Jack Antonoff is not just the man behind the scenes. In the interview, the Bleachers frontman gives insights into his fourth studio album.
Few people have had as big an influence on pop music in the 21st century as Jack Antonoff (39). He is best known for his work with pop greats such as Taylor Swift (34), Lana Del Rey (38), The 1975 and Lorde (27). The music producer received eight of his ten Grammys for albums by other artists, including three times for Producer of the Year.
But Jack Antonoff is not just the man in the background: he had great international success with his band fun in the 2010s. (“Some Nights” and “We Are Young”). With his band project Bleachers, the 39-year-old is now releasing their fourth studio album, “Bleachers”, on March 8th.
Jack Antonoff’s private life is also going well: last summer, the musician married the actress Margaret Qualley (29), who also in the music video for the single “Tiny Moves” from the album can be seen. His private life also inspired the new album, as Antonoff says in an interview with the news agency spot on news. He also provides insights into the creative process of working with other artists and reflects on his diverse career as a producer, musician and collaborator.
Congratulations on the new album “Bleachers”. Why the proper name? Don’t you actually do that with your debut album?
Jack Antonoff: It’s strange, I’m not sure why. I just felt like it. I had this super lively and new feeling, but at the same time I was also thinking about the journey that lies behind us as a band. It was just the right moment to do it.
Do you think it had something to do with the time period in which you produced the album? It was a special time for you: you got married last year and your band is becoming more and more famous.
Antonoff: I think so. It’s funny: When I produce albums, I don’t think about why I do certain things. I just do what feels right at the moment. When I talk about it afterwards, I often learn a lot about my process. Because if I don’t know something very well, then I don’t particularly feel like doing it. It’s just the things I don’t know yet that appeal to me. A lot of things came together in this album, especially the depth of relationships – be it in the band or in my personal life. The album is the purest form of where I am right now.
What were the themes or emotions that most influenced your writing?
Antonoff: I think that my music has always been very serious and that the world has become more and more serious lately – at least the way we discuss it publicly and culturally. Somehow I wanted the album to feel like you were sitting in a room with me or like you were actually hanging out with my band.
Which song on the album means the most to you?
Antonoff: That changes all the time. Each track is like a puzzle piece. When I write them they all mean the same to me, there is no piece of the puzzle that is more important than another. You need each piece to make the picture complete. But now, looking back, I always have tracks that mean more to me. Right now it’s “Jesus is Dead.” The song almost feels like a conversation, like the listener is spending time with me. Creating something like this isn’t easy.
They are considered the mastermind behind successful albums by artists such as Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey and many more. Do you approach this differently than when writing your own songs?
Antonoff: It’s weird because my body does the same thing. I have a good analogy: When I’m producing for someone, they’re a balloon and I’m holding the string. When I write music for Bleachers, I’m the balloon and someone else holds the string. That feeling of completely losing yourself in your own stories sometimes creates the best songs.
What is the secret to your successful collaborations with other artists? How do you manage to create a space that brings out the creativity, vulnerability and intimacy in others that is necessary to write such songs?
Antonoff: You have to realize that you can’t control it. You can’t just go into the studio, have ideas and write a song straight away – even if you desperately want to sometimes. You want to be able to control it, but you just can’t. The more you realize that you can’t control it, the better it goes. It just happens or it doesn’t.
They have worked on every one of Taylor Swift’s albums since 2014. In April she will release her next album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” What was the writing process like?
Antonoff: I’d rather not talk about it until it’s out. I want people to be able to hear the music before they know too much about it. So: my lips are sealed. (laughs)
Which role do you actually feel more comfortable in: the man behind the scenes producing for famous artists or the rock star in the spotlight on stage?
Antonoff: In both. It has always been like this. I’ve always done both, they’re both a part of me. Writing music is a big part of my DNA, as is singing and performing. But also helping my friends write their music.
Is there an artist you haven’t had the pleasure of collaborating with that’s on your wish list?
Antonoff: It’s hard to imagine. Often I can only do this once I get to know someone and know where they want to go. For someone I don’t know, it’s hard to imagine. If I don’t know where someone wants to go, it’s hard for me to be inspired.
Has there ever been a situation where you wanted to collaborate with an artist, but in the end it just wasn’t a good fit with the person?
Antonoff: Yes. Being able to work with someone is really rare. I’m lucky that I’ve found a few people in my life that I can actually do this with. These long collaborative relationships are very strange and they are not normal, I am always aware of that. I see it almost like fishing: you sit there and wait and can’t control when you catch a fish. In the end, it doesn’t matter how successful music is or how many people hear it, it always comes from a magical place.