theaussieword.com catches up with US actor and musician Jake Austin Walker.
Give us an introduction. How did it all begin? What had you first interested in music? If I could pin point it to one moment in my life it would be when my father and I where taking a road trip across the country to our new home. My father always loved to make silly songs off street signs and my five-year-old self couldn’t get enough of it, I loved singing along. Beyond that, my grandmas played the classics on a nonstop loop. Frank Sinatra, Sam Cooke, and Otis Redding are some of my favorites that helped build my foundation. I was always drawn to this music over whatever was playing on the radio. Something about it always spoke to me on a deeper level than just listening.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music? Life, people, emotions. To me the best songs always come from the world and how the artist is perceiving it at that time in their life, which is something I’ve been doing a lot recently. Songs are time capsules in a sense, a great song never has an expiration date and I’m always aiming for this with my music.
What are your biggest goals you hope to accomplish as an artist? My greatest goal is for people to genuinely feel something when they are listening to my music. I want it to be a full experience whether it is pain, love, hope, or something new entirely. I want the listener to feel like they are witnessing something special.
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour? We have a new single on the way, “F’ Love,” which is one of my favorites we’ve done so far. It’s just such a fun song. No plans to tour right now, but I’m looking forward to sharing my music on the road.
Tell us a bit about your latest singleand how would you best describe your music? “Last Dance” is my baby. It was one of the first songs I ever wrote and it holds a special place in my heart. I wrote this song during a pretty dark time in my life. However, a quote my father told me stuck with me. “Just because it’s over, doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it,” This led to the line “Can I have this last dance” because at the end of the day when it seems like it was all bad you have to dig deep and remember the good moments even if it’s time to let go. As a whole, I write music for feeling.
Success, what is the secret to it? When writing my music, I aim for a sense of timelessness. The messages I send I feel will be relative years down the line. “Rolling Stones” at its heart is about living and not getting caught up in tornado of life. “Last Dance” as stated before is all about finding the right time to let go before a good thing goes bad. “F’ Love” is a more direct route at romance, I’ll let you guys figure that one out.
What has been your biggest career highlight? My greatest highlight so far has been hearing the fans’ reactions to my first few singles. Knowing there are people out there that relate with and find solace in my music is an unexplainable joy for me because, at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring? This day and age probably Ed Sheeran, Leon Bridges, Justin Timberlake, and of course Bruno Mars. They each have their own distinctive styles and class. When I started playing music I’d always look to them for writing, melodies, and style inspiration. I was obsessed, and still kind of am. Not gonna lie to you!
Any new projects in the pipeline? We always have something in the pipeline. Most of my days are writing and studio, so stay tuned!
The music industry is huge, where do you see yourself a few years from now? I see myself at on the stage as much as possible, ideally hitting the festival circuit. I’ve already picked my stage at Coachella. Definitely playing some shows in Melbourne when I get the chance!
Name a few of your favourite Aussie artists. Being from the south, I obviously have to shout out my man Keith Urban. A few years back I absolutely fell in love with Vance Joy’s music too! What a guy! Raw music, it really hits the heart.
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media. How do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye? Hopping into the music industry has been a whirlwind. I come from a background in acting, so I chose one hell of a time to join the music industry. I think social media is a catch 22. It can be beneficial for the artist and the fans to share a very intimate relationship which I have the opportunity to get to know my followers and talk and share ideas, which is wonderful! At the same time, I think it puts this pressure to keep up with the times and what’s “hot.” Sometimes you’ve got to keep your head buried and stick to the work since it’s all very easy to get caught up in. My goal would be to use my platform to not only be a way to send messages to the masses with my music, but to also create a community of people that share, talk, and help one another.
Thanks for the interview! What final message do you have for us today? Thank you! My final message would be to anyone trying to play music or create: go for it! Don’t take one minute to question it. Start writing, start playing, just get out there. I promise you won’t regret it! Much love!