We’re a sucker for a lot of things and two of those are infectious new songs and infectious new songs with witty wordplay! Luckily, Knox‘s newest track, ‘Love Letter’ has all of that and more! From his fast spread through millions of TikTok views to the direction of his sound, Knox talked to us all about the inspirations of his latest projects, playing his first headline show, and connecting with fans!
Get a peek at his artistry and the inspirations behind his loved songs in our exclusive interview below!
Congratulations on the upcoming release of your new single, ‘Love Letter.’ Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind the song and the story it portrays?
Thank you! I just really wanted to write a song that had a play on words, so I came up with a bunch of ideas and when I came to LA I wrote the song with Spencer Jordan, Jason Strong and Sarah Troy. We came up with the story of a girl going through her kind of comeback villain era, and she’s burning her love letters because she doesn’t need anyone anymore.
‘Love Letter;’ has been receiving attention on TikTok with over 1 million views. How has the response from TikTok users influenced your perspective on the song and its potential impact?
‘Love Letter’ wasn’t supposed to be one of the next songs to come out, I just posted it on TikTok because I hadn’t posted in a while and it was so crazy to see how many people connected with it so fast. A lot of the comments were like, “I needed this right now.” Seeing the response was crazy and unexpected.
You mentioned that the track is produced by Will Carlson and Jason Strong. How did their collaboration contribute to the overall sound of ‘Love Letter?’
I initially made the song with Jason, he came up with the lead guitar in the intro, and then I brought it back to Nashville and Will Carlson heard it, who’s a producer for the band Bilmuri that I’m a huge fan of. I told him to not hold back and do whatever he wanted to do to it. I just wanted to hear his perspective on it. Jason made the blueprint and Will brought in so many cool sounds and a great feel.
Following your EP release, How to Lose a Girl in 7 Songs, earlier this year, how would you say your music has evolved and grown since then?
It’s grown and evolved in many ways. ‘Love Letter’ is the rockiest, hardest song I have so far and the newest stuff that’s coming is more like that sound and were also about to put out a full-blown pop song, and an acoustic song. We’ve dipped into all different flavors of music. I think the new stuff has something for everybody. I think everyone can find a song they love.
Can you share some details about the creative process behind your EP? What themes or experiences did you explore in those songs?
The main thing was we wanted each song to sound different and have a different vibe than the song before. We just wanted to come up with stories that people could relate to. Some of the songs have truth in them, like in ‘Porchlights,’ where I was probably the bad guy in real life.
And you had a headline show in Nashville to celebrate the release of the EP. How was that experience, and how do live performances play a role in connecting with your audience?
It was the greatest day of my life pretty much. It was mind-blowing to see how many people showed up to listen to my songs. I’ve done like 20 shows so far in my whole life and I was always the opener, so I always had to convince people I’m good and worth listening to. To finally play a headline show was great because I didn’t need to do any convincing. We built the songs for the live show, and I think it’s the most important thing. If people love your live show, they’re never going to forget that and are going to come out and keep seeing you. I love performing and we’re stoked to go back on tour soon.
Who would you say are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they impacted your music?
My biggest influences are probably Fall Out Boy, Boys Like Girls, I grew up music like that. Then I was super into singer/songwriters like Ed Sheeran, James Bay, James Arthur, Niall Horan for a while. And I really enjoy LAUV and Jeremy Zucker, Nightly, Valley and Band Camino. My music is like all of that combined. Band Camino really inspired me to write like a singer/songwriter and put it over huge drums and guitars that could fill up a stadium.
You are based in Nashville, which has a rich music scene. How has living in Nashville influenced your music and style as an artist? Are there any particular aspects of the city’s music scene that have had a significant impact on you?
The number one thing is that people take the songwriting so seriously. Nashville really cares about their lyrics and concepts of what they’re writing about. The words matter so much. I’m trying to learn that sometimes simple is sweet too.
@musicbyknox the next 2 weeks are gonna be 🤯💜 #foryou #livemusic #poprock #songwritersoftiktok #loveletter ♬ original sound – Knox
In addition to your music, do you have any other creative outlets or passions that inspire you? How do these influences intersect with your musical career?
I love basketball and being from Ohio, I love Lebron James. He grew up in Akron and became one of the greatest basketball players and role models. He’s been in the spotlight for so long and sets a great example. I try to be like that too. Sports relate to so much in life in general. My parents always encouraged us that if we want to do something, try to be the best at it.
Are there any upcoming projects that you’re particularly excited about? Can you give us a glimpse into what’s next for Knox?
I have a bunch of songs coming out, 1 or 2 might even have a feature. Nobody is ready for how different these songs are! They’re all completely different vibes, completely new. I’m stoked for everyone to hear it.’
2023 is the year of Knox! No matter the genre, we know the song will be a masterpiece! What Knox song is your fave? Let us know in the comments below, or reach out on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
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