Pop Culturalist Chats with Cody Johns

Actor, content creator, influencer, and model are a few ways you could describe Cody Johns, but he’s a man of even more talents. Plus, now we can add singer-songwriter to that list. This summer, he released two songs, “There You Are” and “Tropical Romance”, and, well, we can’t get enough of them. They’ve become essential tracks for any playlist. Pop Culturalist spoke with Cody about releasing his own original music, performing live for the first time, and what fans can expect next.

PC: Tell us about “Tropical Romance” and the inspiration behind the song.
Cody: The melody of the guitar chords really put me into a place mentally to write a fun and beachy song.

PC: What is your creative process like?
Cody: My creative process is always different! Sometimes the music itself can inspire a whole idea and sometimes song ideas come first, and then you build the music around it. I like to have music first before lyrics because I like to be inspired by what I am hearing.

PC: Who are some of your musical influences?
Cody: Justin Timberlake, Lana Del Rey, Fred Hammond, John Mayer, and Bruno Mars have always been big influences of mine!

PC: You’ve released two singles in the past few months, when can fans expect an EP or debut album?
Cody: I am definitely building a body of work! Sometimes people release stuff and see how it resonates with people and then will maybe craft something around the fan-favorite songs. For right now, I really want to build my catalogue and release singles!

PC: The music videos for the two singles are interconnected, how did you come up with the concept and is this something fans can expect for your next video?
Cody: Visuals have always been very important to me—just as important as the song itself. I like the idea of videos having depth and story, so that’s why I connected them. Each one is separate, but there are certain details that connect them.

PC: You performed “Tropical Romance” for the first time on live television last week. What was that experience like? Were you nervous? If so, how did you calm your nerves?
Cody: I was definitely less nervous than I thought I would be to perform live. Even though it was something I hadn’t done, I had already mentally prepared, knowing that these are the things I need to do as an artist. It’s fun! This is what I do it for!

PC: Are there any tour plans in the works?
Cody: I am definitely looking forward to performing more live. I am going to do a few pop-up gigs around L.A. and definitely exploring some opportunities to open for great artists that are willing to have me.

PC: You’ve been creating and sharing content with fans for several years. How would you compare that experience to releasing your own original music?
Cody: It’s been different in some ways but similar in others for sure. There are so many pieces to releasing a song, which has been an amazing experience for me. There are so many details to just ‘putting out a song’, from the writing, to the production, the vocal performance. Then, there’s also the post process, like the artwork, video, etc. So many pieces! But just like when making a film or content, you have to prepare and work collaboratively with your team!

PC: Do you have anything you’d like to say to your fans?
Cody: I always want to thank all the fans for supporting me. They’ve been with me for years now so it’s amazing to see them having my back with this new project!

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Cody: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Cody: It was pretty good!

PC: Favorite book?
Cody: Ender’s Game

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Cody: Bye Bye Birdie

PC: Favorite social media platform?
Cody: Instagram

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Cody: Me! I listen to myself [laughs].

PC: Hidden talent?
Cody: I can do a backflip!

Pick up “Tropical Romance” at any of these digital retailers and follow Cody on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.