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Singer/songwriter John Duff has gone from a social media persona to a bonafide hitmaker. Born and raised in Baltimore, John gave the stage a strive within the Huge Apple and ultimately moved to LA to pursue a profession in music. His first video for “Girly” in 2018, was impressed by Mariah Carey and featured Drag Race alums Willam, Mariah and Biance Del Rio. His movies have garnered consideration, views and followers – from the darkish “House on Fire” to the cheeky (fairly actually) clip for “Somebody’s Daughter”.
John’s second single from his soon-to-be-released Biggest Hits: Deluxe Version album is an ode to the one in 4 people who find themselves sexually abstinent. “Forgotten The best way to F*ck” is a New Orleans-inspired, late-1950’s rock-and-roll quantity that John wrote when he was present process some intimate well being issues and intercourse was the very last thing on his thoughts. Fortunate for John, the music doesn’t relate to him anymore, however for the one in 4 that it does converse to, John desires them to know he sees them.
The video for “Forgotten The best way to F*ck” attracts inspiration from Elvis’ ‘68 Comeback Particular. “I assumed it was an ideal reference for this music,” John says. “In any case, Elvis was deployed for 2 years. He was in all probability somewhat rusty within the sack.”
We had the possibility to talk with John concerning the new single, his many musical influences, his connection to the Drag Race universe and plenty extra in our unique interview.
Effectively, initially I’ve by no means spoken to somebody the day their single got here out, so I really feel sort of honored, and I guess you are excited.
It’s loopy as a result of I recorded this music 4 years in the past, and so in my thoughts it has been out and so that is an fascinating social experiment for me the place I am having to recollect the persons are listening to it for the primary time.
What was the inspiration behind the music?
Effectively, it is humorous. I used to be very celibate for a pair years there. I had some well being issues which led to some surgical procedures after which I simply considered myself as a really fragile, delicate being who was incapable of doing something. After which the pandemic hit in 2020 – as you may recall – and I wrote this music and posted it on my Instagram and a producer who I would labored with as soon as known as and mentioned I’ve to do that music. So, it type of began as similar to somewhat foolish Instagram music after which we turned it into this very grand piece.
What was it concerning the Elvis sound that appealed to you?
Effectively, it is fascinating as a result of, like I mentioned, this was completed some time in the past and my final single ”Be Your Girl” was completed on the identical time. And so, there’s a complete document of songs which are from this world and the sort of in all probability ought to have come proper after I did “High Heels”, which was the beginning of this sort of stay band, huge horn sound.
Nonetheless, as an unbiased artist, my funding was low at the moment and I did not know easy methods to pull off one thing as grand as this. So, it took me time. I am in every single place as a result of I am a real lover of music and creativity and I do not ever need to be restricted to at least one sound, one factor if that is sensible.
And I am the one writing it and driving the ship and I really feel various things name for various sounds. Personally. I do not ever need to be predictable and if you wish to go into it, it is such a entice in fashionable music with the algorithms of streaming companies, the place artists are literally restricted to sort of keep on with the sound they bought standard for, as a result of it is algorithmic. And so, if I bought standard for dance, it might be actually unwise for me to pursue hip hop. I’ve at all times simply sort of completed what I needed. That is my reward to the world.
A few of your influences are – and you’ll see it in your movies and your songs – are Britney, Janet and Mariah. Who’re a few of your different musical influences?
Effectively, for the primary, so it is fascinating, I’d say the primary a part of my releasing music the primary couple years was very a lot impressed, all of it is my internal youngster. Each single factor I do is for me as a child. Okay. Which perhaps, I’ve heard artists discuss and say, oh I write music as a result of it is all I can do or that is the one manner I understand how to speak they usually converse as if that makes them superior as a result of they sing about being brokenhearted.
For me, the creativity comes from issues I needed to do once I was a child and making them occur now. Once I was a child, the Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, all of the girly stuff was stuff I used to be informed I couldn’t do or mustn’t do to keep away from being bullied or no matter, and I agreed with that. This present music is type of the stuff I did on the expertise present. I did Elvis, I did Frank Sinatra, I did The Temptations, so I am reframing that youngster and giving that youngster the second.
Now, I noticed that you simply have been in theater earlier than crossing over into music. What prompted you to make that transition?
Effectively, I grew up in outdoors of Baltimore, Maryland, and I’d say the first entry that I needed to something involving performing was theater. And I believe that is fairly frequent across the nation. It was like do opera or do theater and theater was extra consistent with what I needed to do and I used to be excellent and I ended up going to varsity for musical theater at Syracuse.
I at all times was a pop boy, and even in musical theater college, I excelled once we did modern models or pop models. It was at all times in me, and I began writing songs once I was like eight or 9 years outdated. I did not notice I used to be good at writing songs till Perez Hilton informed me that once we have been doing a musical in Toronto, Canada. He confirmed as much as the theater. I used to be enjoying on the piano and singing little songs I wrote, and he was sort of like, nicely, that is truly official songwriting. , so, it was at all times occurring and I at all times needed it, however it simply requires a lot ego, and I believe I used to be so bruised at that time that I actually wanted any person to open the door for me, which is what theatre does, since you audition and get informed sure or no however as an artist, it’s a must to be the one which constantly simply says, it is me.
You are doing a present, “Simply John”. Are you able to inform me somewhat bit extra about that?
It is fairly fascinating and totally different, undoubtedly from something I’ve completed. It is a one man present. It is a tight one hour, and I primarily inform my life story and my relationship with efficiency. It begins at the start and I sing by means of music that I sang once I was a child. I believe while you see the present go from level A to level Z, you’ll notice, oh my god, every little thing he is doing is sensible…however it’s humorous and it’s I am being very susceptible and open in a manner that individuals have not seen me or perhaps do not count on.
I at all times ask singers this, and I do know it is sort of like a Sophie’s Selection, however out of the songs that you have recorded, do you will have a favourite?
Oh Lord, I’ve I’ll at all times have a tender spot for “Excessive Heels” for a mess of causes. I felt that by way of manufacturing, we really captured pleasure in a manner I have not heard. And to document with Lillias White, the legendary Tony winner, was simply such an honor for me as I would been a fan for a decade previous to assembly her.
You’ve got additionally labored with lots of the Ru ladies. Mariah, Willam and Bianca have been in your video for “Girly” and also you wrote “Do It Like Dolly” for Sonique. How did you get linked with them?
Yeah, [Do It Like Dolly’s] nice. I wrote that and her different music, “Full Me”. I am writing for Adore Delano proper now. I’ve written for Cara Cunningham and Willam and Rylie [Holden] from [the House of] Avalon. Bianca was my next-door neighbor in LA and we turned associates simply as ingesting buddies, actually. And in the future she requested me what I used to be doing in LA. I mentioned, I make music, however on the time I actually wasn’t placing something out. She requested if she might hear one thing and I performed her “Girly” and he or she stopped it after 10 seconds and mentioned, “okay, that is truly actually good. I am used to folks enjoying me full rubbish. How can I show you how to?” I mentioned I need to do a music video and in order that sort of launched it after which when Willam got here into the video and heard the music, he requested, “will you write songs for me?” and that sort of created a domino impact.
Do you take pleasure in writing for different artists or do you favor writing for your self?
I like writing for different artists and there is part of me that may completely quit my complete artist challenge and hand it to any person else in the event that they needed to do that as a result of it is actually enjoyable. I can say not too long ago I have been within the studio with lots of people for them and it’s a lot simpler. As a result of usually with music, what we’re doing is we’re copywriting. We’re decreasing a sense or a phrase to the best type that’s nonetheless distinctive, proper? As a result of if I am writing my very own emotions, I’ll write you an essay. It is vitally exhausting for me to edit that essay all the way down to 35 phrases. However once I see any person else speaking, it is vitally simple for me to edit their ideas to 35 phrases. When another person comes and says, that is what we need to say, it is simple to provide you with the phrase. However while you’re sitting with your personal coronary heart, it’s exhausting to scale back it to easy phrases.
Effectively, you do it fairly nicely, so kudos to you for that.
Effectively, I’m so grateful for my collaborators which have come in recent times to actually assist me be taught. I’ve realized essentially the most from simply watching different folks work.
The brand new single as a part of an album known as Biggest Hits. Is it your biggest hits or is it new songs?
Oh, sure. I imply, look, I do not inform on myself. It is completely the sound that we have been doing with “Be Your Woman” and “Forgotten The best way to F*ck”. It was nearly like imagining a queer artist that by no means bought to exist, nearly imagining what I’d have completed within the 40s, 50s, 60s, even somewhat into the 70s and sort of pulling inspiration from Wayne Newton and Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, the Seaside Boys, Elvis and Liberace.
Implausible. I am trying ahead to that as a result of I actually admire your music. It is nice.
Thanks. It will get extra theatrical from right here, so you may find it irresistible.
Do you will have any plans to go on tour along with your music?
I’d like to. It is fairly fascinating as a result of doing the Satisfaction exhibits, I used to be doing a 30-minute set with backup dancers and screens. And now I am in Provincetown doing a one man present with a pianist. When it comes to branding, they are not truly actually in search of versatile folks. They need the identical factor again and again, so I simply want to determine which one is admittedly the one they need after which I am completely satisfied to tour it.
John Duff’s newest single “Forgotten The best way to F*ck” – and his different fabulous songs – can be found on Apple Music, Spotify, and all digital platforms. Observe John Duff on Facebook and Instagram and take a look at his movies on YouTube.
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