Australian pop singer-songwriter Dean Lewis chatted about his new single “I Hate That It’s True” and being a part of the digital age.
New single ‘I Hate That It’s True’
On his new single ” ‘I Hate That It’s True,” Lewis said, “It feels great! These kind of songs are really hard to write, especially when you have an upbeat banger type of a song.”
“It is hard to have the emotion still attached to it, and in my career, that’s how I have been successful,” he noted.
“The songs that connect with my fans are always the emotional ones, and they are usually on the piano,” he admitted.
“It is really hard to get a song that has this kind of feeling that is still emotional, which is exciting,” he added.
Music and songwriting inspirations
Regarding his music and songwriting inspirations, he said, “Just the little things that happen in my life. Little situations and things like that and I will just put them into a song in little bits and pieces.”
Plans for the future
On his plans for the future, he shared, “I will be touring for a very long time, and then, I am also writing and recording whenever I have any time off.”
“I can go to my house in Bondi Beach to a studio in one of the rooms and whenever I have time off, I would go there for a month and record a bunch of new songs,” he noted.
“Just touring and playing shows has been amazing,” he exclaimed.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Lewis said, “Well, it’s great.”
“To be honest, TikTok has given me an opportunity to get my music out there without any gatekeepers. That’s what I like about TikTok. You can make your own destiny; I really love that, so I enjoy it.”
“I love that my music can get all over the world thanks to social media. I really love that,” he added.
Career-defining moments
When asked about his career-defining moments, he revealed, “I was kind of lucky because my first song was a hit immediately, so that was crazy.”
“Having a global hit with ‘Be Alright’ was life-changing and amazing. Performing on ‘Ellen’ and doing a whole radio tour around America was mind-blowing,” he explained.
Lewis continued, “Also, when I thought everything was over after COVID. My songs weren’t really working, nobody was calling me back, not even my record label, and then I put out ‘How Do I Say Goodbye’ and that became a hit again. That taught me that a hit can come at any given time. I learned a lot about how things are.”
Favorite song in his catalog: ‘How Do I Say Goodbye’
Lewis revealed that his favorite song is “How Do I Say Goodbye” because it is extra personal to him.
“It is very hard to beat that one t because I wrote it about my dad, which is really meaningful,” he said.
Dream duet choice in music: Gracie Abrams
Regarding his dream duet choice in music, Lewis said, “Gracie Abrams would be legendary. Doing a duet with Gracie would be next level.”
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he disclosed, “Touring.”
“I’m on one big tour right now,” he said with a sweet laugh.
Superpower of choice
When asked about his superpower of choice, he responded, “I would want the world to bend my way… I would want the world to do exactly what I want it to do. I want my plans to work out exactly as I hoped.”
Favorite mottos to live by
On his favorite mottos to live by, he shared, “My favorite motto is probably that peace and stress is learning what is in your control, and what is out of your control.”
“I also like the idea of seasons of life, where the good will always come with the bad like winter will always come with the summer,” he said.
“To be successful in life or any field is to figure out the important things that actually move the needle, and focus more on those,” he added.
Difference singing in the studio vs. performing live
For Lewis, a difference exists between singing in the studio vs. performing live. “Yeah, for me, I love recording songs. My favorite thing is to record records. When you perform live, you get to see the fans’ reactions and that is fantastic,” he explained.
A native of Sydney, Australia, Lewis noted that he prefers “writing the songs.” “I love that so much,” he exclaimed.
“The most fun I can have is chasing down a song and making it great. That’s the funnest aspect; it is such a challenge but so fun. There is nothing more fun than that,” he elaborated.
Alternate career choice
On his alternate career choice, he said, “I would be a sound recorder for television, even though I did that, and I hated it. Fortunately, I got lucky with music.”
Advice for young and emerging artists
For young and aspiring artists, he said, “Go away for it. Greatness is in spending an insane amount of time writing and recording songs until you find that magic one. If you want to be great, you need to give everything up.”
“You gotta give everything up. It’s a lonely road,” he noted. “You need to miss social, family and friend events… you need to give everything in what you are doing because that is the only way that you can be great. There is no other path.”
“If you are not giving absolutely everything, then someone else will, and they are the ones that will succeed because they are putting effort in it,” he underscored.
“Also, you need to have talent in what you are doing,” he said. “Sometimes, passion can lead you down the wrong path.”
“You can be passionate about something that you suck at, and you have to find something you have a natural talent for. Over time, you become more passionate towards it,” he elaborated.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Lewis said, “Success is just achieving greatness in whatever field you pursue.”
Closing thoughts on the new single
For fans and listeners, Lewis remarked about “I Hate That It’s True,” “I hope they like it. The song is about being in love with someone no matter what they do; you are still in love with them.”
“I Hate That It’s True” by Dean Lewis is available on digital service providers by clicking here.
To learn more about Australian pop star Dean Lewis, his new music and tour, follow him on Instagram and visit his website.
