Spotlight Interview with Jake Beau
Jake Beau just unleashed a quirky and sly single that feels like cinematic and alluring, slightly mysterious and a touch of dark honesty that maybe, can only be said in song.
"Pity Party" is a showcase of intelligent songwriting that gives off this tasteful and intricate approach but stays true to the attitude and character it came from.
This track has hooks galore and features a killer array of instrumentation from piano, guitar and keys that all create this sort of gritty but crisp undertone that really has a way of grabbing you.
This single has this heavy-handed pop undertone that is very quickly infectious and the most attention-grabbing part of it all is the lyrical phrasing.
The ay the words are slung together and released is amazing.
It only adds to this sort of swagger the song boasts.
It's really cool how it does have this almost smokey vibe to it. Like a shadow in the corner of the smokey bar talking smack on that person who's throwing their own "pity party".
This was insanely relatable as well., Everyone knows that one person.
With such a great single release, we wanted to have a chat with Beau to find out where this actually came from in the first place.
RAG: Okay so let's start with "Pity Party". The track has such a cool and sort of mysterious atmosphere to it! Where did this single come from?
Somewhere deep within me, that's for sure. While writing it, I was in an intense battle with my mental health and substance abuse that started back during the 2020 lockdown. I knew what I wanted in life and how to get it, but it all felt too overwhelming. I'd waste my time worrying about the future, instead of just taking control and getting things done. I think that a lot of people feel trapped by life sometimes and get into negative thought patterns, which only makes things worse. I wrote this song for myself to push me to start facing my problems head-on, but I'm hoping that it can motivate others too. And, I hope people can just jam out to it, too, because it's a fun listen!
RAG: I'm hearing some great styles on this release. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
It's hard to pick just a few, because I listen to so many different genres. I originally wrote Pity Party with just an acoustic guitar and my voice, and it was definitely inspired by Cage the Elephant and Jack Johnson. For the production, I wanted the chorus to have that sort of flowy, reverby, bouncy vibe, and I took inspiration from artists like Feng Suave, Two Feet, Dominic Fike, Still Woozy, and Childish Gambino (specifically his "Awaken, My Love" album). I always like my music to have deeper meaning and typically a positive message, and I'd say my inspirations there are artists like Kendrick Lamar, Pink Floyd, J. Ivy, Jack Johnson, and Grandson. My playlists for Pity Party on Apple Music and Spotify showcase some of my inspirations, so if you're interested in hearing some specifics, definitely check that out on my Linktree.
RAG: So how did this all begin for you really? When did you fall in love with making music?
Music itself has always been a big part of my life, but for a long time, I was just an avid listener, not someone who played. I played piano for a few years as a kid, but I couldn't get into it for some reason. I started guitar in 8th grade, but it was just a hobby. It wasn't until the 2020 lockdown that I actually realized that music was my true calling. I was studying mechanical engineering before the pandemic, and then I emerged in late 2020 a full-fledged artist. I spent a lot of time alone with my guitar and my emotions. Playing and writing music became the most therapeutic and rewarding thing ever. I already loved creative writing, so when I realized I could channel that talent into songwriting, that's when everything really started to click.
RAG: How many different remixes are there for this single?
No remixes so far, but I would love to have some made!
RAG: What's next for you as an artist?
I have a lot of stuff in the works right now. There's several singles that are fully written, so all I really need to do is hop in the studio and lay them down! I plan on releasing another 2 or 3 singles over the next few months, culminating in an EP release sometime at the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023. The project I'm really excited for is my first concept album, which I just recently finished planning out. I don't want to say too much yet, but this project is gonna be big, so definitely stay tuned for that.
RAG: What inspires you to write a song?
It's always different for every song, honestly. Sometimes, inspiration strikes when I have emotions or issues that need to be worked out. Like I mentioned, music is a form of therapy for me, and I've found that some of the best songs I've written are when I'm at my lowest points. Other times, though, it's exactly the opposite. When I'm doing really well and my mind is clear, I get into this mode where it feels like the song isn't even coming from me, but somewhere else in the ether, and I'm just the one finding it and pulling it out of there.
RAG: What are you doing when you're NOT working on music?
I love getting out in nature, so I hike in the summer and snowboard in the winter. I also absolutely love wakesurfing, which is the only way we land-locked people can get into that surfer flow-state. Lake Powell's my go-to spot for that. I like to read, and just finished a great book called The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. I highly recommend that to any aspiring creatives. It's a must-read, for sure. Photography's another hobby of mine, and I'm just recently starting to get into videography/video production as well.
RAG: Who are you listening to right now?
Kendrick Lamar's newest album hit hard. His albums are always phenomenal, and it seems like he really dug deep into his soul on this one. Right after listening to it, I had the idea for the concept album I mentioned. I've also been getting into Dominic Fike; his Politics and Violence album was fantastic. I really dig his sound, and it's definitely going to influence some of my stuff to come in the future.
RAG: Are you doing live performances?
Yeah! I'm still taking classes in Boulder, so I don't have any tour plans for at least until next summer, but I'm currently setting up several gigs on the local scene. All acoustic for the time being, but in the near future I'm striving for an electric guitar/synth/live-looping style performance for my live shows. They should be some fun shows, so if you're reading this from the Boulder/Denver-Metro area, definitely go ahead and follow me on Instagram, so you know when my shows are happening!
RAG: This single seems like a big undertaking. What kind of advice might you have for other up and coming artists out there?
For sure! Something I've learned from this whole process is that perfectionism is the enemy. A lot of artists swear by the quantity over quality rule, not because they don't like quality art, but because it's a proven science that the more you create, and the more different things you create, the more you can learn and grow as an artist.
RAG: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
Thank you so much for listening!! Musicians couldn't pursue their passion as a job if there wasn't anyone to play for; the fans make the music happen, so I'm forever grateful to all of you listening. Much more to come, so if you're not already, go follow me on my socials so you don't miss anything!