Another exclusive interview, this time from Huffington Post. Here’s a snippet:
What do you make of “Cut To The Feeling” being hailed as the song of the summer?
Obviously, it’s really flattering to hear that, but the song of the summer idea has always seemed a little crazy to me because I think you can have whole soundtracks and many songs. The summer is supposed to be filled with tons of music. Summer in itself is such a feeling to capture in a song and I think I’m always trying to capture that feeling.
Every year there is this rat race to declare one song the song of the summer. Do you get caught up in that at all?
Oh, I always think that’s a dangerous trap to get into. I think it can be a really easy thing to slip into a formula and referencing songs that have worked before, especially in the Los Angeles writing scene. It takes all of the heart out. All of the fun out. There has to be an initial spark or inspiration that’s stemming from something actually authentic inside you, and then you can go into all the rules and think about it. I think its a much more exciting place to just be coming at music always from the need to write it versus the I’m going to sit down and mathematically work out how to make money off this approach. That’s just going to kill you.
What about can you tell me about the new music you’re working on?
I’m writing so many songs, but I’m enjoying the process of it. I’ve worked with some people who I’ve admired for years, Patrick Burger among them. It’s been trudging on new ground for me. I’m not trying to make it exactly like I’ve done before and that’s always an exciting time for growth.
Are there any particular genres or sounds that you’re playing with this time around? Your last album was so heavily inspired by ’80s pop music.
I have this total attraction to almost subtle, I-can-clean-my-house-to-this music sort of disco right now. But wherever my goal and destination is isn’t always where I end up landing. Sometimes I’m like, “We’re going to make a song like this,” but on the way there I make a left turn and it turns into a mamba. I don’t always know where I’m going, but that’s a fun discovery for me.