New York City-based artist Jack Tracy has released the superb single ‘None Tonight’. We caught up with him for a full interview; enjoy now!
Hi Jack, what is your earliest music memory?
My first memory is sitting in the car seat in my mom’s sedan and hearing Janet Jackson’s ‘Miss You Much’ on the radio. I’ve been a Janet stan ever since.
Who or what got you into music?
I was just obsessed with the radio as a kid. I’d listen every night after school, I’d record songs off the radio, I’d call in and make requests, and I’d vote on the top 10. It was a big part of my life as a kid.
Who influenced your latest release, ‘None Tonight’?
I like to say I am the miraculous white baby of Prince and Janet Jackson. So that’s the sound. The lyrics are based on something that happened to me–someone who I had a great date with didn’t show up to the second date and never responded to a message. A year later, he reached out asking to reconnect, explaining he got back together with his ex. I told him to go F himself. 🙂
What’s the music scene like in New York post covid?
Well, as an LGBTQ+ artist, it’s still very difficult to get into the general music scene; we’re sort of relegated to our bars/clubs. But with that, I’ve been able to get three monthly residences and perform at least five times a month, something that seemed like a pipe dream a year ago. So I’m just pushing more and more.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I mean, dream of all dreams is Janet, naturally. But in terms of potential reality, I am constantly reaching out to other LGBTQ+ artists across the world to do features. I’ll be working with Van Hector from Canada shortly, and I’ve got local artists like Mel Lennon, Bryce Quartz and J’Nomaly on deck.
What’s your dream venue to play?
I mean Madison Square Garden. My shows are high production and high octane choreography. And regardless of where I’m performing, that’s how we do it every time. Fake it till you make it, as they say.
Other than music, what are you passionate about?
I am also an executive producer and have made a feature film–Snowflake–and several web series, including the cult hit History (streaming on Dekkoo and YouTube); but honestly, my favourite project is always a music video.
What changes would you like to see in the music business?
I feel like the dawn of streaming really gave SoundCloud artists, youtube and social media exposure a real chance of success, and now it’s all pay for play and who you’re connected with, so I’d love to see a new place for indie artists who hustle to get discovered by audiences. I’d also like to see LGBTQ+ musicians treated like real musicians. There are so many of us.
How do you feel about how the internet plays a role in today’s music business?
I mean…they’re fake. Everyone I know buys their streams. The only way to get authentic listens is to do the groundwork–hustle, perform, beg, plead, promote…I often perform with drag queens, and I make them take people’s phones in a comedic bit and have them subscribe to my Spotify. You have to force people to pay attention, and if you’ve got the goods, they stick around.
What would it be if you could choose one thing for fans to take away from your music?
There are universal themes between queer artists and mainstream, and just because a guy is singing a love song about another guy doesn’t make the content less relatable. We all go through the same sh!t.
What is your favourite song to play live?
Right now, it’s ‘Fire’–a song that will be on Gold and released in late September. It’s a Janet/Britney dance track where we are starting choreo at 0:00 and ends at 3:00. It is a P-R-O-D-U-C-T-I-O-N.
Your third EP entitled ‘Gold’ is due for release in September. Can you tell us any more?
Much like Lizzo, this is a sampler of the 50 tracks I have written and recorded over the pandemic. I wanted to show versatility and a cohesive album with a narrative. I want people to fall in love with the ‘album’ again because we’re in a singles culture right now. There is something very satisfying with starting with track 1 and listening to it the whole way through because each song catches your attention, and in the end, you come out knowing something personal about the artist. Everything you want to know about me is on Gold.
FVMusicBlog August 2022
https://www.jacktracy.lgbt
https://www.twitter.com/necessoutlet
https://www.instagram.com/jacktracyofficial
Leave a Reply