John Holiday – Alive in Me

By starrymag | December 6, 2021

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) Wow, I’ve actually never been asked that before.  The most authentic answer that I can give you is that my sound is an amalgamation of all of the music that influenced me as a young kid and, because I have an eclectic musical taste, I’ve never really put my sound into a box and I wouldn’t like to do that now.  Instead, I’d like to leave it up to the listener to determine what they hear.  Moreover, can they hear the heartbeat, love, heartache, longing, joy, peace and hope in my music?  When one puts oneself into a box, it eliminates the possibility for one’s audience to be adventurous about what they hear and see.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) Some of my most influential artists are: The Clark Sisters, Jidenna, Yolanda Adams, Patti LaBelle, Leontyne Price, Derek Lee Ragin and my most favorite singer in the world is Celine Dion.  THE most influential singer in my life has been my grandmother, whom I lovingly call “Big Mama.”

 

Q) How did growing up in Texas influence you as an artist?

 

A) Growing up in Texas, I was exposed to so many phenomenal artists.  The arts education in Texas is top-tier and I gained so much insight, at an early age, about what it meant to be musically informed and how to persevere.  I was also in a boys’ choir where I received the most exposure and encountered different cultures by way of singing new music and touring to other countries.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Alive in Me.”

 

A) In a world where there can be so much darkness, I endeavor to bring forth light, and to bring it forth with my music.  Often times, I think that many of us search outside of ourselves for the love we seek to have or find.  What I’ve learned over the last years is that Love is already alive in each of us and it’s aching to come out and to be shared with all who we encounter.  Share and give as much love as you can muster because it’ll leave the world a better place.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I’ve been lucky to talk to so many of them, and the very first thing they say is that it reminds them that everything that they seek to be and have already resides within them.  Love is always around us if only we take the time to search for it.  Love liberates.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) I wanted for a younger version of myself to be able to see this video and see himself in it.  So, it was my idea to have a same-gender loving couple in the film and to show that love story, from start to present day.  To see that journey of love and what it looks like from the outside looking in.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) My song writing process is thinking about the theme that I want to discuss – to create the arch and to know what the end is, what is it that I’m trying to say.  That part of the process is the most crucial because if what I want to say isn’t clear to me, then it will not be clear to the audience.  After the brainstorming process, I begin to listen to music.  What do I hear?  I get quiet and begin to write in my journal some phrases that make sense to me regarding the theme and how the music makes me feel.  I will write everything that comes to mind and there is no statement that’s out of bounds.  After that, I start to put some things together in terms of the line, and then I put it all together.  It’s a long process.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) The buck stops with me.  In order for any single to come out, I must love it.  While I’m not a producer, per se, I will tell the producer I’m working with what my endeavor is for the song.  The sound that I’d like for it to have.  If I don’t like it, after it’s sent to me – before being finalized – we go back to the drawing board.  In the process of finding the sound that works for me, the producer and I communicate and say exactly that we feel and hear.  It’s a beautiful process.  It’s one where there has to be absolute trust that the producer will convey the authenticity of your musical language….my voice.

 

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

 

A) Yes, there is a full album coming.  Keep your eyes and ears open!

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) I love to perform anywhere. I don’t have a favorite.  For me, I just love the act of being in front of people sharing everything that I have and being in the space where I can receive and share love.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) Celine Dion and Jidenna.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) Quite honestly, social media continues to evolve and I’m grateful that so many people follow me and look to my page to bring them some joy and some light.  It’s important to connect with people so that they can see that I’m just like them. God has given me a gift and I know that it’s my job to share it with everyone who will listen and to be a good steward of the gift.  Those who follow me on social media get to see that side of me, and I’m really thankful for that, too.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) Thank you so much for love, support and encouragement.  Throughout the years, it has meant the absolute world to me, and I’m excited to keep running on to see what the end is going to be. Knowing that you all are the wind at my back propelling me forward.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

 

Listen To John Holiday’s Music on Spotify – Including New Single “Waste Mine”

Spotify – John Holiday