Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Jack Massic

Jack Massic can best be described as a “Jack of All Trades”. He’s a musician, songwriter, producer, and DJ, and his accolades and accomplishments include several Latin GRAMMY nominations, Platinum and Gold records, countless #1 hits, and a worldwide tour that spanned over five hundred shows and seven countries. His latest achievement is the release of his new track, “#whatever”, the perfect song to kick off the summer season. Pop Culturalist spoke with Jack about the single.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Jack: Music is part of my heritage; all my family has been involved with it one way or another. My grandmother was an opera singer and multi-instrumentalist, and she even performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York at some point in her career. My parents are also great musicians, as are my siblings, uncles, and cousins. So, music is something that’s basically in my DNA.

PC: You’re a musician, DJ, songwriter, and producer. Is there one that you naturally gravitate towards? Is one more challenging than the others?
Jack: Since I was a little kid, playing drums has always come naturally to me, which has helped me a lot, especially when programming beats. Being a DJ is the most recent role in my career, so it’s definitely the most challenging for me! I just want to be respectful towards the profession, so I’ve been preparing myself very hard.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Jack: My parents have been extremely supportive of my career all my life. They always taught me that being consistent and persistent with what I believe in would make my dreams come true at some point. I also have to say that they have always listened to great music! So, when you grow up listening to jazz and bossa nova, it definitely gives you some kind of advantage if you want to become a professional musician. Those two genres are so complex that other types of music seemed a bit ”easier” when I got to college.

PC: Tell us about your new single, “#whatever”. What inspired the track?
Jack: “#whatever” is the third single from what is going to be my second studio album: Globality. For this album, I’ve been blending some elements from music around the world into my tracks. For “#whatever”, I wanted to add some Latin spice, especially on the rhythmic side. The vocalist, Karen Inder, is from Mexico, so I think it helped us achieve the Latin vibe in the song, which is very EDM/pop melodically and harmonically speaking.

PC: You co-wrote the song with Milena Berns. What was that collaboration like?
Jack: Milena is my wife, so the songwriting session was both fun and satisfying at the same time. She understands the core of the project perfectly, so we are very well synchronized with the message we want to share with the world. This is our second song together for the Jack Massic project. After she heard the track and the melodies for the first time, she came up with the “whatever” concept, which I really loved. When you have a solid concept like this one from the very beginning, everything just flows naturally!

PC: You’ve had tremendous success in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that sticks out?
Jack: I used to play in a band a few years back, which was #1 in Colombia, where I was born and raised. We had tremendous success, but after five years of touring, we decided to split up. I’d say this moment was a turning point for me, both personally and professionally, because it made me reinvent myself as an artist. Thank God, as I met my wife, I moved to Miami and started a new career as an electronic music producer.

PC: What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned being a part of this industry?
Jack: There are two biggest lessons for me: one, you can NOT quit at any time. Things don’t happen overnight in this industry. Two, always be nice to everyone. The road is long.

PC: What does the rest of the year hold for you all as we look ahead in 2019?
Jack: I’ll be releasing more music for sure! I’m currently working on some exciting tracks for my new album, Globality. I’m also working hard on having a signature sound as a DJ, so stay tuned!

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Jack: One Direction

PC: First album you ever bought?
Jack: The Road to You by Pat Metheny

PC: First concert you attended?
Jack: Carlos Vives

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Jack: Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. It’s just the kind of jazz that I love.

PC: Someone you’d like to collaborate with in the future?
Jack: Sia Furler

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Jack: Ultra Miami and Coachella

PC: A must-have on the road?
Jack: My own pillow.

To keep up with Jack, follow him on Twitter and Instagram, and pick up “#whatever” on Amazon Music, iTunes, or stream it on Spotify.