JP Saxe

Non every songwriter tin find inspiration from an earthquake, but Toronto-built-in singer JP Saxe isn't only any artist.

What do two songwriters exercise afterward an earthquake in Los Angeles? Naturally, they make an emotional vocal virtually it. The same day Los Angeles-based vocalizer JP Saxe met fellow lyricist Julia Michaels, the two began talking well-nigh the contempo earthquake and wondered if people were threatened with the impending doom that comes with an apocalypse, would they decide to put their pride aside and reach out to reconnect with those they still care about? The same solar day 'If The World Was Ending' was born.

Saxe has had a number of hits simply this year alone and from the sounds of it, he'southward just getting started. After his striking track 'The Few Things' had garnered 50 million streams, he went on his first major international tour, teamed up with Charlotte Lawrence, andsigned a characterization deal with the iconic Arista Records.

1883 had a chat with the Toronto-born singer to talk about that inspiring earthquake, why he partnered with non-for-turn a profit charity To Write Love On Her Arms, and why he doesn't want y'all to text your ex after hearing his new song.

You were built-in & raised in Toronto and grew up in a creative family. How has the city of Toronto influenced your sound or development as an artist?

Great question! I think Toronto being a very multicultural and very arts-focused city helps foster and encourage creativity. It shows when y'all put a lot of unlike people together from a lot of dissimilar places information technology usually breeds meaningful and impactful fine art. I'm grateful to have grown upwardly in a place like that. I'1000 grateful to be office of a community of Toronto artists that are taking over the globe right now! Perchance I'm indulgently including myself in that group, but at to the lowest degree I'g making an effort to approach that grouping of phenomenal Toronto artists.

I caught your hometown testify terminal week with Noah Kahan. What has the bout been like for you?

The bout has been exceptional. My favorite thing in the world is having a bunch of strangers friendly screaming lyrics back at me!

You recently signed with Arista, a label that has been known to champion unique and diverse young talent. What does it feel like to work under such an iconic label?

It's honestly only really cool to have a group of people working on getting others to hear my music that isn't my firsthand friend group or family. They've been incredible and really supportive of my music and my ideas.

I'thou obsessed with your latest song ' If The Earth Was Catastrophe' , which is a collaboration with Julia Michaels. Julia is a powerhouse and an incredible lyricist and the song has already had such a great response. What'due south the inspiration behind the song and the powerful music video?

Information technology was sparked by one of the last earthquakes in Los Angeles. It brought up the question of why we accept then many reasons not to talk to the people that we don't talk to and whether or not those would continue to exist valid reasons in the apocalypse. Although I exercise want to make it very articulate at present that the song is out, I'one thousand realizing that there may be an estimation of the song that would encourage one to text their exes. At some point, I may need to put out a PSA that'due south a stiff discouragement against all communication with your exes. You lot don't need to practice that!

Strongly agreed. You don't need to text your ex!

You really don't!

What was it like working with Julia?

Truly magical. I honestly never had a session that was quite like that. Working with her was astonishing.

Your vocal 'Same Room' references a Ted Talk that inspired the rail and 'If The World Was Catastrophe' was inspired by a recent convulsion. For your songwriting process, are you normally inspired past random experiences and conversations like those?

The earthquake sparked an thought nigh people, dear, and advice. For my own songwriting, the biggest role of my writing process is journaling. I periodical equally much equally I can because I find I'm able to write in a more clear way when I'm pulling from what I said when I wasn't trying to write a song, I was but trying to tell the truth to myself. I kind of employ that as a source material when I'm sitting and maybe in that location'south a line into that story and I try to brand the feeling of the song friction match the feeling of whatever the life experience I was having when I was originally writing.

Do y'all find writing & releasing songs that are quite vulnerable and emotional, like 'If The World Was Ending', a cathartic experience?

It'south a funny thing. Especially when writing well-nigh very emotional things, the moment in which you write it; it's like putting those emotions you're feeling into something outside of yourself, which is helpful and therapeutic. I take noticed that the procedure ten months later when you lot're no longer in that headspace or trying to go out of that feeling you had into a song, the same affair that you lot got to put the feeling into is now putting that feeling dorsum into you when you're no longer in the heart of it.

Last year you lot performed at a benefit for To Write Love On Her Arms, a nonprofit that works with people struggling with depression, suicide, and addiction and is near and dear to my ain center. Why was it important for you lot to partner with a charity similar that?

When I was xix years former I went to a To Write Love On Her Arms concert. I was admittedly moved. I've always been really inspired by music's ability to help people and how music can associate itself with causes across the art itself. I think there'south always been just an inherent good to any fine art that brings you closer to yourself and therefore closer to other people. Whenever there can be that like marriage of music and some sort of broader cause, like in that location has been throughout history, that has always moved in a detail way. When I was nineteen and I went to that concert, I recollect thinking to myself, I would exercise anything to be on a phase like that. So, five years later when I met Jamie Tworkowski, who founded TWLOHA, he asked me to become on bout with them and exist a part of that concert. It was a real full-circumvolve moment for me, it was really special.

You've worked with Charlotte Lawrence and now Julia Michaels. Who are you lot dying to piece of work with next?

I'd love to work with Paul McCartney. Working with Lennon Stella would be amazing. Maggie Rogers, too!

I love Maggie! She'southward amazing.

Me likewise! I think a Lizzo collaboration would exist sugariness, too.

The big terminal question: what else is coming upwards for y'all in 2020?

Hopefully lots of new feelings and new versions of what it's like to be myself, and then consequently more songs about those feelings and agreement well-nigh myself.

Very deep, I love it.

[Laughs] That's my pretentious, cerebral answer. I would imagine a body of piece of work of some kind because even though I love giving songs one at a fourth dimension, it looks like there might be enough people to inquire me to give them more than one song at a time and really be interested in hearing a collection of songs. I recall that's gonna happen, likewise.

Cheque out 'If The World Was Ending' feat. Julia Michaels beneath.

Credits
interview by Kelsey Barnes
photography Catie Laffoon

browningstroned43.blogspot.com

Source: https://1883magazine.com/jp-saxe/

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