Kicking off the weekend with a new release, and some fantastic new music; Spencer Sutherland is back with his latest single, and first release of the year, Help. A new direction for Spencer; Help is a truly stunning track with such raw honesty and vulnerability, and it highlights a new side of Spencer as an artist. With a beautifully pure melody, Spencer’s voice remains, as ever, the standout on this track; with his trademark vocals and some incredible falsettos, it’s impossible for this song to not make you feel some type of way. This latest single follows on from, Grateful; a slightly moodier track with an infectious baseline, that has much more of an upbeat vibe and care-free energy. In anticipation of Spencer’s latest single, we sat down to chat about Help, music and isolation life! So make sure to give the new track a listen here, and check out the full interview down below!
BM: How are you, how have you been?
SPENCER: I’m so good. I’m just drinking my coffee and enjoying the morning here in California.
While both enjoying a coffee from opposite sides of the world; our chat seems to start in that way we’ve all come to recognize lately, as we delve in to talking about isolation life and being stuck at home during quarantine. Despite the differences of urban London and sunny California, we both remark on how strange our cities seem right now, and the bizarre times we’re living in.
BM: With things so quiet in California, have you been able to just stay at home and relax and do a bit of writing?
SPENCER: Yeah I have! I mean, I’ve just been still working on music and stuff and getting ready for a song release. So I’ve been like a little bit busy, but it’s been harder for sure to find motivation.
BM: Do you reckon it’s been hard on creatives in general during this time because you can’t go out, you can’t do anything or meet up with people and get that inspiration to create?
SPENCER: Totally! Thats how I get inspiration; experiencing life. And when you can’t experience life it’s really hard to write about stuff you know, like to experience moments with people.
BM: Absolutely! And so many artists have still been dropping a lot of really good music during quarantine. I think everyone’s really in need of something to keep them motivated at home and keep them going. Have there been any new releases you’ve been listening to at the moment?
SPENCER: Yes! A couple artists are releasing songs that they’re doing at home which I think’s kinda cool. Alec Benjamin released one called Six Feet Apart which I like a lot. Bazzi released one called I Got You, and I think its cool that they record them at home, produce them, and put it out. And they’re both really good songs!
Talking about quarantine releases and new songs, it was the perfect time to talk about Spencer’s own new release; his new single, Help! With talk of the new track, there was a happy “yaaaayyy” from Spencer on the other end of the phone, as he delightedly went on to say how excited he was about his latest new song.
BM: So tell me a bit more about the track, I’m dying to hear it!
SPENCER: Well yeah, it’s crazy because this is one of the first that songs we haven’t teased. When we tease songs we usually tease them like a week and a half, two weeks out, and kind of give little pieces of the song throughout a couple weeks. But this time, we only gave it three days. And I’ve only give a little a-cappella, two line thing. So this is one of the first times that nobody’s heard the vibe of the track yet which I’m really excited about. But it’s a song that’s really special to me and it’s very vulnerable, and a real song. Its very like, ‘lets just be super genuine to me’ and how I was feeling at the time. And I just kind of put it out there with the lyrics, and it’s the first song I co-produced as well which I’m really excited about. It’s just really special and has a cool feel to it, unlike anything else I’ve heard. There’s like cool different sections of the song too that feel different, and I’m so dedicated for people to hear a new raw, vulnerable side of me.
BM: That’s so exciting! How would you say it compares to your last release, Grateful?
SPENCER: I think it’s completely different, which is kind of cool. I think they could sit on an album together but I think that I want to show all side of me as an artist, and Grateful is definitely a positive, feel good song. And this is positive too; but it just is a whole different emotion. But I think it’s important as an artist to have all sides. Like my favourite artists – Bruno Mars, Prince, Michael Jackson, Elvis, they all have every emotion of song; heart break songs, love songs, positivity songs.
BM: For sure! Do you think that with this being a slightly more raw and vulnerable song, is that the kind of direction you want to take the next few singles? And going forward for 2020, is that the direction you’re planning on going in?
SPENCER: I think somewhat. It’s hard; I have a bunch of songs that I’m really excited about. But it’s hard to say because I think that the vibe of the songs is going to be like all over the place in a good way. Like, I feel they’re going to be every sort of emotion, every sort of vibe so people get to know me. As an emerging artist I want people to not only like my songs, but get to me as an artists. Because I don’t want to just be here for a year or two, and then bounce. I want to be here for the long-haul. So I think you can expect… I like to say ‘all over the place’, in a good way.
BM: A beautiful track, and definitely a lot more vulnerable; what about Help made it feel right to release as the next single.
SPENCER: I’ve been really excited about it in general, but I think right now it really fits the environment we’re in currently.
Being an uncannily perfect time to release Help; when talking in more detail about the track, prior to it’s release; Spencer previously explained how, “I believe people will relate with the emotions and lyrics as they are struggling with their own increased stress, anxiety and depression brought on by the feeling of isolation and uncertainty of the current global crisis.”
BM: The melody on Help is truly stunning, how did the music and arrangement on the track come about?
SPENCER: Thank you! It all came together naturally with my friends Keaton Stromberg, Sam Fischer and Hero DeLano in the desert! Just was super super honest, and it all came out naturally!
BM: In your track Tell Me, you open with the line “two wrongs don’t make a right” which I think is great advice. What’s some of the best advice you’ve gotten?
SPENCER: The best advice I’ve ever gotten is to chase your dreams unapologetically. That was from someone I really admire in the music industry as well!
BM: On all your singles over the last couple of years, and your EP, NONE of this has been about you; you haven’t had any collabs or features. Was this a conscious choice? Can you see yourself integrating any collaborations on future projects?
SPENCER: I think I was just trying to represent myself as an artist before doing any features. Before my EP, I feel like my brand was up in the air, so now that I have it figured out, there can be some on the horizon 🙂
BM: You worked with Keaton Stromberg on the songwriting for your EP. What was it like working with him, and are there any other people you’d love to write with?
SPENCER: Keaton is my best friend, so we literally just hang out all day everyday and write! Also, I’d love to write a song with Bruno Mars, as well as Pharrell!
BM: Your music videos are always incredibly enjoyable to watch, and often seem to have a lot of deeper meanings within them – as we see in Tell Me. How do you usually come up with the concepts for your music videos?
SPENCER: Thank you so much! I let my imagination go crazy and come up with a lot of metaphors and such. I love it to have an aesthetic and sort of a comedic factor.
BM: And what’s been your favourite music video to film so far?
SPENCER: My favorite might be “Sweater.” I’ve always wanted to do a classic bowling video, and it came to life! So much fun.
BM: When we’re all out of lockdown and gigs start back up again, are you going to do anything special for the first concert back?
SPENCER: YES! I’m definitely going to be playing shows everywhere! I miss performing so much, so I’m going to have to do something extra!
So make sure to give Help a listen; and keep up to date with Spencer on social media @spencermusic – for the latest updates and info on new music, tours, and more. And keep your eye and ears peeled for more new music coming to you from Spencer very soon!!
Posted By Stevie Carter
BUSK MUSIC 