Stealing Glances

Jamison Song is a name slowly being known outside the music industry. You probably have heard of her in some form through you favorite artist, working with the likes of Maroon 5, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, and Paramore—just to name a few. But now she’s attempting to make her own mark beyond the studio walls.

Her debut album released earlier this year titled, Your Favorite Song (full title: Your Favorite Song (Music For Lovers and Heartbreakers—It’s Our Story)). With her storytelling lyrics to diverse range of sounds, it’s no wonder she has been receiving praise from critics and colleagues alike as well as rapidly gaining a solid fan base.

Currently on the ‘Lonely Hearts Tour’ with music veterans Brendan Benson and Butch Walker, I sat down with backstage with the 25 year-old music extraordinaire (along with Butch Walker and Brendan Benson eventually joining in) in her hometown of San Francisco and had a long conversation (eventually over sandwiches) about life, her beginnings, transitioning from producer to musician (and all her other endeavors in between), songwriting, the person that inspired her album, and her hopes for the future.

INT: First off, how has your first tour been so far for you?

Jamison Song: It’s been good. It was weird to be outside the studio for so long… but it’s been another kind of experience of it’s own and meeting all these new people and things has been quite wonderful.

INT: You have done more than most 25 year-olds or even 40 year-olds would do in their lifetime. How did you even get involved with music?

Jamison: I was always just a huge music appreciator and at an early age one of my favorite things was to go in the car because that meant I got to listen to the radio and just listening to it, it sparked some emotions inside of me and made me feel things. I didn’t really grow up with the classics like Neil Young, Elton John, and Cher… I found that out later in life. I actually grew up listening to a lot of 90’s pop, hip-hop, and R&B before diversifying myself.

But eventually when I got older, I realized I have no feasible talents [laughs] and emailed Matt [Squire] asking if I can intern for him. I told him I’d do anything from bringing him coffee to cleaning the studio, if he could just show me how music was made… and that’s where it all really began.

INT: Your first project was actually co-producing the infamous debut album for Panic! At The Disco, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out. How did that come about and how did it feel to take on such a project as your first?

Jamison: I was 16 at the time and it scared me shitless. I had spent 2 years “interning” for Matt, which essentially just became like private lessons in exchange for helping around the studio. But Panic! was already such an anticipated band even before their first record so it was a huge deal for everyone. The label didn’t even know I had produced it until after they heard the final cuts I did before it went into mixing. But I mean I had help set up for recording and did little things here and there before then and for that record. I eventually became close with the guys—they’re still close friends of mine to this day. Even Brendon [Urie] drummed on a track on the record and came by the studio often to provide snacks and for moral support. But our friendship helped with them essentially trusting me to produce the second half of that record. There was a lot of jumping with eyes closed and everyone taking a leap of faith with each other.

INT: It worked out very well. So, did that spark your desire to pursue a career in producing?

Jamison: It did but not in the way you would think… I honestly wasn’t the best student growing up. I just—I didn’t do very well in the school environment in every way possible. I was failing school and at a really bad place in my life with my parents, they didn’t know how to empathize with me therefore I just always kept to myself. Mix that in with not really having any friends. It was a hard time for me to ever open up to anyone till Matt took me into his home as well as the studio and it went from there.

Being in the studio was the only really consistent thing I enjoyed doing and could focus my attention on. I never really thought it’d became a career until Matt started giving me more responsibility and paying me for the work I was doing. Then he started introducing me people like Butch [Walker], Brendan [Benson], Neal [Avron], and so many others to kind of mentor me and help me better my craft and just learn. One day, it just became my career like no big moment or anything really—just a seamless transition into it. Sometimes, I feel like this found job me to show me who I am and to value myself.

INT: Was it ever hard for you because of your young age to get work? Or even being a girl in this male-dominated industry? Did it feel like no one ever took your seriously or respected you?

Jamison: To an extent, I don’t think I ever had the mindset of wanting to prove myself to anyone. And I think that’s thanks to just the people I surrounded myself with, they never let anyone treat me in such a way. Sure, when I got older I had times where certain people were reluctant to work with me but also; I think my body of work spoke for itself. I was really fortunate with the opportunities I got and I never let them go to waste—I always utilized every chance I got to just broaden my horizons.

But I think not so much age but being a girl in this industry is hard—especially as a producer because there is so few of us. But I always had the support of so many well respected people that I never felt like my age or gender brought me down.

INT: You’ve been very blessed. Even your backing band consists of some of the best people in the industry [laughs].

Jamison: Isn’t that insane? [laughs] I got Butch Walker and Brendan Benson on guitar, Jake Sinclair [of The Films] on bass, and Adam Blake [of The Films] as my backing band on this tour—my first tour. And everyone besides Adam is doing double duty since they are also on the bill. I’m so grateful that they are with me on stage. I don’t think I could do it without them. And that’s why, I always try to work hard to keep what I have going and not just wait for opportunities to be handed over to me.

INT: How did you transition into co-writing songs from producing?

Jamison: That was just kind of a natural progression. Being in the studio and monitoring artists do their thing. They ask you for your opinions and what they could do to make whatever they’re working on better. It becomes a collaboration of sorts and it turns into something.

INT: So, did songwriting inspire “Love Is All” come about? [Short story collaboration w/ John O’Callaghan of The Maine]

Jamison: John and I were hanging out one day and I was working on something for a writing session I had. We worked really well together when I was helping produce The Maine’s fourth studio album, Forever Halloween that he said he wanted to work with me beyond on producer’s aspect—he said it’d be interesting, even if it were just for fun.

John had already written Exultation (a series of poems) and I had mentioned I wanted to see what he could do beyond writing songs or poems. Somehow that lead to him suggesting we write a short story together. It was almost a year of us writing together and no one saw what we had done till I was leaving for Australia. It was something that was just ours for so long it’s even weird to think about now—realizing that it’s out there in the ether for people to read.

INT: How did you end up working as musical director for “The Voice Australia” and Maroon 5 as well as a guest lecturer for Southern Cross University?

Jamison: Paul [Mirkovich], who is the musical director of “The Voice US”, Adam Levine, and Joel Madden who are both judges on “The Voice US” and “The Voice Australia” respectively, had recommended me for the position as musical director for The Voice Australia. As for Maroon 5, I had worked with them previously—we’re good friends and their regular musical director Adam Blackstone was on tour with Rihanna and they asked if I would join them.

INT: What was that like moving to another country? Did you struggle a lot? Was it hard transitioning from being in the studio all the time to TV, lecturing, or tour?

Jamison: Australia is a beautiful country—the scenery, the people, everything about that place is just lovely. Moving there was hard at first, you move to another country, it’s essentially learning how to live again. But it’s such a welcoming place that the transition wasn’t too hard.

Work wise— it was daunting at first cause TV is a whole other playing field. But more so, I think what scared me was I was now conducting a band and performing on national TV. I was working 16 to 18 hours days most of the time. There were songs to prepare for, interfacing with the coaches and the contestants, rehearsing with the contestant, recording for iTunes, rehearsals for live shows, then show days. It was intense but also a great experience. I think that helped prepare me a lot when it came to performing with Maroon 5 and helping them with their live shows.

I think it even helped me with lecturing—you know working so closely with contestants on “The Voice”, you grow this sense of wanting to guide them to whatever they want to do and I think that’s what I put a lot of when I did my lectures. I always made sure I was available for questions or sharing my experiences with them because—I think we’re all made to inspire one another in some way or form.

[Butch Walker walks in and Jamison invites him to join the interview with us as he’d have insight and embarrassing stories to tell]

INT: Did you do anything after your stint on “The Voice” or Southern Cross University?

Jamison: I got offered to do another season but I was just mentally exhausted from it all and I got a proposal to work with 5 Seconds of Summer on some potential tracks. They had told me they were fans of my work so I did that but actually that ended up being handed over to my partner in crime Jake [Sinclair] and he produced their first single and album. I just went back home after that and made my album.

INT: So, how did making an album come about?

Jamison: I had these songs written and even recorded a few on my laptop during my time in Australia. So, when I had come back to the states, after doing stuff for Maroon 5, “The Voice” and guest lecturing at SCU (Southern Cross University) I met up with Butch and Brendan. It had been a year since I had seen them and it was much needed to be around family after being away from them for so long. We were in the studio catching up and life and work cause we’re all workaholics to a certain degree—I know I am more than most…

Butch Walker: No, I am too… [laughs] I hate admitting that.

Jamison: I was actually reluctant to show them what I had been working on cause… it’s scary the whole making music thing beyond producing and co-writing or even doing guest vocals. But if I could show anyone what I had been doing, they were some of a very few. I remember playing them the demo to “A Case of You” and [looks over at Butch]… can I say what happened?

Butch: What? Oh! Yeah… no totally, go ahead.

Jamison: After I had played them “A Case Of You”, I was scared out of my mind about what they would think of me but Butch was actually tearing up… and Brendan was choked up a bit too but he was holding it back better than Butch was [laughs].

INT: [Laughs] The two musicians known as some of the most badass people in this industry were in tears?

Jamison: Yeah [laughs]… and I was like “Oh man, my music is so shitty they’re actually in tears I should just have stuck to what I was doing…” and internally freaking out till the both kind of looked at each other not saying a word and nodded like they knew what the other was thinking before Brendan had said—the first thing he had said was, “What can we do to help you make a record?” and that’s how the whole thing started.

Butch: “A Case of You” just really moved me… the words, she sang the song with such conviction, the story behind it, just everything about it… honestly, Brendan and I had only hoped one day she would attempt to do this and we knew after she played us that song— it was time. And us being the selfish old farts that we are… we wanted to be apart of that in anyway.

Jamison: Like this album couldn’t have been done without Butch, Brendan, Jake [Sinclair], Neal [Avron], Matt [Squire] Billy [Mann], and so many other people… friends I had worked with and respect so much as musicians, they all invested so much into helping me make this album.

Butch: I know all of us wanted to give her all the resources we had whether it’d be playing on it, studio time, production, songwriting, connections, money, or just… a limb [laughs]. We would’ve given her anything she wanted…

INT: I guess it helps being so close to such big name people in the business [laughs]…

Jamison: I’ve fooled them into so many things… letting me into their lives and studios. This might be the biggest thing yet… [laughs]

Butch: I’m willing to be a fool for Jamison Song. I’ll go on record with that statement.

[Brendan Benson walks in with lunch, hands each of us a deli sandwich before taking a seat and joining us for the interview]

Jamison: Brendan! Talk about how I fooled you into helping me make an album.

Brendan Benson: She did fool me… but we can also talk about how matching tattoos we got the other day [laughs].

Jamison: We got these matching tattoos in LA to commemorate our love for each other and in honor of this tour.

Butch: Totally not cheesy [laughs].

Brendan: It actually doesn’t look lame or anything.

[The three show off their heart tattoos on the corner of their hands]

Butch: Lonely hearts club…

INT: That’s awesome. Your Favorite Song is a concept album or sorts—the journey of a relationship. Is it autobiographical or are you just telling a story?

Jamison: It is as honest as I can get… it’s very autobiographical.

INT: Where did the inspiration for that come from?

Jamison: During my year away, I spent most of my nights in my apartment replaying memories in my head with the person that this album is about. At some point I wondered if I had gone crazy. So I started writing down my thoughts and they turned into the songs that are on this album—some of them from his point of view and some from mine. It did help me have a better understanding of where things went wrong. How I was wrong to hurt this person… it was all very cathartic. I guess this is my ode to the person—he pushed and hoped one day I would make an album. I wouldn’t be right here, right now if it wasn’t for him.

INT: He sounds like such a driving force and important person in your life—even now. Is there a reason why you two went your separate ways?

Jamison: To be honest, it’s all because I didn’t want to hold this person back… and frankly, I was afraid too of what was to come between us—I didn’t like the idea of knowing it could possibly end. I cared about him too much as a person so I thought I did what was best at the time. My good friend Andrew [McMahon] said something to me that really resonates with me. He told me, “It’s funny how the words we never say turn into the only thoughts we know…” I find that to be so true. All my fears and things became the only thoughts I knew and I just pushed him away and ran far away.

INT: Do you ever doubt or regret the path you’ve chosen thus far?

Jamison: I’d be lying if I said I haven’t. I sometimes think about certain decisions I’ve made in life. This industry can be overwhelming at times and it eats you up without you even realizing it. You sacrifice a lot—not seeing loved ones often, missing birthdays, and all your attention is on the project at hand. But this is the life I chose and I feel like I owe music everything, so I’m going to give it my everything cause I know I won’t be able to repay it for all it’s done for me—not in this lifetime.

INT: What are your hopes and dreams for the future? Do you have any goals you’d like to achieve? Make another album perhaps?

Jamison: I don’t know. I think that’s what exciting— the unknown. I don’t want to rule out making another album but it seems a bit unlikely. I don’t know if I have anything else to say… but who knows.

I hope and dream about a lot of things though… more on a personal level than professionally. But I’ll take what comes to me and see where it leads me to.

INT: Do you have any other plans of touring after this?

Jamison: I actually have no idea… if I did, I’d have to find a new band cause Butch and Brendan have to go back into the studio. Jake too… unless I could borrow him from Butch [laughs].

Butch: You’ll have to pay me $2056.62 a day to rent Jake Sinclair.

Brendan: I need you back in the studio so you can’t leave me [laughs]

Jamison: [laughs] Who knows, maybe…

INT: I wanted to ask— do you get stage freight when you perform?

Jamison: Oh god, yes [laughs]. I worry a lot about my performances since I have no real experience in performing. I don’t have the energy and dance moves like Hayley Williams, the stage presence of Patti Smith, or Gwen Stefani… and many other wonderful female artists. So before this tour, I studied a lot by watching performance videos of all my favorite artists and have been trying to incorporate my own flair into my performance but luckily also, hiding behind the keyboard for some songs helps [laughs].

Also, Pink gave me some amazing advice and pointers on performing—working energy off with your band and sing like you’re singing to that person you wrote the song for. She’s the best. I think more and more now I’m getting the hang of it all—when in doubt, I just imagine I am doing karaoke with a backing band, which helps a lot [laughs].

INT: I think that’s all the questions I have to ask. Do you have any last words?

Jamison: Not really. But thank you for this interview—it was very therapeutic, I should have paid you [laughs]. Also, I hope the sandwich was alright [laughs]. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me ramble.

INT: No, thank you so much for opening up and sharing you thoughts. I am looking extra forward to the show now after this interview.

Jamison: I really hope you do enjoy the show tonight. I promise I’ll try hard to make it an extra good one for you.