ARTIST COMMENT
1. What was the reason you selected this song as your single?
While i was writing it, I just knew “Everything You Have” would be the single. It was the last song i wrote for the album and up to that point i felt like the album didn’t have a 1st track. While in the studio, the album evolved and the string instrumentation was so lush and full. Everything about the song made me want it to be the first thing from the new album that I share with people.
2. What was the creation process for this record?
It was a 6 step process for the most part.
Step 1: I met up with my producer. I played through all the songs acoustically and we dissected everything. We wanted to make sure every song could stand on its own before laying down additional instruments.
Step 2: We had drums/bass track their parts. We spent alot of time finding the best sounds for each instruments- changed drum heads, chose one floor tom over another, etc. It was a long but necessary process.
Step 3: We wrote and arranged strings, then recorded them with Symbiotic Collusion string players in Pittsburgh. This was my favorite part.
Step 4: At that point we had all the primary instrumentation tracked. We then went onto the “bells and whistles” – filling things in with guitar, marimba, extra beats. We did some of this during the time frame that we recorded vocals.
Step 5: Vocals: This was probably the biggest undertaking but the most important part of the project.
Step 6: Mixing the album to make sure all the levels were right.
3. How does this song relate to the rest of the album?
The album itself is about going hard. I didn’t set out to create a concept album, but there is this running theme of doing everything you can as best as you can. Most of it pertains to living life fully and loving as fully as you can. “Everything You Have” is specifically about our material possessions and about the fact that nothing lasts. As in nothing. So it’s pretty much a perfect song to set the stage for the album – to say ‘hey don’t put value on the things that will eventually fall apart”.
4. Where did the concept of the video come from?
I worked with videographer Steve Ellington. He and I both sat down to figure out how to create something that would get the point across without being too preachy. The whole “party” idea was eventually what we came up with. I’m glad we went that route.
5. Did the video turn out and or would you change anything about the video?
I’m really happy with the video. I dont necessarily like being the main “actor”. I don’t really feel confident about that. But Im really happy with it and especially LOVE the final scene of the video. I hope people like it!
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