Payson Lewis, an indie pop artist, originally from Philadelphia has several singles and a couple of EPs to his name. His style is a mix of pop and rock with some funk, soul, and jazzy elements which gives his music a larger than life feel to it. Besides music Payson Lewis has also starred in theatrical performances and also popular television shows like Jane the Virgin and How I Met Your Mother. Lewis was first brought to public attention musically when he placed 4th on the singing competition The Sing-Off on NBC. His diverse background helps him create epic, high energy, and crowd pleasing music that anyone could enjoy.
Lewis has now released a new single ‘Making Trouble’. This new track is a cleverly written song about the lengths that one might go to impress someone you are attracted to. The vocals are matched with the energy of the drums and the guitar drives the rhythm of the song. The contrast between the lyrics and instrumental beat is stark, it seems as if Payson Lewis is having fun making trouble with this particular love interest. It is a song that you will dance around to and have fun with.
I got the opportunity to send some questions to Payson Lewis this is what he had to say:
Question: Listening to your new song ‘Making Trouble’ I can hear so many different genre influences. I am wondering who your musical influences are that have shaped you into the artist you are?
Payson Lewis: I’ve always been sort of a “little bit of everything” kind of guy. I grew up listening to a lot of classic rock like The Beatles, Queen, Tom Petty, etc. But as I got older my horizons really broadened and I listened to everything from Prince, Sam Cooke, and Whitney
Houston to Daft Punk, Phoenix, and Lennon Stella. I literally try to pick up a little from everywhere I can. Nowadays I mainly listen to the music my friends are making. I’m always inspired by people who are creating new styles and directions for themselves.
Question: You have a background in acting and theater. What are some theatrical performances that you have starred in?
Payson Lewis: I’ve done a number of TV shows like Jane the Virgin, The People vs OJ Simpson, How I Met Your Mother, etc. I’ve also done a ton of live theater in LA and Vegas, most notably with runs at The Hollywood Bowl and The Palazzo.
Question: What is your creative process like in crafting a song?
Payson Lewis: Honestly every song is different. Sometimes it starts with a groove or a beat and other times it’s inspired by a phrase or emotion. I always think it’s fun to discover creating music in new and different ways.
Question: The song ‘Making Trouble’ begins with a clip of something and ends with it as well. Where is that clip from? Why was it chosen to be the book ends for the song?
Payson Lewis: Both of the clips are from old movies. The inspiration came from the song itself. Just the concept behind getting in over your head and the lengths to which you would go to follow it. Kinda like Thelma and Louise.
Question: The music is so upbeat to ‘Making Trouble’, but the lyrics spin a cautionary tale of the lengths that love or infatuation can take you. Was that a purposeful creative choice?
Payson Lewis: Oh yeah. I always love having juxtaposition with groove and subject matter. Because often in life we learn in opposites. The lessons we learn about being careful always come from times that we were careless. We learn from our mistakes. So the idea of a wild
out of control song with the moral being to take caution or at least to be aware of the consequences is entirely intentional.
His new song along with other tracks is available to stream and download. If you want to stay in touch with Payson Lewis or want to learn more you can go to www.paysonlewis.com. Follow him on Twitter or Instagram @paysonlewis. Or visit his facebook page @paysonlewismusic.
Check out his music HERE: http://smarturl.it/makingtroublepayson
