Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer:
Growing up in a family of musicians, it was almost inevitable that Jeff Draco would pursue a music career. Since 2018, the indie-pop artist has been coming out with sun-soaked, introspective songs that quickly get stuck in your head, and the five tracks on his new EP Attitude are no different. Draco talked to NYOTA about his creative influences, getting outside perspectives on his music, and deciding which songs belonged on the EP.
Growing up in a musical household did you ever have another career path you thought you’d pursue or was music the only way forward?
Honestly, no. Music has been the only thing that has ever felt right, and I still feel that way. I’ve gotten my foot in the door while doing design and marketing, but it’s not the side of the industry I want to live and breathe. Performing is when I feel most myself and like it’s what I’m here to do/supposed to be doing.
How did you go about figuring out your personal music style and sound as an artist?
It’s changed a lot; in high school, I was obsessed with the 2010s SoCal punk scene and fronted a surf punk band for a few years in high school. Once two of the members (who were a year older) went off to college, I had more time to explore the ideas coming to me that did not fall in line with the music I’d been writing for the past several years. I was discovering a lot of new music, a lot of which revolved around Mac DeMarco in the mid-2010s. I think part of me was also a little burnt out on what I’d been doing, and I’d found this new sound that I’d never really heard and wanted to explore. The first song I ever wrote for Jeff Draco was “Dry You Out,” but I wouldn’t end up recording it or any of what would become JD songs until a year or so later. I grew up around really great 60s-70s music from my parents, a lot of rock and underground early 2000s indie music from my, at the time, college-aged brothers, and jazz and bluegrass from my aunt and uncle. I’ve felt like having such a wide range of influences since a super young age has given me so much room to explore different types of music and culminate all those influences into my sound.
Tell our readers about the process behind creating your EP Attitude. Was it difficult to narrow down which songs would make the cut or did you have a clear idea of what songs were meant to be included?
Yeah, it was honestly pretty tricky. I had about 30 demos I was trying to narrow it down between, and I initially had a plan for an entirely different project with more and completely different songs, but as I spent more time toying with the first idea for how I thought the project should be laid out, something was feeling off, so I revisited the demos and realized some of the tracks (which are now all on the EP) had a lot of similarities in the style I wanted to put forward and in their theme. Once I had a new vision, the songs came together much clearer, and it became much easier to cut the project down to where I wanted it to be.
The EP sounds very upbeat and dreamy while covering a range of complex emotions, which truly reflects the topics the EP addresses such as wanting to feel carefree while going through turbulent parts of life. What were some of the creative influences behind Attitude?
Many of the creative influences behind Attitude came from revisiting music I used to love. I found myself diving back into UK new wave—Prefab Sprout’s “Appetite” definitely had a big impact. Bands like The English Beat, Haircut 100, and The Cure also played a major role in shaping the sound of the EP. Beach Fossils and Royal Otis also inspired me during the process. I have a playlist of what I was listening to while writing and recording the project. Check it out here.
“Mirrors” and “Daisy” are nicely juxtaposed on the EP. Are these songs meant to show a relationship in different stages, the early bliss and the pain of something ending?
Yes, pretty much exactly that, haha! The songs aren’t written about the same relationship or person, but I wanted the overarching theme and message of this project to come across that way throughout the EP. And even though they’re not based on the same relationship, I think the lessons learned through putting these songs together can be utilized as reflections/lessons in any relationship.
Now that Attitude is out in the world, the next step is performing the EP live. What would be your dream venue to play these songs in?
I know many others have this same dream, but I think my absolute dream venue to play these songs specifically would be Red Rocks Amphitheatre or another outdoor venue that has an epic level of emotion within it. These songs feel so big and lush to me and almost anthemic, and playing them as the sun sets over a desert feels like the perfect atmosphere. Another mention, and something hopefully more attainable in the short term, is Baby’s All Right in New York. Since I was young, something about the lights behind that stage has been captivating and memorable, and so many artists I’ve looked up to have played on that stage.
Do you often touch base with your family when working on projects to get outside perspectives?
Absolutely. My brothers are people I always look to for advice or critique since they’ve been playing in bands since before I was born. I always tend to send demos to my parents, too, whether it’s for any critiques or to just show them what I’m working on. My mom and dad always keep it real with me and give their true, honest opinions. They give me in-depth thoughts about certain songs or parts of songs.
What advice do you have for aspiring singers?
Play and sing as much as you can. Don’t let the current digital landscape of the music industry inhibit your motivation to put yourself out there creatively. Try to find creatively driven friends, one to support you but also to help you grow as a musician, singer, or performer. Having a tight-knit group of friends and creatives around me has greatly benefited me and provided me with inspiration or motivation when I feel a creative lull.
This story first ran in Issue 37: The Empowerment Issue. Read more from the issue here.
