Hi Jordan, welcome to Fanbase Music Magazine. Can you tell us where you are from and what got you into music?

I’m originally from Canton, Michigan and currently live in and am based out of New York City.

I can’t think of any one specific thing that got me into music, it’s kind of just been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

Do you play any instruments and if so, how long have you been playing?

I started singing basically as soon as I started talking, and picked up guitar at the age of 8. After that, I started playing cello when I was about 11, did drum-line for marching band once I was in high school. Once I got to college and after college, when I started teaching, I taught myself keys and bass. 

How would you describe your sound?

I feel like my sound isn’t particularly specific, but I think it alludes to a lot of that early 2000’s alternative rock era. I love layering vocal harmonies and guitars and coming up with this melodic soundscape in my music, but, rooted in that, I think, is a really strong lyrical base that is the core of the song itself. 

I think my one of my biggest strengths as a songwriter is writing really strong, catchy melodies that still contain a lot of lyrical depth in them, and I would definitely describe my sound as melody-driven.

Overall, I try to let songs write themselves and try not to let “genre” dictate the song itself, but those features tend to tie my songwriting style together, regardless of the type of music being written. 

Who is some of the bands and musicians that have influenced your music?

Matchbox Twenty, Goo Goo Dolls, Paramore, Green Day, Alanis Morissette. Especially early on, Rob Thomas and John Rzeznik were two writers I listened to a ton and tried to emulate. As I got older, I like to think I’ve developed my own way of writing that is unique to me, but I think those influences are all still very recognizable in my sound. 

Can you tell us how you put songs together, does it start with a lyric or a riff?

There’s not a specific process or “correct way” to write a song for me. Some songs start off with a chord progression or a riff. Some start as a melody or a lyrical idea. Sometimes I can wrote a song in 5 minutes and it requires very little editing and sometimes it takes me weeks or months of constant re-writing and re-navigating. 

One writing exercise I’ve taken to recently is trying to write songs “in the style of” other writers or musicians. So, for example, how could I go write a Taylor Swift-style song that sounds like it could be a song by her, while still keeping my own musical style and integrity. It’s a cool exercise to use, especially if my own writing is feeling stale or uninspired. 

Okay, let’s talk about your new album, ‘ When The Music Fades’. That is an interesting title. How did you come up with that album title?

It’s the second song on the EP and I felt like it encapsulates a lot of the themes on the album well. Theme-wise, I think it talks about identity as a whole. Especially as someone in their 20’s, you’re trying to navigate life and make a living and discover who you are in a world that is incredibly fast-paced and doesn’t necessarily offer the time to do that. We have passions and dreams and hope and love and we can easily dive into those and get lost in it or drown in the pressures of life or a whole myriad of things that come with finding yourself and living life. I think the idea of the music fading and who are you at your core is so central to every song on this album. 

How many tracks are on the album, and how long did it take to write each song, are these songs you have had for a while?

Who else worked and produced the album and where was the recording done?

I worked with the incredible Chuck Alkazian and Pearl Sound Studios on this album. 

What was the recording process like?

I love the recording process. It’s a lot of tedious work, it’s not like playing live. You’re aiming for a “perfect” product, so there are so many elements that go into making it sound like that. You’re laying reference tracks to record different elements and then piecing the song together and then tweaking parts so they fit and work seamlessly. It’s not about getting one thing perfect, it’s about the conglomerate of the whole entity of the song. I usually spend a ton of time on vocals and recording main vocals and layering it with harmonies or countermelodies or whatever else the song calls for. But I love it. 

A stand-out song on the album is called “The Invisible Man”, can you tell us about the story of that song and how it came about?

“The Invisible Man” is a song I started writing during COVID about front-line workers and the people who kept the world going when everything shut down. It turned into a kind of “ode to the everyman”, just the people who’ve lived life and work hard and keep their head down and just live. It’s the everyday person and that tends to just go unnoticed. Especially right now in the age of social media and technology, we can literally live life through other people’s eyes and experiences, sticking to those themes of identity, it’s about recognizing that the you can’t live a life that you’re not a part of. One of my favorite lines in the song is “What’s the point in dying if you haven’t lived at all?” and I think that sums up everything about that song so concisely. 

Do you play live and where can we see you play?

I don’t have anything live planned at the moment. I’m constantly writing and am already working on new material!

Thank you for doing this interview, do you have any last messages for our readers?

Thank you for giving my music a chance! Whether you like it or hate it, I just appreciate and am eternally grateful that I’m able to make music and that people listen to it. It’s beyond wild that I’m able to do something I love so immensely for a job, and I owe that to anyone and everyone who cares to listen and support me, so thank you!