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Chatting with Paul Anka: Iconic music star and TikTok sensation

Living music legend and Tik Tok sensation Paul Anka chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about his new album “Making Memories” (released on Green Hill Productions) and “Put Your Head on My Shoulder,” his duet with Olivia Newton-John.

Paul Anka
Paul Anka. Photo Credit: Paul Anka Productions
Paul Anka. Photo Credit: Paul Anka Productions

Living music legend and TikTok sensation Paul Anka chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about his new album “Making Memories” (released on Green Hill Productions) and “Put Your Head on My Shoulder,” his duet with Olivia Newton-John.

New album

Anka just celebrated his 80th birthday, which coincided with his “Making Memories” album, a new collection of reimagined classics and new recordings. On the heels of the 50th anniversary of “My Way,” Anka duets with Michael Bublé and Andrea Bocelli on a new version of the classic hit; moreover, the album features new songs written by Anka. “I hope the fans are emotionally touched by this album, and it does something to enhance their life for a moment where they can be inspired,” he said.

As one of the last remaining artists to work with the Rat Pack, Anka shows no signs of slowing down after nearly eight decades in the music business. 

On the song selection process for the new album, he said, “COVID gave me the opportunity to just sit down and write, which I did. Out of the 30 that I wrote, I narrowed it down to the ones that I liked, and then, I had to make a decision based on the TikTok success. Those were the criteria for the basis of it.”

He listed his new version of “My Way” as one of his personal favorite songs on the album due to the “historical value of it.” “Two of the greatest artists in the world, Andrea Bocelli and my buddy Michael Bublé are on it,” he said. “That was the most unexpected entry out of all the songs that came to fruition.”

Olivia Newton-John duet

“Put Your Head on My Shoulder” debuted at No. 1 on the Amazon Adult Contemporary chart. This makes him one of the few music legends to have a hit record in every decade over the last seven decades. “Olivia is a great artist and a good human being,” he said. “She did a phenomenal job stepping up and doing it. We did it in a very romantic type of sound that fitted her style.”

In addition, the original 1958 recording of this classic hit went viral on Tik Tok with the #SilhouetteChallenge, which to date has garnered 65 million views with over 714,000 videos created by Tik Tok users around the world including celebrities Jason Derulo, Cardi B, Lizzo, Tiffany Haddish, Common, and La La Anthony among others, introducing Anka to a new generation of fans and listeners.

Digital age

On being an artist in the digital age, he said, “It’s probably a little more emotional for me, and it got a strong, emotional vibe to it. Newer artists are more born into it. We need to embrace it and enjoy it since it’s not going to change. I embrace all of that big time. Would I ever thought 30 years ago that I would be on something called TikTok? No.”

Dream duets

Anka has been hailed as the “Justin Bieber of his time,” and to this day, he continues to inspire and influence many musicians – from Drake to The Weeknd to Michael Bublé to Michael Jackson, all of who share respect and admiration for Anka and his music. 

He listed Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Beyonce, and Sting as the artists that he would love to someday collaborate with. “There are some talented people out there,” he said. “There are a lot of artists that I do respect.”

Longevity

Regarding the key to longevity in the music business, he responded, “I don’t think there is longevity for the majority of the artists out there, especially today. It’s a different world today, especially with what is going on with COVID, politics, and no work. The key for me has been staying very focused, and if it’s a passion or need, be very professional about it. The No. 1 thing is the health factor, then you have a shot at longevity if you keep the love and integrity for it.”

For young and aspiring artists, he said jokingly, “Learn to be an accountant.”

In 2020, Anka wowed the judges and audiences alike during his time on the hit reality television competition show, “The Masked Singer.”

On the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “Neverending.”

Anka defined the word success as “family, those in your life that care, and not losing sight of where you came from.” “I don’t base success on sales and money since all you are getting out of that stuff is freedom,” he explained.

“Making Memories” is available on digital service providers by clicking here.

To learn more about veteran music star Paul Anka, check out his official website, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 20,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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