Photo: My New Mixtape
Hi Jarrett, tell us about yourself.
Hi to you as well! I appreciate you reaching out. I would best be described as a lifelong music/sound obsessive. Currently, I’m fortunate enough to be paying the bills by helping others make music and, in my spare time, making music for myself. Outside of music, I have a small but mighty family of 3, in addition to 2 elderly canine squatters.
Tell us about your superb latest release, ‘Who’s Your Daddy?’
“Who’s Your Daddy?” began as a way to stay sane as the world seemed (seems) to be losing its mind. I’m trying to wrap MY mind around how half of the country seems to be psyched about the current political agenda, and conversely, I want to barf when I see/hear Donald Trump do/say anything. His voice and vocabulary are nauseating to me.. probably because I’ve spent so many years recording eloquent singers/communicators in the studio. 🙂
You’ve described My New Mixtape as “existential dread pop” — can you unpack what that means to you, especially in the context of ‘Who’s Your Daddy?’?
I’ve always been drawn to the challenge of making ugly.. pretty. Once you’re happily married, it feels a bit insincere to write love songs (other than “I love my wife and family”), so I turned my focus to a more existential theme. The big question is, “Why are we here?” “Is social media the devil?”.. and that leads to “How can half of the country think this guy (Trump) is cool?”
The single feels both deeply political and deeply personal. Was there a particular moment or conversation that triggered the writing of this song?
It was not a particular moment; it was just a core sadness and frustration. I felt like we had a class assignment, and half the class didn’t read the book, and now we’re all gonna fail. Being super angry with that many people is a difficult thing to file away, so I decided to try to distil it into a song. It’s definitely not the high road. I’m definitely calling folks out. It’s not a place I’m comfortable existing In, but these are unique times.
You’ve had music featured in films, including the Sundance-winning I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore. Do you approach writing for your own releases differently than for film projects?
In the past, I’ve done a fair amount of writing to a prompt, and while it’s an interesting challenge, I don’t think it’s my strongest suit or the most enjoyable form of music-making. If you write/record music from a sincere emotional perspective, you can find other art to coexist with organically, and that’s where I’ve found the most rewarding collaborations.
What role do you think artists should play in today’s political climate? Is there a line between “music as escape” and “music as confrontation” for you?
My goal is to coexist in both worlds. A sort of musical artichoke. I aim to deliver a pleasant enough surface-level experience to hopefully inspire repeated listens. Then, if a listener wants to go deeper, there’s stuff there for them to unearth both lyrically and musically.
As someone based near DC — basically in the political heart of the country — do you feel that geography influences your songwriting or perspective?
I’m a serial non-affiliated. But I do identify with the East Coast. I like the “just enough” discomfort this area provides. But the older I get, the more appealing the “off the grid” lifestyle seems.
How have audiences been responding to the track so far? Have you had any surprising reactions?
I actually lost a studio client as a result of the song. It sucks. But I feel like it’s superlatively important to be on the correct side of history right now than pander to what I believe to be a potentially existential threat to life as we know it. Full stop.
Finally, beyond this single, what’s next for My New Mixtape? Is there an album or a larger body of work on the horizon?
No idea. Like I said before, I’m super lucky to get to make music for and with other people almost every day, so my own music happens when there’s a time and place for something to percolate. But that’s usually about once a season, so stay tuned!
https://www.mynewmixtape.com
https://youtu.be/PSD3rOKEIIk
FVMusicBlog April 2025
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