Jackson Lundy

The musical stylings of Jackson Lundy are simply one-of-a-kind. After gaining critical acclaim for songs like “Calypso” and “Loverboy,” the artist returns today with his latest single, “Mrs. Principal.” The track is a showcase of Jackson in top form, with elements of jazz and indie-pop once again at the forefront. This signature sound is the same one that’s earned the artist over 10 million streams and a devoted fanbase. Now approaching his final semester at Berklee College of Music, he sets his sights on the bigger and better! We recently spoke to him about his recent move to Los Angeles, new music, and more!

Hey Jackson! Thanks for speaking with us today! First of all, welcome to LA! How has the move been for you so far?

Overall it's been great! I moved in the middle of lockdown which was a little slow but really fun to watch the city open up.

This is obviously a huge step for any artist or entertainer. What were some of the reasons for making the trip over?

I've lived on the east coast my whole life and always thought of California as essentially an entirely different country. Aside from the obviously impressive music scene here in LA, I really wanted to try out a different lifestyle and push myself a bit out of my comfort zone.

Let’s get into the new music; “Mrs. Principal” is stellar! How are we feeling now that it’s out?

This tune was such a blast to make so I’m really excited to share it! Releasing any music is a little nerve-racking too but I’ve never released a song like this and that makes me happy.

Walk us through the inspiration for the song!

“Mrs. Principal” is my version of a song like “Stacey’s Mom” or “Jesse’s Girl”. I’ve always wanted to write about a scandalous romance like that and just have fun with a tune.

You worked with Brasstracks on this one. What was it like working with the guys?

I mean it’s always a great experience working with Brasstracks. As soon as I started “Mrs. Principal” I knew Ivan needed to produce it. This was the first (and only) tune that I’ve made in Ableton and I think I did it in the free trial in under an hour. I sent it to Ivan very bare bones with just guitar and vocals and a day later he sent back essentially the version you hear on Spotify. He’s one of the fasted creators I’ve ever worked with.

Is there a favorite bar that comes to mind from the track?

I don’t really know if I have a favorite line. I think this song is unique to me because I purposely tried to put a little less emphasis on the lyrics. I didn’t want to explain the story too concretely and instead hoped that listeners might fill in the blanks with their own interpretations. I also wanted to emphasize the feel and groove of the song. My goal was to make a cheeky, feel-good dance tune.

You describe the song as your own take on Fountains of Wayne’s “Stacy’s Mom.” Who are some other artists that you draw inspiration from when making your music?

I mean the list is endless. Whenever I need a nudge in the songwriting department, I go back through The Beatles, Randy Newman, or Frank Ocean. I listen to D'Angelo and Stevie Wonder when I need to be reminded to focus on making music that just feels good. I love the storytelling of old country, people like Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Loretta Lynn. Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Louis Armstrong were also huge inspirations growing up.

How does the typical Jackson Lundy song come together?

That depends a lot on what kind of song it is and who’s producing it. I would say typically it starts with me writing the entire song on guitar. After I feel like the skeleton is there, I record a demo and do as much production as I feel comfortable with. Once I get the song as far as I can by myself, then I send it over to another producer or mixer and we go back and forth until it’s done.

“Mrs. Principal” seems to showcase the evolution of your sound over the last few years. With that said, how would you describe this change?

I would say that working with Ivan has brought a couple of new elements to my music. Heavier drums, more emphasis on groove, and slightly different vocal production. “Mrs. Principal” is a pretty unique song for me though. I don’t know if I’ll ever make a song like it again which is cool. I like the idea of people going back through my music and finding “Mrs. Principal” and thinking “Woah, it’s cool that he made that”.

Which was your favorite song to perform live and why?

That’s tough because it changes quite often. I’d say either “Loverboy” or my version of “You Are My Sunshine”. People are always caught off guard when I do that one especially because we speed it up and get kinda rowdy.

What are some of your favorite things you like to do outside of the studio?

Since moving to LA, I’ve really enjoyed surfing. When I first got here, LA was in full lockdown so pretty much all I would do was make music the first half of the day then surf the second half. It was pretty great!

Who do you owe your biggest thanks to?

Definitely my parents. They’ve been so supportive through all the ups and downs and are really the reason I’m still doing music. Also my wonderful managers, Nat and Charlie, for showing me the ropes and helping me navigate a pretty wild industry.

What else can fans expect from you in 2021?

We’re actually finishing up a concept project which I’m extremely proud of. 2021 I’m not holding back on releases so stay tuned for a whole lot more new music!

Siena Bella

Chloe Berry