By popular demand, Knox is back in the hive! We caught up with the ‘After The After Party’ singer to get all the details about his upcoming album, My Midwest Best, dropping on October 2. We also chatted about the importance of designing a really good live show and our fear of waterskiing. What’s not to love!?
GETTING TO KNOW KNOX
Hi Knox! How is your summer going?
I’m at a lake house with like 35 family members right now. It’s been quite a hectic couple of days. But it’s been a good time!
The lake is a prime summer spot!
Oh, it’s the best. The rope swings, the tubing, the whole nine. It’s the best!
I want to ask you about the backyard shows you’ve been doing. Was it in Nashville?
Yeah, it was.
It looked so fun! If you can tell me about it.
It was epic, honestly. Was it last summer? Or maybe it was a couple of months ago. But I remember when All-American Rejects did it, I was like, “We have to do something like that!” My whole goal for this album is to be that new All-American Rejects. The fact that we actually pulled it off and it went as well as it did was awesome. Now, we have to go do it in some Midwest cities.
That would be perfect! Also, your music and your energy work for that type of setting. Do you think it’s something you want to do more of?
Oh yes, we’re trying. We got some small plans that might happen. Obviously, we’ve got a big tour in October, but we’ve got some time before then, so we’ll see.
MY MIDWEST BEST AND EXPERIMENTING WITH A NEW SOUND
Let’s dive into your album, My Midwest Best, which comes out October 2. Without giving too much away, can you let us know what fans should be prepared for?
I would say we definitely took some swings on this record. It’s probably the rockiest album I’ve done. I think the process of making it was the most step-out-of-the-comfort-zone and let’s see how far we can push a certain thing. It’s definitely different than anything I’ve ever done before. So, I’m excited! A little anxious. It was a good time making it.
In the studio, was that intentional? Were you shooting for a rock sound, or is that just what came out?
My first album is called Going, Going, Gone, and I said: “I just don’t want to do that again.” I don’t want to put out an album that is the same. No rinsing and repeating. From the get-go, that was one of the goals. To do something that I haven’t done before.
Amazing. You’re in Nashville, but you’re from Ohio, right?
Yes, Dayton.
Can you give me a little rundown of what is considered Midwest core?
Dude, okay, this is going to sound really dumb, but there is a song called ‘Ohio Is For Lovers’ by a band called Hawthorne Heights. When I think of anything Midwest, that is the song. It has one of the most iconic guitar riffs to start the song. We took a lot of inspiration from rock bands I grew up on. My goal for this album was to simply make an album for my childhood. The soundtrack of what I grew up listening to- if you could just slide my album in with all of those, that’s the goal with it. Did that answer the question?
Yes, for sure! I feel like that’s smart because I feel like a lot of your listeners are similar to your age, like myself, and we want to hear that sound.
Yeah, the nostalgia, you know! Nostalgia is such a thing that’s in right now.
My goal for this album was to simply make an album for my childhood.
Knox said
It very much is. So, we touched on Going, Going, Gone. I was curious about how this upcoming album is different from Going, Going, Gone, and how you’ve changed as a person since that time but also how you’ve changed as a musician.
As a person, I feel like I know what I want more when it comes to the music and what I want my artistic projects to be. The difference creatively is that the songwriting is much more mature. I think one of the things I really wanted was to make songs that grow with me. One of my biggest songs, ‘Sneakers,’ I love that song so grateful for what it has done for me. But I feel like when I’m 35, it’s not going to feel like it’s grown with me. Lyrically, it’s [the album] a lot more mature than anything else I’ve done. Musically, we wanted it to be, and this might sound silly, but we wanted it to be more musical in general. Having more moments to let music be music and not always putting words on top of it. When we made the record, so much of the live show was taken into consideration with just how we structured and formed the songs. Doing that was a fun process and a learning process. I was learning about all these things while being in the studio; it was a really good time and could be extremely challenging sometimes.
My real answer is that I don’t have a clue what I’m doing, just like everyone else. I’m just trying my best.
Knox said
I feel like when I listen to your songs, I catch that you are good at wordplay. For example, using the last word in the sentence to begin the next sentence. I was wondering if that style is intentional and if you enjoy writing that way?
That’s definitely how I used to write; that was always the goal. On this [My Midwest Best], I feel like there’s not as much. For example, I feel like I’ve always written my songs very Nashville style. I tried not to do as much of that as I normally do, but at the end of the day, being someone who is a songwriter, I do love writing that style. I want to say there might only be one or maybe two songs that have that cleverness to them. I’ve written like that so many times, so I’m trying to try new things. But I do love that style.
It’s fun as a listener and catching it for the first time. It’s a fun experience. But I am excited to hear what you have new, and especially, when it comes to the lyrical style, I’m really excited to hear it.
Oh, thank you!
Yeah, of course! So, one thing I love to ask people is about how you market yourself as an artist. You’re really good at using social media as the tool that it is. Right now, in the era of viral audio, it’s so interesting to learn how people use the internet as a tool for marketing. Can you talk about that?
Man, I think it’s so funny. I like when people ask me this, because I feel like I say the same thing. The internet changes every single day. Anybody who says they have the internet figured out, I think they’re crazy. Every day is like waking up and trying something new and different. Thankfully, the internet has always treated me well. I’ve had things work, and I’ve had things not work. Every day is a toss-up; you never know. That’s the beauty in it. Now, on TikTok, music never dies. You have these old songs from back in the 90s that are re-entering the Hot 100 charts! I think that’s one of the hugely positive things about TikTok and the internet. The music can last forever. You can promote any song at any time, and one day you can wake up, and it latches on. My real answer is that I don’t have a clue what I’m doing, just like everyone else. I’m just trying my best.
In terms of how easy it is to have a song blow up, do you think that makes your job easier or harder?
I think it makes it harder because then when they don’t blow up, you’re like, “Wait, why did this not blow up?” I would say it probably makes it harder.
Do you have any songs that blew up that you didn’t think would?
Every song I’ve had blow up is one of those. Then songs that I’m like “this is the freaking one,” do nothing. My song at the top of the year, ‘Go For Broke,’ that was a song that was honestly a total accident. It was a beautiful accident, and I’m glad it happened, but at the time I was not posting a lot on the internet, because I just got home from tour. But, as a songwriter, I’m in the studio every day. No matter what, every single day. ‘Go For Broke’ was just one of those that we made. I thought it was pretty good, but I didn’t think it was a freaking smash. We posted it, and in two days it did a million views. They are always big happy accidents.
The only thing that mattered was these songs and seeing smiling people in the crowd. There’s nothing like it.
Knox said
GOING ON TOUR
Let’s talk about tour a little bit. You announced it yesterday, which is so exciting. It’s your first headline tour, right?
It’s my first big tour of this size and going to different countries. I’m pretty stoked.
I saw that you’re going to Australia; have you ever been there?
No, first time!
So exciting! I’m curious to know what expectations you have for this tour, if any. Anything you’ve learned from your previous tours that you plan to bring into this tour?
I would say for expectations, it’s more expectations for myself. I think the show is going to be really unbelievable. I have crew guys who are about to start building the show right when I get back from this trip. We’re really trying to level it up. Most shows I’ve done before, it’s been very much, okay, let’s play a song, then I’ll talk, then I’ll play another song, or maybe I’ll play two songs in a row without talking, you know what I mean? This time, we want to make it a concert experience. These are the biggest rooms I’ve ever done. We want to make a show that will fit in the next step up. I saw Twenty One Pilots one time and thought, “There’s a lot I need to fix.”
I’ve never seen them, but I’ve heard their shows are incredible.
It literally blew my mind. It blew me away; they were unbelievable.
The first time I saw you perform was with The Band Camino.
Oh, awesome! Where at?
In Raleigh, North Carolina.
Oh, what a great show! That was our last show and our last day before we played Lollapalooza. That was a frickin’ fun show.
It was so fun! Your set was my favorite of the whole night.
Awe, dude, thank you. Hey, I won’t tell the guys.
Well, obviously they are great too! Was there anything from working with them that you learned about touring?
Oh gosh, there’s so much. I learned a lot about how to connect with your fans, and also I learned how important the show was. Having a really, really, really good and undeniable live show is more important than anything else. You can have the biggest song on the radio, and if people come to see you, and the song doesn’t move them, then…the whole point of music is to move people. There’s no better place to do it than in a live setting. The Band Camino are so unreal live. Their set looks amazing, and it sounds amazing. I learned from them how important that aspect is. I feel like every day, they are the bar. I freaking love those guys.
I agree that a live show is super important. You can also have experiences where you hear a song you don’t love on the radio, but then you see it live, and it changes. Being able to tap in, in that way, is super important.
That happened to me. I saw Reneé Rapp at a festival one time. I was not tapped in on her actual music. Her freaking live show? Oh my god. She’s crazy.
Her vocals go crazy.
Insane. She’s like a proper performer. She could perform on Broadway.
Oh, she did!
She did?!
She was in Mean Girls.
Oh, she’s different.
She’s a theatre kid. That’s how you know. The theatre kids always go crazy. Coming back to the stage – do you think your onstage persona as Knox is different than your at-home persona as Knox Morris?
I like to say so, then every single person I meet tells me I’m exactly the same. I would say they are totally different. Onstage, when I’m out in front of people, I give a spas energy, and I’m all over the place. At home, I’m not like that. I’m lazy. I’m in this house, on vacation, and I’m just watching a two-hour movie in the middle of the day. I think I’m different, but everyone else says no.
Do you get nervous on stage at all? Or does the stage feel like home to you?
No, it is home. There is no other place I’d rather be. And I don’t really know why or how it happened. I remember the first show I ever did; I opened up for The Band Camino in George Theater. The night before, I was like, “Oh my god, what if they hate me?” I never played anything like that, so I was so scared. I remember stepping onstage; everything just went away. The only thing that mattered was these songs and seeing smiling people in the crowd. There’s nothing like it.
On that first show, were you surprised that people were singing your lyrics back to you?
Oh yeah, it was crazy! The first time you see anyone listen to your music, it hits you. It’s kind of confusing, like, “you guys are listening to my songs?” I feel like that never gets old. We could be playing in New York in Webster Hall, and it’ll say sold out, and we know all the tickets are sold. It’ll be three hours before the show starts and I’ll still feel that feeling of “I hope people show up. I hope they actually come.” I feel very lucky when it comes to the live stuff and being able to play shows.
Well, it’s only up from here!
I appreciate it. We’ll see!
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Just for fun – what’s one thing on your summer bucket list?
This might sound dumb. I’m 28, so I should be capable of this, but my mom is here at the lake, and she really wants me to ski behind the boat. I’m gonna get up on skis tomorrow and see if I can do it. I’ve never done it before, so we’ll see.
That’s fun. I’ve never waterskiied either; I’m scared. But it looks fun.
As I said, I’m not like lazy, but I’d rather be in the boat and watch.
Same, or like on the tube in the back.
Yeah, exactly. We’re going to give it a shot! We will see how it goes.
Thank you so much for chatting with me. I had a really lovely time getting to know you more. Do you have any final thoughts for fans and our readers?
Please go listen to it [My Midwest Best]! I think it’s the best collection of songs I’ve ever made. It took a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. I know people say that, but it was a process to make this album. One that we really cared about. Please listen to it; that would mean the world.
Yay! If you could recommend one of the singles for them to listen to, which one would you want?
The next one. I’m really excited about it.
Thanks again to Knox for an amazing conversation! You can pre-save My Midwest Best here and get tickets for any of his upcoming live shows here. If you enjoyed our conversation with Knox, let us know! You can find us buzzing on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Find even more Knox content here, honeybee!
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