1. Thank you very much for your time! Before we introduce your new release to our readers – what kind of drink would you recommend to sip on while they listen to your new music?
Thanks for having me! It’s a pleasure to be here. I am a tequila and mezcal guy, so I would greatly recommend a mango margarita, and if you’re like me, add some spice.
2. Please give us an update about – new single, new album, tour dates, new videos?!
My new single is called „Break The Fall“. I really love this song. From the moment my producer (Ross Vannelli) and I started working on it, I knew there was something special about it. Lyrics can be a challenge for me to write, but with ‚Fall‘ it flowed somewhat effortlessly. The inspiration behind the song was very fresh, and when matters of the heart are involved there can be a sense of urgency. „Break The Fall“ always makes me feel so warm, and I hope the listeners get the same sensation.
I have my first show in over two years on Wednesday May 4th at the Listening Room Cafe in Nashville! I’m so excited! It’s a bill presented by the USA Songwriting Competition, a songwriting competition I was privileged enough to win the overall 1st prize in 2019. We’ve been attempting to do this show for two years, and it’s finally on! I’m in talks with several promoters and venues in LA and Southern California too. We’re getting back in the groove of things. I also have a music video in the works for „Break The Fall“, as well as several other singles releasing throughout the year.
3. Name 5 things we all should know about you as an artist?!
The biggest thing to know about me as an artist is whether you’re listening to the recordings, or at a show, my music is going to make you feel good. I have always wanted to make people happy, and music has always been the thing that makes me fly. I always intend to give that back to the audience with my music.
Beyond that –
- Melody is king.
- I will always have a surprise or two… or three, in my songs.
- The songs will take you away.
- There is always a hint of optimism in each song, even the ones of heartbreak.
4. What fashion style or brand would best describe your music?
I love this question. I’m a very fashion forward man. I would say my music is very cosmopolitan chic, on the brand spectrum of John Varvatos, Tom Ford, and Zara.
5. Tell us more about your songs! Topics! Message!?
I love a good love song. Something with meaning and depth. „Break The Fall“ was inspired by a conversation with someone who I care for deeply, and it was a rare moment of vulnerability from her. It’s me letting her know that she’s on her own journey and needs to find her own answers, but she doesn’t have to do it alone, and to not let pride get in the way of letting people who love you in. My music tends to center around that optimism. That even in the dead of night, you can see the sun shining. That’s an actual lyric in the song.
I’m a Romantic in the every sense of the word. I see the world full of vibrant colors, just waiting for us to dive into them. There is beauty all around us that we don’t appreciate, and I show my appreciation for the things I love in life in my songs. We could all use a little more love, and that’s what I focus on in my music.
6. Beside music, do you have any special talents?
I have an incredible knack for remembering dates. I’m like a walking encyclopedia of events. Whenever my friends ask, „Hey do you remember that time we…“ and not only do I remember it, I can name the day, time, and place.
I’m also virtually unstoppable in Mario Kart and air hockey.
7. Being on stage feels like….!
Euphoria. It’s home. It’s the greatest feeling to connect with a room of people over music. It’s like an unspoken bond in some ways. You can’t fully describe what’s happening, but it’s magic. When the audience is really into it, and you hear them singing along, there’s no greater feeling as a songwriter.
8. How did you learn to sing/ to write/ to play??
I was born into a musical family, so music is as intrinsic as breathing. It never turns off. It’s a constant presence. I watched my dad practice and perform, and he would consistently introduce me to new artists that I fell in love with one by one. I started taking piano lessons in 2nd grade, joined the church choir, then school band, then my first band in 7th grade. It was a constant leveling up.
Writing was something I didn’t really think about, but after my grandpa passed away I wrote a song for him about looking up to the moon and stars knowing that he is watching over me. I was nine years old. I still remember it. Not bad for a little kid.
9. A question you’d like to answer, but never been asked in an interview before?! + Answer pls
Question – There are arguably more people releasing music now than ever before. What makes you stand out in this seemingly endless sea of artists?
Answer – Music is a constant evolution. Whether it’s societal change, political change, religious change, philosophical change, we, as a species, are steadily adapting. Modern commercial music tends to be very formulaic. It’s predictable, and I don’t hear a lot of individualism within the material or the performance. When you hear me, it is undoubtedly me. The melodies stand out, the lyrics have substance, and there is a musicality that is front and center compared to many of my peers. It’s not to say one is better than the other, but those elements are my stamp.
I also feel that a lot of contemporary music wallows within itself. It doesn’t offer any solutions to the situations, struggles, or problems it presents, it just sits there. I look at lyrics like that of a film. There is a setup, a confrontation, and a resolution. I feel many of what’s trending is just that of confrontation, with a touch of setup. That dash of optimism I mentioned earlier is my suggestion for resolution. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Sometimes you get the happy ending, other times you don’t, but it doesn’t mean that hope can’t exist. I may be one voice, but I will use that voice to sprinkle as much hope as I can to my audience, and it is my hope that after listening, they feel a little bit better than when the song started.
Instagram: @jamiealimorad