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This interview with Andy Grammer was recorded live during Ari’s book signing event at Barnes & Noble at The Grove in Los Angeles on January 16, 2020. Andy dropped gem after gem after gem for artists, songwriters, and managers on how to approach songwriting, a music career, and just life in general.
Multi-platinum selling pop artist Andy Grammer is all about inspiring and empowering the world by communicating his truths through his music. Grammer is the first male pop star in a decade since John Mayer to reach the Top 10 at adult pop radio on his first two singles. His discography includes a succession of anthemic pop hits, including “Keep Your Head Up,” “Fine By Me,” “Honey, I’m Good.,” “Good to Be Alive (Hallelujah),” and “Fresh Eyes.” His most recent album Naive is home to his latest single, “Don’t Give Up On Me,” which quickly reached the Top 10 on iTunes and is already certified gold.
4:34 – Andy’s journey from before his first album came out
7:27 – How long Andy was performing on the Promenade
11:17 – The importance of giving; it’s about the audience
12:10 – What kept Andy going through the soul-crushing gigs
14:57 – Was there a shift in perception that enabled Andy to leap to the next stage in his career
19:12 – How Andy transitioned from playing the Promenade to doing radio tours
20:52 – Manager as a partner
24:00 – How to know when you’ve reached your threshold
26:57 – Andy’s routine that enables him to crush fear regularly; has the fear ever gotten to be so much that he can’t handle it?
30:27 – Does Andy’s fear ever prevent him from writing new tracks, especially since he’s already written so many hits
32:07 – How Andy knows if he’s written a good song after a session
35:05 – Andy’s co-writing process
41:29 – When he first went into a top-level writing session; what was that like?
42:42 – How he remains humble with all of his success
47:45 – What is branding?
53:47 – Andy’s way of processing songs that he’s written
55:33 – How Andy makes it in the new music business