From an early age, music came naturally to Trip Thomas.
He started making his own music as soon as he was able, writing songs by age 6 and playing guitar and producing beats by age 13.
Now as a junior at Olathe Northwest High School, he’s putting that music out there — and people are starting to find it.
Under his stage name, Spaceman, his Spotify presence recently hit new growth in monthly listeners.
Music runs in the Thomas family
Trip Thomas’ mother, Vanessa Thomas, is a longtime vocalist and coach with expertise in multiple genres — including jazz, blues, and gospel music.
His father, Jonathan Thomas, also performs in barbershop quartets in the area.
“They’ve always just both been very musical, and all my sisters are musical too,” Trip said.
The musical alias “Spaceman” also stems from his mother. Thomas had an early interest for constellations and astronomy as well as music, thus earning him that nickname from her.
Thomas said his initial musical interests largely stemmed from the music his family enjoyed and exposed him to.
That meant lots of 1990s and 2000s hip-hop and R&B from his sisters, rock from his father, and of course, jazz from his mother.
When it came to making his own music, he said, he garnered inspiration from artists like R&B artist Steve Lacy.
He’s also drawn inspiration from rappers like Kid Cudi and Lil Yachty, as well as jazz artists like Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk and Herbie Hancock.
Spaceman started releasing music as a teenager
Thomas’ earliest album as Spaceman, “Lonely Spaceman XXIII”, hit Spotify in 2023.
Last year, he released a single called “IN GOD WE TRUST” with Los Angeles-based musician Kyle Rapps — followed by a single called “all fade away,” which features Detroit-based musician DGK Dream.
“It feels good to finally make a body of work that I know at least someone will listen to and connect with,” he said. “I try to keep it real. I want people to feel it and have something to relate to.”
With his most recent releases within the last year, Thomas began to see his monthly listens climb and more social media followers pop up.
For the first time, he said, there are people out there who know him purely as Spaceman and from his music.
When it comes to more and more listeners finding his music, he said he aims to walk “a fine line” between appreciating what listeners want and still being true to his own musical vision.
“If one of my things doesn’t get as much attention as another, there’s a feeling deep down inside of me that wants to cater to that,” he said. “But at the same time, I just want to make what I want to make.”
There’s more music in store for Spaceman
In the coming weeks, Spaceman’s newest mixtape, “My Honest Unfiltered Opinion” will hit streaming platforms.
”The idea (with that album) is that I’m doing a different kind of style in each song,” he said. “I’m just trying to cover a wide variety of different sounds in the genre. Just easy music that people can feel.”
Another album called “Midwestern Exchange” is in the works, which he hopes to release this summer.
Beyond that, Thomas said the future of his music isn’t set in stone. He still maintains his interest in astronomy and would like to pursue it academically after he graduates next year.
But whether his music keeps up its momentum or is more of a side hobby in the future, Thomas said he hopes to keep working with the fellow musicians he’s come to know, seeking out local artists to work with and doing what he loves.
“Throughout Johnson County, throughout all the counties in Kansas City, I just think there’s something to be made from the musical culture and that night life — those jazz clubs and all of that,” he said. “There’s just a lot of music to be made around here.”
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