Interviews
Jonathan Smith
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By: Jamie Steinberg
Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?
A) Literally, I just finished work on mainstream country artist Ty March’s EP Going Big [On A Small Town], an EP for rock band Town Crier, as well as a single for electro-pop artist Sunday Lane. Every project I work on is very time consuming…considering I write, produce, mix, master and play almost every instrument. And, in my “spare time,” I’m developing a few new artists as well as updating production on various songs I’ve written for film and TV sync licensing.
Q) Talk about your path to becoming a music producer.
A) As far back as I can remember, I’ve loved music. By age nine, I was playing drums on stage with a rhythm section. At fifteen years old, while on tour with a college band in New York, I played my first recording session. From there, I toured all over the world. Eventually, I became a session drummer in Nashville. I spent countless time in world class studios working with bands, artists and top musicians, engineers and producers. Getting to work and hang out with such talented people was priceless. I’d ask everybody lots of questions about their instruments, approach, gear choices and technical things. It was such an invaluable experience.
After producing a few projects, I bought a guy’s really cool SoHo style recording studio near downtown Nashville [in a 100 plus year old warehouse called Marathon Village]. Eventually, my career began progressing nicely. I started getting much larger budgets and was producing indie bands as well as major Iabel bands [including a member of a Multi-Platinum / Multi-Grammy Winning band]. Also, I began landing major TV placements.
Years of projects later, I’m currently based in Santa Monica, CA, with a private studio minutes from the Santa Monica Pier. It’s a good thing I love what I do because everyday I either write, produce, mix, play drum sessions or compose music for Film / TV. Being in a dark studio so much, sometimes I forget I live in sunny California!
Q) We’ve be hearing your music in the film Jem & The Holograms. How does it feel having your music featured in a major motion picture?
A) Exciting and nerve wracking!
Q) You wrote the song “Movie Star” for the film with Hayley Kiyoko. How did you keep your ideas counterbalanced?
A) Writing songs with Hayley is always fun. We respect each other’s ideas and know we’re both there to make each other better. I think that atmosphere helps a lot. Also, when Hayley starts dancing around the studio…I usually know we have something! [laughs]
Hayley came into the writing session and we just started talking, catching up, etc. From that casual conversation, we got inspired to write about how the movie and music industry can be hard on relationships. “Movie Star” was just a metaphor for how, whatever it is, we can all get caught up in superficial things and lose sight of what is important and truly valuable. The song calls all that out and just says, “Hey, I got caught up in all the lights and glitter, but I can see that’s not real. I want to come back to what is real.”
Q) How did you and Hayley originally come to work together on it?
A) My pal Josiah [from the band Augustana], put us together on a different writing session. From there, Hayley and I kept working together and things have grown from there.
Q) Where do you find the inspiration for your music and lyrics?
A) The inspiration for music I’d say is a God given thing. Lyrics for me, just come from everyday life.
Q) What is your process like for creating songs?
A) The number one thing for me is, “How does this idea, groove, melody, lyric, etc. make me feel?” From that inspired place, know what to do. I keep things simple while writing. I don’t spend an hour on the perfect kick drum sample. I have Logic Up and usually have a bass in my hand while getting a groove going with Maschine [Native Instruments drum machine]. The artist has a mic (SM58, SM7 or whatever). I create the immediacy of a live band, but with studio efficiency. The time from an original idea until we hear something coming back through the speakers is very quick. I want to know immediately if the tempo, key, feel, etc. is right. This is one of the main advantages of having an artist or band in the room with a songwriter that is also the producer, engineer and pseudo bandmate.
Q) Do you need music before you can write lyrics?
A) No, but it can help set the “emotional” stage.
Q) You work with a variety of artists from different genres. Do you have a preference for the style of music you create?
A) Some of my hero’s Dann Huff, Mutt Lange,and Max Martin are “rock guys” that work in country, pop, etc…legitimately. This is my approach as well. The truth is, I like anything good – anything that I feel like I can connect with and contribute to. If I can understand an artist’s music, I can probably make a great record with them.
Q) What artist(s) would you most like to work with in the future?
A) U2, The Killers, Coldplay, P!nk, Keith Urban, JT, Bjork.
Q) You are a part of social media. Do you enjoy the instant fan feedback you receive to your music?
A) Yes. It can be very informative. It’s crazy that you can literally reach the world with your music – with a push of an upload button.
Q) Is there anything you want to be sure fans know about your process or work that you want to be sure we share with fans?
A) Please go to iTunes and check out the latest song I co-wrote and produced for Hayley Kiyoko called “Movie Star” [featured in Universal’s Jem And The Holograms]. Make sure to always support your favorite artists (as well as their ability to keep making great music for you) by purchasing music and not downloading it illegally.
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your music?
A) Thanks so much for your support! Stay tuned for upcoming new music!
Connect With Jonathan Smith:
http://www.therealjonsmith.com/
https://www.facebook.com/therealjonsmith
https://twitter.com/TheREALjonsmith
https://www.instagram.com/therealjonsmith/
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