Artist Spotlight: Interview with Songwriter and Producer “gerard”
Hello gerard! First of all, give a little background into who you are as an artist and person.
Well my name wasn’t always gerard. I’ve been a producer and songwriter for years now under a different name. I’ve done A LOT of music for other artists, but its very unsatisfying not being able to tell your own story. Ghost production and ghost writing are a big part of the game today, especially for artists on the come up, a lot of us tired of not getting the credit we deserve – this is a way for me to take that aspect back and bringing back real artistry.
Being from California, how has the music of other artists out of the region influenced you?
The biggest west coast influence I have in my music is Dr. Dre. The fact that he’s responsible for our sound as a coast is crazy to me. That’s what I aspire to do. Aside from that, a lot of LA artists are talented, but sound the same. Everybody wants to make a song like YG. I just want to be me.
What are you doing to stand out amongst the other rappers in the game right now?
I rap, but I’m not even sure I’d classify myself as a rapper. I’m an artist – I write, compose, produce and arrange everything. A lot your favorite rappers can’t even even pick their own beats, but I’m going to give you something all real, all me, every single time.
It used to be that all an artist needed to do was sell CDs… not so anymore. What’s your strategy for building a core fanbase?
Like I mentioned before, everything I’m giving you is real. From the stories, to the music itself, to the videos – everything’s all real. I want people to hear their struggle in my music, see their face where mine is when they hear my music. From drug dealers to college students, my music relates to who ever.
How did your upbringing influence your art form?
I grew up pretty much split between Anaheim and Compton, CA. If you know California, you these are two completely different places. My perspective on things is different from everyone else because I’ve been on both sides of the fence. I’ve taken losses but also have a lot of great experiences in both cities. But aside from that, my pops stayed on our ass growing up. He really taught us how to get it done no matter the circumstance or event. All this gives me a little bit of a chip on my shoulder, I’m way too competitive and I feel like I’m losing right now.
How would you describe your style?
I don’t think I sound like anyone else. To me, everything I do sounds unique. So I’ll just say “unique.”
From what perspective do your lyrics come?
The perspective of my lyrics comes from someone who’s pissed off about not getting what they worked for. I worked hard my whole life going to school only to graduate college and go right back to hustling because of lack of opportunity. I have been producing music for years and these labels still ask me to ghost produce and ghost write. I just want whats mine, and that more than anything comes out in the lyrics.
Your single “Grizzy” is buzzing at the moment. What is the story behind it?
If I know anything, it’s this grind. I just wanted to make something that spoke to the people who are getting up early everyday to put food on their table. No matter what that grind is. This is the anthem for getting to the money
From a production standpoint, what do you look for when choosing and creating your songs?
I produce all my own music. I mainly choose most melodic beats. Something that can tell a story itself, even without words on it.
What would you say has been your biggest accomplishment so far in your music career?
Without giving away my former name – hearing some songs I produced on XM radio recently for the first time.
Is there any artist you would love to work with? If so, why this artist?
I don’t go out of my way to work with artists anymore. Too much ego. I love working with artists who just want to put together great music. But if I had to choose one person to take a session with, it’d be Dr. Dre. I don’t think that needs an explanation.
What is your opinion about the music industry? What would you chance if you could?
The music industry is way too many egos and way too much politics. We don’t allow the music to speak for itself. Its al about who knows who in the music industry and I guarantee you that “who” doesn’t even how many bars are usually in a verse. It’s backwards.
In the end, let the readers know where they can find you online.
Twitter.com/reallygerard
Soundcloud.com/gerardwashere
gerardwashere@gmail.com
Here more music from gerard.
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