An Interview With Dawson Fuss
A new EP release from Dawson Fuss delivers a very honest insight into his personality and it lets the songs leave their mark as they're delivered with such a genuine approach and a vast combination of pop songwriting styles and it all lets you soak in that character right from the start.
The Maybe EP has plenty of surprises around the corners and within that five-song spectrum, you're able to grasp his unique and outside-the-box approach to building songs which to me, is done with fewer boundaries than the norm.
This record was completely refreshing and it's been a long time since I heard a release that boasted this much blatant honesty strung into words and music with no walls built around it.
You get elements of pop rock, Indie pop, bedroom pop, R&B, and this combination of genre-bending is something that I think might be what the future of pop music really will be.
Songs have the ability to feel alive and breathing as they swell with intensity and combat down at times and even by the third song in you begin to expect the unexpected a little bit because his approach to producing and building songs is unique in the sense that he's working more off of his emotional drive than anything else so whatever he's feeling at the time gets channeled into the song whether it be intense and robust rock, or sullen but real pop.
Each individual track gives you something a little bit different and shows another side to him as a person and as an artist as well which is something that ends up feeling refreshing in the end.
Dawson is a young artist and he's able to take his emotional thoughts and process them through his music which he obviously uses as an outlet so a lot of these songs may have even been cathartic for him to write and release to an extent but for the listener, a lot of this stuff is relatable and even as someone that's a bit older, they still make complete sense.
It's artists like Dawson that blow my mind a little bit because all of us have thoughts, emotion, struggles, and whatever situations we're going through in life but it's not many of us that are able to articulate those into words and music.
This is the absolute truth and for someone like Dawson to come out and be able to display all of this to the world the way he does and where his heart on his sleeves, just completely be free in terms of expressing himself, and does it with such a straightforward approach leaves me a little in awe.
Each song has something about it that stands out as a single but listening to the EP as a whole is 100% the way you should be doing it and I'm sure that you have the 17 minutes to do so.
By listening to the full ep you're getting the whole spectrum of not only his songwriting but his thought process as well.
Along with this EP Dawson released a short film that shows even more insight into what everything on the record is about and more.
The film serves as a documentary and spans about 10 minutes in length but showcases a lot of attention to detail and plenty of heart.
With the release of such an authentic EP and documentary, we wanted to have a sit-down with Dawson to find out where this actually all came from and what might be coming up next for the artist.
Here's what happened.
TSWS: Okay, let's start with the Maybe EP! This record had a very honest approach with a lot of character to it and a thriving indie-pop tonality! How did this release come about?
I wrote the title track “Maybe” during my senior year of high school when I was simultaneously terrified and excited about moving across the country to go to college. I shared my apprehension with my parents, and we had the whole “What’s the worst that could happen?” conversation. My dad reminded me of a story called “The Farmer’s Luck” from one of my favorite books he would read to me when I was growing up called Zen Shorts by Jon J Muth. It follows a panda bear named Stillwater teaching kids important life lessons, one of which encompassed the idea of “maybe.” Sometimes, when things are scary or bad, they may end up being events that send us off in new and exciting directions. I have taken this positive “maybe” philosophy to heart, and the ideas are woven through all of the songs on my new EP.
TSWS: How did this all start for you as an artist?
I’ve always loved music, and my parents say I started humming before I started talking. They noticed my passion and how music always soothed me, so at around three, they enrolled me in a music program, and I loved it! A place to make noise, hit drums, and dance wildly. All the schools I attended also had strong music programs, and like most “music kids,” I ultimately got involved with musical theater. In high school, I was introduced to a songwriting teacher, and immediately fell in love with the art of songwriting! During the pandemic, I had more time to focus on my music, and since everyone else was stuck at home too, I was able to co-write and produce with some incredibly talented people from around the world. For most people, this was a dark time, but for me, it gave me the space to use my creativity to explore my emotions and create a new world through music, ultimately leading to the release of my debut EP “edge of adolescence” in November of 2021!
TSWS: What kind of things really inspire songs for you?
I mostly use songwriting as a way to work through my existential issues. My first EP explored my coming to terms with my identity and the song “Free” was completely liberating for me to be out and proud. This EP was cathartic because I could use music to deeply explore how I felt about all of the changes I was going through as I prepared to leave home for the first time and enter “adulthood with training wheels” at college. “Growing Pains” and “Maybe” are expressions of my fears and optimism for what was to come. I guess, really my songs offer a deep look into what is going on in my life, from the mundane to the existential
TSWS: This release has some great approaches to it! Can you give us some of your biggest influences musically?
Thank you for a great question! I grew up listening to classic rock since my dad is a huge music fan. He gifted me his collection of every album he ever owned and a turntable for my 15th birthday. When I was at home, we’d have listening sessions where he’d share some of his favorites with me. Currently, I’m also a huge fan of alternative/indie pop artists like Ruel, Lizzie McAlpine, Jeremy Zucker, and Alexander 23.
TSWS: What are you doing when you're NOT working on music?
That’s an interesting question….As a student at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, I’m usually doing homework and assignments when I’m not working on my own music. When I find a moment of free time, I’m probably with friends at shows, going thrifting, or watching movies. I also have a job at Mathnasium, where I tutor kids from elementary school to high school with math, which feeds my nerdy side. I have also always been a fan of fashion, and I just bought a mini sewing machine to re-imagine some of my thrift finds, which is definitely a work in progress.
TSWS: Who's in your headphones right now?
It is a bit of a mish-mash in there right now. I’m listening to some of my indie favorites, but I’m also working on finding some covers to work on. I’ve started live streaming on Sunday nights on TikTok and Instagram, combining original music, often songs I’m deciding if I want to pursue or release mixed with covers. I’ve also been trying to diversify my music taste because I find inspiration in genres outside of pop like classical and jazz.
TSWS: Are you doing any live performances right now?
I just did a really fun “Maybe” release party concert at school last Thursday, which was the first “headline” show I played, so it was really awesome to see people come to watch me play my music! My next big show will be on April 30th at UMiami. My friend Winston Thayer (@winstonthayer), a music composition major, and I have been playing around with creating a symphonic rock concert for the past 8 months. We just got support from the Frost administration to pull together three singer-songwriters, myself, Nep (@snottynep), and Brayton (@itsbrayton), to work with Winston to perform our original music with our bands and a 40-piece orchestra. I’ll also be working on the marketing and promotion aspects of the show. I couldn’t be more excited that our brainchild will be a reality in just a few months!
TSWS: Do you record these at a big studio or do you have a home studio set-up?
I do have a setup at home and in my school apartment that I use to get some rough ideas down. However, because I mostly work in LA, many of my collaborations have been in their home studios. Since all the major studios were closed in Covid, the majority of indie producers and writers have built their own self-sufficient home studios, making for a more intimate, less-pressured environment for creativity. I have been working with a lot of different people lately and I’m constantly being reminded of how important a strong personal connection is to creating great music together, just like in life.
TSWS: The record comes with a documentary film you made as well. This was eye opening and genuine! Where did the idea come from for this? What inspired it?
I have been interested in photography and cinematography since I was in middle school when I started releasing covers on YouTube. I loved creating a visual story for each song. Now, I feel that many of my songs inspire an accompanying visual story as well. I produced and directed the music video for my debut single, “Hey You,” and found the process fascinating but daunting. I’ve also worked with and learned so much from Skylar (@xkylar) and Anastasia Lebedeva Delmark (@anastasia_delmark). For the “Maybe” EP, I worked with Sawyer Brice (@_soyr) to co-direct videos for “Life Sucks,” “Oblivious,” “Growing Pains,” and “Say the Words.” We were going to do a more typical music video for “Maybe,” but I realized just how important the song was to me that I wanted to tell the back story. I loved sharing the process with my dad and showing him how important he is to me and how much I love him for everything he has done for me. Anyone who’s met him and been forced to follow me on socials or Spotify knows what a superfan he is!
TSWS: What can your fans expect from you in the near future?
Over winter break, I wrote about 15 songs with different writers and producers in LA and plan to write a bunch more over spring break in March. I’ll spend the rest of the spring and early summer fleshing those out and expect to release new songs in late summer or early fall. Of course, the April 30th rock symphony will be streamed live, so don’t miss that. It should be epic!
TSWS: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Knowing that people listen to my music and like what I have to say is the greatest gift I’ve ever received. The fact that my music resonates with my listeners is such an amazing feeling. I can’t wait to keep making and sharing music with the world! To always know what I’m up to, make sure to follow me @dawsonfuss
