MusicsWeek: Can you share the story behind your latest single “Retail Therapy”? What inspired its creation?
James Atlas: I had just walked out of the Dubai Mall for the first time, and it was the most epic shopping experience I had ever seen. As I was walking out, I was sent the arrangement for what became Retail Therapy, and I thought “wouldn’t it be funny if I made a song about shopping addiction?”
MusicsWeek: How do you balance maintaining your artistic integrity while also seeking commercial success?
James Atlas: I think you have to be true to yourself. I have used shopping as a means to cope with the stresses of life, and many of the reviews of Retail Therapy say that they can hear in my voice that it’s the truth and that it’s genuine. So I believe it’s a matter of balancing being honest and providing good music with relatable themes.
MusicsWeek: Are there any particular songs or albums that you consider pivotal in your career? Why are they significant to you?
James Atlas: Retail Therapy has been pivotal in my career because it’s the first single off my first album. It’s been going viral with all the videos being created on TikTok with Retail Therapy as the soundtrack. People are using it for shopping haul videos and unboxing videos, so that has definitely been a catalyst for getting my music out there.
MusicsWeek: What experiences or life events have most significantly influenced your music?
James Atlas: All experiences of my life have influenced my music. A lot of it comes from relationships, love and a love of space. Studying music for decades has also helped.
MusicsWeek: How do you handle criticism or negative feedback about your work? What advice would you give to other artists facing criticism?
James Atlas: Just know that it’s part of the game. It’s a bit strange when you think about it, because if you love making music and you see it as a means to entertain people and alter their moods for the better, then what is the point of all the criticism? However, we have to accept that it’s part of human nature. Someone sent me this quote the other day: “I am here today to cross the swamp, not to fight all the alligators.”
MusicsWeek: What has been your most memorable live performance, and what made it stand out?
James Atlas: I did a show in a concert hall in a small town to thousands of people. This one stood out because it’s where I met DJ Sever, who produced all the arrangements, recorded, mixed and mastered my self-titled album.
MusicsWeek: If you could collaborate with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
James Atlas: Ed Sheeran, because he inspired me to start writing my own songs and he’s a watch nerd like me.
MusicsWeek: How do you see the role of music in social change? Have you ever written a song to address a specific social issue?
James Atlas: When I was first writing songs on the acoustic guitar, I wrote a song about how we’re destroying ourselves by going to war and we’ll only ask ourselves if it’s too late to turn it all around once it’s too late.
MusicsWeek: What is the best piece of advice you’ve received in your music career, and who gave it to you?
James Atlas: A journalist and amazing woman, Svetlana Valieva, once told me “it’s all about the preparation.” This has been very true and helpful in my music career.
MusicsWeek: Can you walk us through your typical day as a music artist? What does your routine look like?
James Atlas: Every day is different, although some common elements would be vocal coaching sessions, where a vocal coach has been coming over to help me raise the bar for my live set, lots of strategy meetings, marketing meetings, PR meetings, and of course interviews like this one right now! Another thing I’ve been doing every day is 3D printing. I wanted to give my fans something special with the release of my album so I’ve just finished 3D printing 70 rockets. In the porthole of each rocket is a QR code that you can scan in the camera app on your phone and this will take you to my album. So my album will be available on rockets that I’ve designed, 3D modeled and 3D printed!
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