On being named the 2017 winner of Macy’s iHeartRadio Rising Star competition, Maslow said, “I was pretty happy to win that, and even more excited to be able to play iHeartRadio in Las Vegas. That’s pretty awesome.”
This year, Maslow acknowledged that he is stoked to release his album How I Like It. “I am so excited to finally have an album out with music that is incredibly personal to me,” he said. “Ultimately, I’m very proud of these 12 songs, since they showcase all sides of me. This album is a great representation of many different aspects of music that I like, and thus, it’s a really good launching point,” he added.
The song “Cry” on the album is extra special to Maslow. The proceeds from the video benefit the nonprofit organization, Mission Save Her, which is an anti-sex trafficking charity. “I’m very proud of this song since it’s bigger than me. It’s not about me. It’s about Mission Save Her, so it was a really cool way to utilize my music for something good,” he said. “That was my opportunity to give back to the world, and it was a charity that I feel very strongly and passionate about.”
Maslow revealed that his favorite songs on the album include “Fairy Tail,” especially when he sings it live, as well as “Cry,” and the opening song “So Bad, So Bad,” which he described as “one of the most unique songs on the record.”
Digital transformation of music scene
On the impact of technology in the music scene, Maslow said, “When I started in this industry a long time ago, it was impossible to think that there would be such an emphasis on social media. It’s a little strange to me, since I do have a pretty sizable social media following, and I’m incredibly appreciative of it, but I didn’t really grow up with it. I just turned 27. I didn’t have Instagram in high school. To me, it’s not innate and natural to constantly be checking and using it, and Snapchatting. I still have to remind myself, or be reminded by management, to keep up with it. On the other hand, it is pretty damn cool that I have direct access to my fans. It’s something that really didn’t exist before at all, they knew of me, and now people can tweet me and Instagram me and they can ask me specific questions, and I can respond personally, and that’s something that is invaluable and I love.”
When asked how he uses technology on a daily basis, he said, “Obviously, it is a way to connect with fans, and also, so I don’t get lost. That’s more on the GPS side. I get lost in social media a lot. Who doesn’t. Trolling Instagram is a horrible pastime. Everybody does it.”
His plans for the future are quite busy. “Well, I am excited about filming a couple of music videos. They are in the works right now. It looks like I’ll be flying to Atlanta on Saturday to start a new film, which I am excited about,” he said. “Ultimately, I just want to continue on the track that I am finally on this year. I want to play my own music, and I want to explore interesting characters in film and TV.”
How I Like It is available on iTunes.
To learn more about James Maslow, follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
