Pop-Culturalist.com

Prolific singer-songwriter P.J. Pacifico has spent years crafting the perfect songs for commercials and popular televisions programs including Shameless, Grey’s Anatomy, Legacies, and Switched at Birth.

In 2021, he returned to his roots as a solo recording artist with his new single, “Every Little Heartbreak.”

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with P.J. about the release, his career, and his upcoming album.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
P.J.: It was definitely due to my mom. She’s a big influence on me. She’s a singer. She was in barbershop quartets growing up. When I was a kid, she’d have her rehearsals in our kitchen. I was immediately attracted to the four-part acapella harmonies. That morphed into a love for AC/DC and Kiss.

I saw Kiss on a television show and I was obsessed with the whole spectacle of it: the sound, the visuals, the pyrotechnics, the stage. I was instantly obsessed. I was like, “I’m going to chase that.” I haven’t looked back since.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
P.J.: I’ve had some success in the past with radio play, television, and commercial placements. Two of my favorite memories were singing the national anthem at Madison Square Garden for a Rangers game and a Knicks game. That was nerve-wracking and thrilling at the same time. It was acapella, and both games were sold out. I had the color guard behind me. I was shaking in my boots, but I did it. I don’t think I would ever want to do it again. [laughs]

PC: You’ve got a new song out now. Tell us about “Every Little Heartbreak” and the inspiration behind it.
P.J.: That was written pretty early in lockdown with my friends, Garrison Starr and Valerie Broussard. There was so much unknown at that time. People were flipping out—at least I was.

I had worked with both Garrison and Valerie before. Valerie is in my band, and Garrison and I have collaborated a ton over the years. I felt super comfortable with those ladies. They’re like family to me. I told them how I was feeling. We set out to write a song for Signals in Smoke, which is my band with Valerie, but it ended up being just for me after we tried a bunch of vocal experiments.

We wanted to write a song about when the lockdown and pandemic would be over. We wanted to write something uplifting that we thought everyone would want to hear. It’s about taking a risk, breaking out and breaking away, and being ready for anything—romantically, personally, and career-wise. I hope it resonates.

PC: You’re an artist that’s been steadily releasing music throughout the years. If you had to pick one song that best encompasses who you are as an artist, which would it be and why?
P.J.: I’m pretty sure it would be “All for Something” because of the lyrics. I wrote that with Garrison as well and a writer/producer in Los Angeles named AG (Adrianne Gonzalez). That was the beginning. When I was first getting used to co-writing in Los Angeles and Nashville that was one of my first co-writing sessions. Those girls got me out of my comfort zone.

One thing they got me to do was to have more conversational lyrics and more honesty—to write more from the heart. They really got a lot of me out in that song. It’s on an EP we put together called Ready to Run.

There’s also another song on the EP called “Among the Living” that’s pretty personal because that’s my take on survivor’s guilt after cancer.

I’d say it’s between those two. Whenever I get to play them live, I get really excited. I’m really connected to those songs.

PC: How have those co-writing sessions made you a stronger solo artist?
P.J.: It’s helped me because I save the artist stuff and the personal stuff for my projects. When I’m writing with other artists, I focus on them. I want to get the best out of them and what they’re feeling.

When I’m writing for TV, film, or commercials, you’re usually working in a direction that’s more universal. That kind of music needs to be timeless and universal.

There’s a certain type of mindset that you have to switch to in those situations. But when I’m writing for myself, that’s when it all comes out. That’s when I puke all that stuff that I want to get out. Sometimes it gets stored away for a while and it feels good after a few months to write what I’m feeling and what I want to express. That’s made me stronger: waiting for the right opportunities, the right writers, and the right producers to express those feelings through song.

PC: As we look ahead to the rest of 2021, what does the year hold for you?
P.J.: People can expect another single called “Something to Hold.” It should be out next month. I haven’t set the release date yet. After that there will be my full album What I Missed in the Mirror. It’s my first album since 2012, and I’m really psyched. I’ve done some EPs and a bunch of singles since then, but I haven’t done a full album. I’m really psyched to do another full album again.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
P.J.: Run the Jewels and Taylor Swift. I’m a mutt when it comes to music. I listen to everything. But when I hone in on something, I obsess over it. Currently, especially while in lockdown, I’ve been listening to Run the Jewels. I also have a big hip hop side to me as well.

PC: First album you bought?
P.J.: Kiss’ Dressed to Kill. That’s the first album I ever bought with my own money. I can probably still remember the way it smelled. That vinyl smelled differently back then. That was a monumental day for me. It was my own money. It was my favorite band. I felt like it was all mine. No one was going to touch it.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
P.J.: I see five in front of me right now. It might be Jane’s Addiction’s Nothing’s Shocking because when I first heard that album it felt like a combination of everything I loved. There’s a semi-acoustic side, but also definitely a rock side. They have crazy drums. Perry’s voice was sick, but his melodies were even sicker. I fell in love with the whole package. Even though my music doesn’t sound like that at all, it taught me that anything is possible, genre-wise and expression-wise.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
P.J.: The Hollywood Bowl.

PC: A must-have on the road?
P.J.: I sometimes refer to the five Ws: Wi-Fi, water, weed, wine, and my woman. As long as I have the five Ws, I’m good.

To keep up with P.J., follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Spotify, and Apple Music. Pick up or stream “Every Little Heartbreak” today.