Andrew McMahon of Something Corporate chatted about their new music, which features their new single “Happy.”
‘Happy’ single
On their new single “Happy,” he said, “I wrote ‘Happy’ with two friends during the pandemic. In the back of my mind it always felt like a Something Corporate song and I decided to hold off producing it for the last Wilderness album.”
“When I spoke about getting back in the studio with the Something Corporate guys came up, I passed it along to the band and we dug in,” he added.
On doing this with Something Corporate, he remarked, “It has been such a joy. I feel like we’ve all grown so much as people and musicians and being back in the studio together was a really beautiful moment to add into this year of shows we’ve been playing.”
Music and songwriting inspirations
Regarding his music and songwriting inspirations, he shared, “I’m a largely autobiographical songwriter. I try to pull scenes from my daily life into larger conversations about what I’m going through at any given moment.”
The digital age
On being an artist in the digital age, he said, “It can be a bit overwhelming. I’ll be the first to admit I appreciated the era when artist’s lives were a mystery and that was celebrated.”
“I think we’re in a bit of a rabbit hole as an industry and a society at large, broadcasting our lives rather than living in the moment. That being said, I love what I do and I’ve found a lane that feels manageable,” he explained.
Future plans
Regarding their future plans, he said, “I’m working through the end of the year with Something Corporate and writing when there are breaks in the schedule.”
“Next year, I’ll be doing some shows with Jack’s Mannequin to celebrate our 20th anniversary and continue to work on new material. I’ve also been developing a couple of TV shows and working on some public speaking opportunities,” he elaborated.
Career-defining moments
On his career-defining moments, he shared, “I think taking the leap and starting new projects will likely be the most defining moments for me. There’s a lot of risk in starting over but it’s been incredibly rewarding on a personal level.”
For young and aspiring artists, he said, “Trust yourself, take chances and work your ass off. Creating for a living isn’t glamorous. If you can accept that and you love the work then you’ve got a shot.”
Closing thoughts on ‘Happy’
For his fans and listeners, he remarked about “Happy,” “My favorite thing about music and art in general is that it can land differently for the individual experiencing it depending on where they’re at in life.”
He continued, “For me, ‘Happy’ is about taking a break from the noise and external pressures of the world. When I wrote it, there was a feeling that everyone was getting roped into the same conversations and missing out on the simple beauty available to them, myself included.”
“It’s not that some of those conversations weren’t incredibly important, but sometimes it’s nice to shut it off for a while and take a walk,” he concluded.
“Happy” is available on digital service providers by clicking here.
To learn more about Something Corporate, check out their website, and follow them on Instagram.
