Hey Bower and welcome to BuzzMusic! We know that you have quite the story to tell, from moving to Miami to now being based in Los Angeles. Would you mind telling our readers how you got your start in music?
My father is a drummer (by hobby) and had a cover band that would rehearse at our house when I was really little growing up in Miami. That was my introduction to the world. Naturally, drums were my first instrument which I started learning around 10 years old. When my Dad handed me the sticks for the first time I remember he said "This will probably take over your life now" and I thought that was the odd cause at the time I was obsessed with the ocean and dreamed of being a Marine Biologist one day. It only took about a year or two before music completely took over.
I later went on to learn guitar, bass, and piano. Throughout middle school, high school, and college, I was in a million bands. We would tour and play all over Florida just having fun and not really thinking about where it was going. I eventually decided if I wanted a lasting career in music, I should study it at a higher level. I applied to some schools and ended up getting my Master's Degree in Jazz Studies from The University of New Orleans. I think New Orleans has the strongest tradition of music of anywhere I've ever been and I absorbed so much while living and studying there. Learning how to hang and swing with the scene down there was undoubtedly the toughest challenge I had ever faced. I wanted to learn how to improvise and play Jazz but I always knew I'd return to a more Pop setting at some point. After I graduated, I moved to LA where I got the chance to tour with some well-known artists such as Vance Joy, Amy Shark, and Jaymes Young. Those first few years in LA, but mostly on the road, went by so quickly and I had some incredible experiences traveling all over the world and playing at festivals like Coachella and ACL, on television on Good Morning America, and even opened for Taylor Swift's 1989 World Tour. This is when I connected back into the Pop world and learned more about the industry side of things. I loved every second of being on the road but my underlying goal had always been to succeed with a project of my own like I had done when I first started playing music as a kid. I eventually pulled back from the session work and began focusing all my time on my own music. I released my debut EP 'Rookie Card' in 2018 and have been releasing singles off my forthcoming EP over the last year. Queen of the Weekend is the third single. It's been a struggle starting from scratch but I'm happy with the progress and really enjoy the work. My experience has really come full circle returning to my own music and I'm looking forward to where that's taking me next.
Tell us about the woman you sing about in your new single "Queen of the Weekend"
"The Queen of the Weekend" is a girl we all love to hate but secretly want to be (or be with). She's the party queen who has a reputation for unapologetically ruling the weekend. She's bratty, vain, and reckless but also fierce, attractive, and essentially at the top of her game. It's a character who I think appears one dimensional on the surface but is actually quite complex and how you judge her has a lot to do with your own insecurities. There are those who shamelessly worship her while others judge and mock her yet can't seem to look away whether it be at a bar/club or on social media. Personally, I just find her fascinating for the phenomenon that she is and although I don't necessarily share all of her values (or lack thereof), I respect her power.
"Queen of the Weekend" has a groovy, dance vibe. Tell us about the vision you had for the song and what inspired you to write it?
I have a lot of different approaches to writing depending on the song. Queen of the Weekend definitely started with the idea of the character and the lyrics. Once I had that established I focused on the vibe and instrumentation. I knew it had to be upbeat and funky but also simple enough to let you focus on the words. I collaborated with my good friend Sam Woodbury who co-produced the song. We drew a lot of inspiration from artists like Nile Rodgers, Daft Punk, Jamiroquai, Chromeo, and some of the more recent Calvin Harris releases. It needed to be a bit of a party anthem and I think the Neo-Disco aesthetic takes it there while also giving it a classic feel.
As you're based in Los Angeles now, has this inspired you while creating new music? What are some of your favorite things about Los Angeles?
I absolutely love Los Angeles. I've wanted to live here ever since I first visited and now that I'm settled in I can't think of another place I'd rather be. What initially drew me to LA was the culture/lifestyle. I'm very active and love surfing, snowboarding, hiking, and things of that sort which is abundant here. The weather is perfect, the food is diverse and very progressive (I'm a vegetarian), and it was one of the first places to have medical (now legal) marijuana. I honestly didn't know much about the music scene when I first moved here but was blown away by the opportunities and the overall scale of the industry. I think it's really peaking right now with so many new breakout artists based here and I feel like I'm at the forefront of where Pop music is going. There is no shortage of talented people to collaborate with. It's very inspiring, just driving me to work hard and create every day
Thank you for talking with us Bower, and congratulations on your new song! When can we expect the next move from you, we can't wait to hear what's next from you!
Thank you for doing a feature on my music! I've been following BuzzMusic since my early days in LA and feel like it's a great source for staying connected to the scene here especially when I'm away on tour or something. My next move is releasing the rest of my second EP. As I mentioned, 'Queen of the Weekend' is the third single from the EP and I've got another 3-4 unreleased songs that are currently getting finished. My goal is to have the whole EP out by early summer. You can always keep up with me online about upcoming shows in the meantime.
Listen to "Queen of the Weekend" here.
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