Garrett released his new song “Running From” on March 15, which is a track from his forthcoming debut album Hoax. “My friend, Sean Mullins, had a beat that he sent me. It was the second or third track that he sent me to work ideas on. I cut the track up a little bit to make it more structured, and I was ripping the chorus and melodies in the song,” he said. “It’s trying to confront somebody’s blind perspective of what something actually is, and turning things on their head and looking at it from all angles.”
On May 4, Garrett will be headlining the Bowery Ballroom in New York City, as part of his North American tour. “It has been a while since I’ve done some proper headlining shows,” he admitted. “It is always a special time playing in New York. It will be nice to get back on the road for this record. I am excited to play this body of work.”
Garrett revealed that for this tour he has put together a new band. “They will be taking care of a lot of things at once. It will be fun,” he admitted.
On the impact of technology on the music business, Garrett said, “It’s a double-edged sword, especially in this industry. From an entrepreneurial perspective, technology gives artists a lot more ways to present themselves and support their creative output. At the same time, it can be distracting. Social media and technology are only there to augment what you are able to create.”
“Technology has made it challenging to see through the filler of it all,” he said. “It is nice to have access to everything and share things on different platforms.”
He also noted that the Music Modernization Act is a step in the right direction. “Any progress made towards protecting songwriters and crediting them more appropriately is always good,” he said. “When streaming really started to kick off, it was a double-edged sword. The sale of music has gone down, but the Music Modernization Act is important for artists, songwriters, and creators that stay behind the scenes.”
Garrett scored a Grammy nomination for his work on Beyoncé’s album, Lemonade. “That happened at the right place at the right time,” he said. “It was cool to be involved in such a really important and powerful album like Lemonade. The album had a nice arc to it.”
For his fans, he concluded, “This album is very important to me. I was in the studio all of last year working on this album and breathing new life into these songs. It will be really exciting to see everyone again and to see new faces. Some of these shows will be fun and intimate and it will be a great way to connect with the fans.”
His new song “Running From” is available on iTunes and on Spotify.
To learn more about singer-songwriter Kevin Garrett and his music, check out his official website and Facebook page.
