chases Saturday night 

• Preston Powell

For many of us, the weekends are just [chef's kiss]. Saturday in particular hits harder than other days. There are so many possibilities for outings and adventures that make it a coveted break for anyone working hard. For SLC hip-hop artist Icky Rogers, it's the best day of the week. "I'm the saint of Saturday night," Rogers said.

That might be why the title of his latest release, Chasing Saturday, is so particularly fitting. "This is me forever," he said." It's just my soul on a record. You could play it at my funeral."

This latest entry in Rogers' catalog is some of his best work—partly because of his love for nightlife, but also because of his love of creating whole albums and being part of SLC's incredible queer community. At the beginning of his career, he worried about how being gay and a hip-hop artist would align, but according to him everyone has been incredibly supportive. The intersectionality of these parts of his life creates the perfect mix for his music. "I think that hip-hop has always given a voice to the voiceless, and it's a genre that speaks truth to power in its purest form," Rogers said.

"I think that's what drew me to it, because growing up, singing in choirs and stuff, I really felt like they were trying to box me into more of a pop/R&B lane, and that's just not my personality. I'm way more political and outspoken and kind of edgy."

Chasing Saturday is an album that is quintessentially Icky Rogers, according to him. "Going into it, I knew that I wanted to create a record centered around nightlife," he said. "So much of my life is based around nightlife, just because of what I do, and then my partner as well, so it's kind of like nonstop at our house. There's obviously the broader aspect of just going out—drinking and having fun—but once you're in it, you see all the little subtle nuances, and I wanted to really capture that feeling and put that feeling of a Saturday night on an album."

The nightlife feeling shines brightly on the album; it's written as a concept, meant for listeners to press play and listen all the way through. With titles like "Twilight," "Crowded," "That Time of Night" and "Friends of the City," you'll feel like you're living an exciting night at the club on a Saturday night.

The first song recorded for the album was the aforementioned "Crowded," which features notorious SLC drag queen Sequoia. She brings incredible flair and an exciting attitude to the song that's a perfect match for Rogers. "She has a beautiful instrument, first and foremost, and we just kind of have a really good natural chemistry," he described. "I didn't initially plan to work with her on the album, but once I wrote that song, I knew I wanted a feature on it."

Upon release, Rogers described the process of creating Chasing Saturday as "truly eye-opening, intense and wonderful." Part of the reason Rogers is feeling so good about the release is the fact that he produced the album on his own. "That is just a dream come true for me," he said. "This is what I've been working towards since I was 13 years old. Just having it all come together and it be all mine." He was unsure of his ability to fully produce an album, so when he finished this project, it created a shift for Rogers. Going forward, he wants to continue on the path of self-producing.

In addition, he branched out musically with this album. "Crowded" with Sequoia leans more on the pop side rather than hip-hop, which Rogers hadn't done before. "It was eye-opening because I wasn't expecting a) to enjoy it so much, and b) have such a great response." Another goal Rogers is getting to check off of his bucket list is to put an album out on vinyl, which will be coming soon.

"That right there is just, as a 13-year-old kid when I started to get really into music, I envisioned a label doing all this stuff for me," he said. "To be able to do it all myself, it just feels like my soul is flying right now. It's a dream come true for me, really. I know that sounds cliche, but it's true."

Next time you're heading out for a few hours of revelry, throw on Rogers' Chasing Saturday, and slip into that weekend feeling. "I want this to be the record that you play when you're getting ready to go out," he said. "It's okay to be happy and celebratory sometimes," he added. "I wanted to encapsulate that Saturday night feeling forever, even just for me personally, if I need to throw on the record. It's really just all the different aspects of me."