Pop Culturalist Chats with Tor Miller

At only twenty-two, Tor Miller is redefining music with his unique brand of piano-centric pop. His debut album, American English, drops this Friday. And, Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with him about the songwriting process, touring, and more.

PC: What can fans expect from the album and what’s it like knowing it’s going to drop in a few days?
Tor: American English is like a large older brother to the EP in a way. There is much more lush string/horn arrangements which we didn’t have on the first record, which is a bit more sparse. We finished the record about a year ago. It’s really exciting to have it finally come out.

PC: What was that songwriting process like?
Tor: I spent a lot of time traveling for the first time. I was going around the UK. I was meeting a lot of writers; to meet people who have been doing the craft for awhile. It was great. I made some really good friends through the process. And, it elevated my writing.

PC: How did you decide what made the album?
Tor: It was a very long process. I had about 115-120 songs to choose from and it was songs that I loved, obviously. Then, I deliberated with the management and everyone had a bit of a say. We put an “A” list together and a “B” list and were going back and forth; everyone was picking; ultimately, it came down to my decision. It was tough. There were definitely some songs that were on the cusp of making the record that we had to cut, but I feel very confident with what we have.

PC: How would you describe your sound to somebody who may not be familiar with your music?
Tor: I would say it’s piano-based narrative that has a lot of influence from the 70’s (Elton John, David Bowie, a bunch of people).

PC: If there was one song that really encompasses the album, what would it be?
Tor: I would have to say “Midnight.” It’s a song about New York City where I was living for most of the time during the record. It was an energy I wanted to capture throughout the entire album. I think it most directly portrays that.

PC: If you could describe your album in a word, what would it be?
Tor: Cinematic! We weren’t really holding anything back.

PC: You’ve toured around the world. Is there a city or country that’s on your bucket list?
Tor: Yes. I would love to go to Tokyo—very badly.

PC: If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing?
Tor: It’s tough to say. It’s really something I’ve dedicated my entire life to. Working on a farm or something.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: What is your guilty pleasure movie or television show?
Tor: Let me think. I guess when I was dating my ex-girlfriend, The Bachelor.

PC: Favorite book?
Tor: I recently enjoyed City of Thieves by David Benioff.

PC: You live in New York … Do you go to a lot of Broadway shows? Do you have a favorite?
Tor: Honestly, I’ve hardly seen any. I enjoy it but I never really see much of it.

PC: An artist or band that people would be surprised to find on your playlist?
Tor: Huge fan of ABBA!

American English drops September 30th. Pick up your copy on iTunes or Amazon.

Photo Credit: Glassnote Entertainment Group