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New York producer-turned-frontman ALEX PETION brings an instinct for experimentation to “BABY GIRL!”, a celebration of love built around catchy riffs, expressive vocals and offbeat production details. Drawing inspiration from Swans, Faust and JPEGMAFIA, he approaches pop with curiosity and a willingness to follow new ideas.
That spontaneity extends to the accompanying video, filmed without a script on the streets of Chinatown in Lower Manhattan. More interested in what comes next than explaining his beginnings, PETION lets the work lead the conversation. In this interview, we explore his creative freedom, transition to frontman, and the people who inspire his music.
You describe “BABY GIRL!” as inspired by “seismic, life-changing love.” What did you want listeners to feel, and how did you translate that into the song’s sound?
I want them to feel love, which A.I. never will. And I did that by singing the lyrics, using my vocal cords and stuff, which is a human ingenuity in itself. All there is to it, ya know. I don’t remember much else about the sound or how it formed together… I just sang, and it sorta happened.
Moving from producer to frontman, what has putting your own voice at the center of the music revealed about you creatively?
I think it reveals everything, quite frankly. Anthony Fantano noticed my production acumen and how I excelled at it… and soon it became apparent that the production side of things was becoming daft…
Swans, Faust and JPEGMAFIA are quite a mix of influences. Where do you hear their impact in “BABY GIRL!”, and what parts feel distinctly your own?
I feel it is all my own on this recording and that their influences are more celestial than anything. No one’s influence is breathing down my neck when I’m singing.
The video was shot spontaneously around Chinatown. What happened on the streets that day that you could never have scripted?
The woman beside me ordered all the extras to get out of the way so we could get the perfect shots. Pretty sweet and completely improvised. The extras didn’t know what hit ‘em!
You’ve described your origin story as unimportant. What would you rather people ask about, and how does that outlook shape what you make next?
My aesthetic sensibility, because aesthetics shape everything I do.
