Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine

Elijah Woods (composer/instrumentalist) and Jamie Fine (lyricist/vocalist) are the dynamic duo behind the multi-platinum, four-time Juno Award-nominated band Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine. With over sixty million streams worldwide, Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine has captivated audiences with their genre-defying sound, unprecedented vocals, and fresh hooks, delivering hit after hit. This year, they released their brand-new single, “Want You Back,” which is quickly climbing up the charts. Pop Culturalist caught up with Jamie to learn more about Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine and their focus for the year.

PC: How did you both discover your passion for music?
Jamie: We both grew up in fairly musical families, which created this early interest that developed into a pretty organic passion for it. It was great being surrounded by different types of music and seeing how it has influenced our sound today.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your careers?
Jamie: We have many influences! Everyone from Jeff Buckley to Amy Winehouse to Adele to Steven Tyler. There are so many people and genres that influence how we create our music. Those early influences helped our process of creating, but what we experience in our personal life definitely makes the story. All of our songs are pretty personal to things we’ve done, things we’ve seen, or things that have happened to us.

PC: As a group, you’ve experienced a lot of success. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Jamie: There are a few moments that really stopped time for us. It’s easy to get caught up in this lifestyle of go-go-go. But moments like getting nominated for a Juno award or some incredibly special moments on stage—they make you stop and take a breath and realize that what you’re doing is so special and unique. We’re grateful for absolutely all of it, but the moments that stop time—they’re extraordinary.

PC: Tell us about your new single, “Want You Back.” What inspired the track?
Jamie: We were performing for this amazing organization on WE Day in an arena filled with about twelve thousand screaming kids. We couldn’t believe the energy in the room. During our last song, CO2 and confetti shot out, and it scared the shit out of us. After the initial shock, we literally felt so expensive. [laughs] We won’t lie. We felt like Beyoncé. It was incredible.

Elijah hopped on the plane heading home from that performance and wanted to write an instrumental that felt like that moment for us. I went over to his place a couple of days later, we pieced together the vocals for it, and every time we hear it, it reminds us of that moment.

PC: You’ve released a few singles throughout your careers. If you had to choose one that best encompasses ExJ, what would it be and why?
Jamie: That’s a great question. I’d probably say “Better Off” or “Love Strong.” “Better Off” was the single we chose to follow “Ain’t Easy,” arguably our biggest song. We were nervous and eager to put out another song to see if it would be as well-received as “Ain’t Easy.” And we wanted to release something that leaned more urban than “Ain’t Easy.” To our pleasant surprise, people loved it. It was definitely one of the most successful singles/songs for us.

“Love Strong” did incredibly well, given the fact that it wasn’t technically a single for us. It was part of our album 8:47, and DSPs chose to really support and push it on their own. It did incredibly well for us. It’s also a special song for Elijah and me. It kind of poured out of us. It became a song just as much for each other as it was for the people we were writing about respectively.

PC: As we look ahead to the rest of 2020, what does the year hold for you both? Can we expect more music?
Jamie: 2020 took a very interesting turn for everyone. All the plans and goals we had had to be reestablished and reanalyzed. But that actually seems to be a good thing. I think it’s a big reset for a lot of people, not just artists. For us, we really took a step back and thought about what we want individually and together. We’re both working on projects that excite us a lot while creating music together when it feels right. 2020 is really about our creative sides and falling back in love with music.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Jamie: Lots of ’00’s rock like Fall Out Boy, The All-American Rejects, and My Chemical Romance.

PC: First album you bought?
Jamie: 50 Cent’s Get Rich Or Die Tryin. Don’t judge me.

PC: First concert you attended?
Jamie: Backstreet Boys! Shaggy was the opener. Best concert ever.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Jamie: I love being able to listen to a record front to back without skipping songs, but unfortunately that’s pretty rare for me. Drake’s Take Care was probably the first album where I didn’t have to skip a single song. I loved every single track. I think it’s probably one of, if not the, best project he’s ever put out.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Jamie: I mean is it cliché to say Madison Square Garden? Obviously that would be a huge one. Red Rocks in Colorado too.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Jamie: Noise-canceling headphones.

To keep up with Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine, follow them on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify. Pick up or stream “Want You Back” today.