LIFE THROUGH A LENS – interview with Jackson Harris

RYL: Tell us everything about “Life Through a Lens”, what inspired its lyrics?

JACKSON HARRIS: Life Through a Lens was a title I thought of a few years back, maybe 2 or so… And I had this idea for a song but wasn’t inspired to write anything for it.

Then I started thinking about my buddies and Famous Youtuber’s THE SHAYTARDS and how they live their life online.

It just so happened to coicide with their 5 years of being on Youtube and I wanted the song to capture their spirit of fun and going after your dreams and capturing the memories along the way.

RYL: Your last album is titled “Sharks and Vampires” , lyrically speaking, which was its main achievement?

JACKSON HARRIS: I think lyrically my best song on the “Sharks and Vampires” record is Miss Me.

I think it is the most honest song I’ve written because it is so simple and universal. “Do You Miss me, Like I Miss you”. For me it doesn’t get more clear than that.

RYL: Is there a common “theme” among the lyrics of your songs?

JACKSON HARRIS: I think there are a few common themes. Firstly there is the theme of LOVE and what it is and how I experience it.

Another has to do with DETERMINATION/DREAMS because we all so often need those songs to build up our confidence to live the lives we want to have and lastly probably HONESTY because i pride myself on writing all of my music and lyrics so that these songs are stories form my heart, from my past and my from personal life.

I want the listener to feel like I’m just one of their friends telling them about their life.

RYL: Which of the verses of “Miss Me”, you like the most?

JACKSON HARRIS:

“I cant imagine my Sundays with you around

You make this big bright city feel like a small town

I stay awake wondering where it is u might be

The silence leaves me sad alone and so empty”

RYL: how do you, usually, write the lyrics of your songs?

JACKSON HARRIS: I like to write down poems and lyrics into my iPhone…So I am constantly scribbling down rhymes or sayings or quotations.

My lyrics usually stream from me just stepping up to a microphone and saying or singing whatever is in my mind;almost how a rapper may freestyle.

I try not to think too much about the lyrics and rather allow them to define themselves and create a story that means something to me

RYL: What is the story behind “Go Crazy”?

JACKSON HARRIS: Go Crazy was another song I wrote to capture the energy of the moment.

Its a few years old so the sound is less mature but it is a fun song because I got to film the music video with my friends “The Shaytards” and it was a great introduction into the world of Youtube

RYL: You can buy only one song, which one would you select?

JACKSON HARRIS: The Flaming Lips -Do You Realize

RYL: are you working on new music? which is the last song (unpublished) you wrote?

JACKSON HARRIS: Yes I am working on new music as we speak….I am working on a song now called “Feet On Fire”

RYL: Let’s go back to touring; until today, which was the best show you have done?

JACKSON HARRIS: That is a difficult question. I would have to say it is a tie between House of Blues of with Fifth Harmony and Barcelona with Cody Simpson