Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Tim Halperin

Pop singer-songwriter Tim Halperin isn’t afraid to put in the hard yards. He’s experienced the highs and lows of this industry and overcome each hurdle with his drive and determination. This year, he had the opportunity to pitch his song “Losing You” to country band Lady Antebellum on NBC’s Songland. It was a validating moment for Tim, who’s willing to do whatever it takes to make his dreams come true. Pop Culturalist caught up with Tim to chat about his career, what he learned from the Songland experience, and his newest single, “Innocence.”

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Tim: I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. Everyone there has a basement. We had a record player in ours. I thought I was going to play in the NBA one day when I was a kid. We had this little toy basketball hoop in the basement. I’d go downstairs and shoot hoops and play my parents’ record collection from their college days. I would play a lot of Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, the Temptations, stuff like that. Little did I know, subconsciously, I was preparing to be a songwriter. All of that stuff got into my bones. When I was in high school, I joined my first band and started writing for the first time as a sophomore.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Tim: Gosh, that’s a really great question. One of the biggest impacts on my career was making the move to Nashville. It was a city that I was always drawn to, even from the first time I visited when I was in high school. Like anything else, you sort of played to the level of your competition. In a very healthy way, I think moving to Nashville and surrounding myself with really talented writers, artists, singers, and musicians really took my game up a level as a songwriter and performer.

PC: You’ve been really open about the highs and lows you’ve experienced in this industry. What did you learn about yourself during those challenging times, both as an artist and as a person?
Tim: Golly, dude. Great questions. For me, the people who are around in the music industry are the people who are willing to do whatever it takes to do what they love. There was a specific time for me when I realized that I was in this for the long haul. I put a five-year mark on my career, saying “In five years, if things are really growing and this is happening, then I’ll keep doing it. If not, I’m done.” I hit that mark and I was working on an EP, and let’s just say, things weren’t going really well. I started driving Lyft and doing whatever I needed to do to make ends meet.

Then a couple of things came through right around the same time like a L’Oréal international commercial campaign that came through. That saved the day. It made me realize that I love music enough to do whatever it takes to keep doing it. That was about four years ago.

PC: Despite those challenges, you also had tons of success in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Tim: I was on American Idol Season 10. I got cut in the Top 24. I vividly remember when I walked off that stage that I was going to prove myself. I’m going to prove that I can hang with the best and that I can be a great songwriter. I’m going to work harder than anyone else. That was the mentality that I took on. I feel like being on Songland was validation and redemption. I realized through that experience that I’ve worked as hard as I can for the last nine years and it paid off.

PC: You got to pitch your song. Tell us about the inspiration behind “Losing You” and the transformation of the song.
Tim: I wrote that song in Nashville with a buddy that I write a lot with. I’m a pop singer-songwriter, and I’ve never pitched a song to another artist before. I wrote that song for myself. I remember when we finished tracking the vocals in the studio. Dave, the guy I wrote it with, was like, “Did we just write a hit song in two and a half hours?” It was one of the craziest moments in my career where I was like, “I think we might have. This song feels great.”

We were both like, “Gosh. What if Sam Smith got that song?” It felt like a Sam Smith kind of song. Then going to Songland, I was pretty shocked to find out that I’d be pitching to country band Lady Antebellum. It was a great artist to pitch to because they’re country pop. The biggest change the song took on was reproducing it in a way that was more country in instrumentations and then a couple of approaches vocally. We really only changed one line in the chorus and then one other word in the song.

PC: You also got to share that experience with one of your really good friends, Hayley [Orrantia]. How did that come to fruition?
Tim: Hayley is one of my good friends. We’ve written together, and we’ve done some YouTube covers together, way back. So when Hillary [Scott] from Lady Antebellum asked to hear the song as a duet, I told Ryan [Tedder] in our session, I was like, “We can use whoever, but I have a really good friend out here who I think would be perfect for it.” I told him about Hayley.

He knew who Hayley was because he watched The Goldbergs. He was instantly on board. For me, it was really fun to have Hayley up there with me. It was comforting. She’s someone that I’ve sung with for the last nine years as a close friend. It really calmed my nerves.

PC: What was the biggest takeaway from that experience that you’ve been able to apply to your career moving forward?
Tim: To trust my instinct and my gut as a songwriter. I think even when working with Ryan Tedder, who is someone I’m going to listen to and respect and trust the opinion of, there were moments where I felt like I had to trust my instinct and be willing to speak up when in the studio with production and melody choices. At the end of the day, that’s why my song was even in front of them to begin with. I’ve worked for so many years to hone and refine my songwriting process. It was validating to be on that show. I learned so much from Ryan, but I also learned to equally trust my own instincts.

PC: You’re an artist who’s steadily been releasing music throughout the years. If you had to pick one song that best encompasses you as an artist, what would it be and why?
Tim: This might be a cliché answer, but I always feel like it’s the latest song that I’ve written. The song I released this fall, called “Innocence,” is a song that I feel captures where I’m at and the types of songs that I enjoy writing. With my music, I’ve always tried to write stuff that feels fresh when I write it but then also feels very real and honest. I feel that song accomplishes both of those things.

PC: You’re constantly in the studio. What can fans expect from this next body of work, and how does it differentiate itself from your previous releases?
Tim: Great question. I’m wondering the same thing. Ultimately, when I sit down and write for my own projects, I’m the most picky lyricist. I want people to hear where I’m at in my life. My wife and I are about to have our first baby. The Songland thing was a crazy experience. There’s been a lot of change in my life, and I want to be honest and real about that. But I also write music that’s really fun. For the last couple of years, I’ve been in this phase where I’m like, “I just want to have a good time when I write my song.” I want to continue with that. I want to have a lot of honesty and vulnerability but also have a lot of fun.

PC: You’re about to be a father. Have you started to think about the impact fatherhood is going to have on your songwriting and your craft?
Tim: For sure! It’s so exciting. It’s a huge transition. I don’t know what’s around the corner, but I’m so excited to be a dad. I have friends who are fathers. They’ve said it opens up an entire new channel of your brain when it comes to songwriting. You see the world through the lens of your child, and that changes the way you write. I’m excited about that, and I think I’m also going to have to learn how to work smarter because that’s also what I’ve gathered from my friends who have kids. I hope to be more efficient and effective as a songwriter.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Tim: Third Eye Blind

PC: First album you bought?
Tim: Big Willie Style by Will Smith

PC: First concert you attended?
Tim: Coldplay X&Y tour

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Tim: Ironically, Coldplay again—Parachutes. That record just showed me that playing the piano and being a songwriter can be a cool thing.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Tim: Oh my gosh! Dude, so many, Red Rocks, the Greek, Hollywood Bowl. Yeah. Any one of those. I guess Red Rocks, since I thought of it first.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Tim: Coffee and beef jerky. Worst combination, but that’s it.

To keep up with Tim, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify. Pick up or stream “Innocence” today.