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Hi COUCHSURF, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?
I’ve been amazing as of late! In the past week, I dropped my debut EP, celebrated my birthday, and was lucky enough to celebrate my 2 year anniversary with the love of my life. My heart is definitely full and ready to tackle the rest of 2020.
Can you talk to us more about your latest single “Hundreds & Tree”?
So, “Hundreds & Tree” is definitely my favorite release to date. I wanted to put something out there that allowed people to see what it’s like to party in Atlanta, Georgia. I spent the majority of my life there and so what better way to honor my city than to write about an insane night at the club. That’s what we do. We live for the night because we never know what tomorrow will bring.
Did any event in particular inspire you to write this song?
The story itself is actually all very similar to a night I had in the city. I was at the club with my friends in Buckhead. This girl walked up to me and sparks started flying between us. At the end of the night, I asked for her name and she wouldn’t tell me. She just told me that I made her night, but I would never see her again. She disappeared and that was it. Never saw her again.
How was the filming process and experience behind the video?
I actually planned to film a dope ass video in NYC right before COVID hit the country. Things were about to get bad so we decided to run for the coast of North Carolina to a family beach house. We didn’t have much to work with so we just took my iPhone and cut together a video with Instagram filters. Little did I know that it would take off almost instantly.
The single comes off your new album Don’t Be Sorry, Do Better – what’s the story behind the title?
I mentioned in an interview with American Songwriter that I consider the title to be my personal mantra. I feel like sorry is one of the most overused excuses in the world. Words are cheap. Action means everything. Learn from your mistakes and hold yourself accountable to be better.
How was the recording and writing process?
I actually wrote the entire song on an acoustic guitar in Chattanooga, Tennessee while visiting family. I sent the demo to my producer, Aaron Pace, and he instantly had some dope ideas to make it huge. We looked at recordings by All American Rejects and realized they just used a ton of acoustic guitar and bass chords to make things sound huge. There’s actually very little electric guitar in the song until the end if you listen closely. I feel like that approach helped the song become a staple in my catalogue.
How did your life struggles get to influence your work as an artist?
I was tired of having roommates and decided to move into my tour van in early 2018. I wanted to push myself harder than I ever had in the past to get over my fears of being alone and become self sufficient. Not to mention I was able to pour my saved “rent money” into my music. That is essentially how COUCHSURF was born. I traveled the country sleeping in my van and couchsurfing in people’s homes that I barely knew. It reminded me of how many good people there are in the world and that I could make a difference in those people’s lives by inspiring them to put their all into their dreams and passions. I’m happier than I’ve ever been and I strive to feel this way for the rest of my life.
How much of your personal life do you tend to draw for your writing?
I would say most of my songs have a vague reference to my personal life, but the majority of my songs are just made up stories meant to inspire people to be the best they can be. You will never hear a sad song from me. There is enough sadness in the world and I want to combat that with positivity.
Where did you find the inspiration for the songs and lyrics for this particular record?
These songs really came together from conversations that I had with my friends in the past few years. I love giving advice and receiving advice because it helps me define how I can turn a bad situation into a positive one. These stories are pieced together to show people that there is a way out and that you have to love yourself to reach that level of clarity that we all hope to achieve one day. I’ll never let someone depreciate my value because they hate themselves ever again. You shouldn’t either.
What else is happening next in COUCHSURF’s world?
Currently, I’m in the works of planning a national tour in 2021 and executing that as soon as it’s safe to do so. I also have a dope collaboration with the beautiful LEXIS YELIS dropping August 28th of this year. You are the first to get the official release date, but you’ll have to wait for the title by following me on social media to learn more. I’m super hyped for this. I may have just dropped my debut EP, but this next release will be the marker of change for my music. I love Pop/Rock, but the new stuff I’m writing speaks to my soul and I’m positive it will do the same for the rest of the world.
