My artistry is my baby.
People can relate more to being honest about your problems, your insecurities, and the things that you find wrong with yourself. Because that's how we really are.
I'm born and raised Long Island. Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Ben Gibbard - melody-driven guys... They shaped me, molded my music.
As long as I don't have to go back to the catering hall and wait tables anymore, I'm very happy.
I used to work at a catering hall in Hauppauge. Anybody who works as a server in a catering hall, more power to you, but I wanted to make music.
Rapping was a hobby; when I went to college, there were a ton of dudes rapping. I think that's where I got my rapping chops up.
When you get a song placed with two of the top stars in the world, like Rihanna and Eminem, especially as a new writer, they're gonna take a huge chunk of your publishing. That's just the way the business is. I'm not complaining.
I don't view any of the hits I've ever written as the climax of my career. They're just minor stepping stones.
I'm not afraid to have my music digestible by different ages.
The first 12 bars of 'Pre-Occupied' explains my entire career.
Originally, 'The Monster' started out as this indie, Florence And The Machine, tribal-y, almost Spanish-esque dance record.
I was sick of waiting for people to jump on hooks for songs I produced. So I tried singing myself, and I haven't looked back.
The way Ben Gibbard paints a picture, you feel like, 'I was there that day with him.' You really feel the way he paints pictures and speaks and talks. It's almost like talk-singing. Paul Simon does that very well as well. He's a huge influence of mine.
I think honest lyrics help somebody say, 'I was struggling with this, but if Jon goes through that, too, and if Jon's telling me that his life isn't as good as it seems on his Instagram,' that helps somebody in their day to day.
I loved everything, but it was Kanye West who really changed everything for me.
People don't realize I make records eight or nine months before they come out. I'm directing the videos; I have a lot of work to do. I'm very involved in all that stuff creatively.
When I want to get inspired, I'll put a Pixar movie on silent and listen to Nas.
A lot of the album 'The Definition' was made from two things: Pixar movies and J. Dilla.
I'd watch Pixar movies for, like, six hours, back-to-back. I'd watch 'Finding Nemo' twice a week, back-to-back-to-back, three times in a row.
I came to the realization that I'm a child of God, and that's my identity. If this all goes tomorrow, I don't have the proverbial rug under me that can be pulled out. I'm taken care of, and there's someone who loves me.
