Exclusive Interview: Todd Carey Chats About His New Single, “Don’t Know When to Quit”

In many ways, singer-songwriter Todd Carey has worked his entire career to release a single like “Don’t Know When to Quit.” Available now wherever you buy or stream music, “Don’t Know When to Quit” marks the next chapter in Todd’s impressive career and a different side of his multifaceted artistry. It’s a dark, edgy but empowering anthem for anyone who’s ever been doubted in life, and we chatted with Todd ahead of its release.

PC: Tell us about your new single, “Don’t Know When to Quit.” What inspired the song?
Todd: It’s a bit of a departure for me. Not a radical departure—but sonically, it’s definitely darker and edgier. I think a lot of people associate me and what I’m about with warmth, both socially and visually. But musically, I come from a place that has some spikes in it as far as emotional content and not necessarily a super shiny veneer. This song gets a little closer to what I’m seriously about as a person and a musician. I’ve been working a long time to build an audience that wants to listen to what I have to offer.

I’m super proud of everything that I’ve released. I hope when I put a song like “Don’t Know When to Quit” out, people will listen to it, because I love it and it’s closer to what I really like doing. This is another outlet of what I do. The song, both sonically and content-wise, is darker, but it still has an uplifting and positive twist to it.

Sonically, it’s closer to what I love. It cuts more to the core of me. It’s got musical density that’s worth checking out, and it still has my trademark optimism. But I’m also a realist. It chronicles what I’ve been through and what I continue to go through. I haven’t been given that shot that a lot of my peers have. This song is about not giving a shit and continuing to do what I do.

PC: It’s a powerful anthem for anybody who’s ever been doubted in life. Did you draw on any personal experiences in writing the song and how have you been able to silence that noise?
Todd: I love that. It’s true man. In our best moments, this is what I want to feel. We don’t always feel that. Everyone feels defeated at times. But this is one of those better moments of taking that and being like, “I don’t care. I’m doing it anyway!”

PC: You’ve touched upon this already, but this single is a departure from your previous releases. Walk us through finding this new sound. Because it’s so different, does that add any extra nerves?
Todd: I love this question. There are nerves in that I feel that it’ll be misinterpreted. But I’m more excited than anything else. I’m excited that people will see another side of who they think I am. I put a song similar to this on my last album called “Dead and Gone.” It’s been well received by my audience, which is great and I’m thankful. I feel like this is the 2019-2020 version of “Dead and Gone.” I fear that people may skip over it for the next thing. I think it’s awesome, and I hope people give it a shot.

All that being said, it’s still upbeat and triumphant. This is my favorite song so far on this project, and it’s the third single in. It was going to be the first single, but then we decided it might make more sense to connect the dots a bit—connecting what people know and think about me and then lead to this. I started with “Real Love” and then did “Wanna Love,” which is about my wedding and baby. It’s bright and sunny, and all those things are real to me. But musically, this is really my heart right now. It’s the most current statement of Todd Carey 3.0.

PC: In many ways, like you just said, this is the next chapter of your career. What can you tease about the next couple of releases? Are they going to be very similar to “Don’t Know When to Quit”?
Todd: That’s a good question. I’m taking the audience on a journey. The next couple are going to be different than this. Without giving too much away, each single is just a different chapter and this is standing on its own as a very unique piece.

PC: Outside of music, you’ve had a massive 2019. You just got married, and you had your little girl. Has that changed anything?
Todd: This may sound cliché, but my entire universe doesn’t revolve around each release anymore. I have gravity in my personal life. It had weight my entire life. It was the centerpiece of my creative spirit. But I no longer live and die by the way it’s received. But I think I’m about to release my best stuff ever. When you combine that with the fact that I have my new family to go home to and be with at the end of the day, it makes me feel a lot more secure. It’s made the process a little less daunting.

To keep up with Todd, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Pick up or stream “Don’t Know When to Quit” on Amazon Music, iTunes, or Spotify.