Kat Harlton
Photos: Provided via artist/PR Team
Los Angeles based indie pop artist and singer/songwriter Jack Drinker recently released his latest single “California King”.
Through captivating melodies and storytelling lyrics, Drinker’s music often touches on themes of mental health, relationships, body image and loss, delivering songs that are deeply personal and refreshingly raw. As a graduate of UCLA’s Herb Alpert School Of Music, Drinker’s sound offers a musical maturity, with his upcoming releases set to explore a more experimental side.
Drinker’s latest single, “California King,” is a love song wrapped in hopefulness and naivety. Mixed by Alyssa Wilkens, with mastering by Ryan Schumer (Shawn Mendes, Burna Boy, Khalid, and Jon Bellion) and Carl Bahner (St. Lucia, Transviolet, Grace Abel), “California King” takes sonic inspiration from Gracie Abrams. Drinker’s emotion-fuelled vocals soar over a jangly guitar melody and driving percussion, resulting in an uplifting anthem that will have you chanting along, as he sings, “You’re a James Dean movie scene, speeding down the highway.”
Drinker’s music has received numerous radio plays and his debut EP, Dead Boy Walking, has surpassed 60K streams. The release of “California King” was paired with a live show at the prestigious LA music venue, The Hotel Cafe, this past December.
I had the opportunity to chat with Jack about his new single, his musical journey so far, and what’s next.
Kat: Can you share a bit about your background and how you got started in music?
Jack: I grew up singing in church choir from the time I was 4 years old. I did musicals my whole life and continued on doing Drama and Choir in high school. I also did Choir and A capella in college, so it has been an important part of my life since I was very little.
Kat: What has been your biggest musical inspiration growing up?
Jack: My biggest musical inspiration was powerhouse vocalists like Mary J Blige, Michael Buble, Adele, Whitney Houston, Lionel Richie, and many more. My parents would play their songs on the radio and I would try to mimic them to the best of my ability. I have also always been very inspired by non-classical musical theatre performances. I love Jeremy Jordan and Ben Platt. My goal has always been to tell a story through my voice and make the audience feel my emotion like the artists I listed.
Kat: How did your experience at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music shape your sound and approach to songwriting?
Jack: I was so lucky to be able to be in so many rooms with Industry professionals at UCLA. I was able to take dynamic songwriting courses, as well as Music Business and Music Production courses. Being surrounded by so many amazing peers that have different approaches to songwriting definitely shaped the way I write and create now. I had never been exposed to so many different types of music. One of my favorite experiences at UCLA was being able to play my song “The Cards” for Carole King’s daughter, Louise Goffin. The feedback she was able to provide me with was truly inspiring and I have held onto it ever since.
Kat: Can you describe your evolution as an artist from your earlier works to your upcoming releases?
Jack: Although there are many differences in quality and sound when comparing my old music to new music, I always had a clear vision of what I wanted. It takes time to find producers, mixers, masters, songwriters, etc to really fulfill your vision in the exact way you see it. My old music will always hold a special place in my heart because it got me to where I am now. I had no idea what I was doing, but I jumped into the deep end and learned so much along the way. My goal is always to be growing and evolving artistically and sonically. Following your gut is so important, but it’s also been great for me to learn how to question my instincts and think outside of the box.
Kat: Your music often touches on themes of mental health, relationships, body image, and loss. How do you approach writing about such personal and sensitive topics?
Jack: When tackling topics such as these, I think the most important thing is to just be honest. I don’t filter myself, but I also try really hard to not exaggerate. When writing songs about my mental health, I am typically knee deep in that dark headspace, trying to get out. Songwriting is my therapy and if I can make one person feel less alone, that’s what I want to do. These topics are definitely sensitive and need to be approached with care, but I try not to question it too much. Oftentimes, when I am writing songs from a dark place, it flows out of me organically and I wouldn’t want to go back and edit the words that I felt in the moment.
Kat: Is there a particular song or lyric that holds special meaning to you, and why?
Jack: There are many, but there is one that sticks out in an unreleased song of mine that will be on my sophomore EP. The song is about needing to protect my peace before helping anyone else. I found that in 2024, I felt the need to be there for so many people, when I needed help myself. I felt myself changing in real time and didn’t feel like being the happy go lucky person I am known to be in my friend groups. The lyric is “My grandfather died in May, I’m still picking up the pieces but they never look the same. I’m just going through the motions when I say I’m okay, but I guess that I am, I’m just numb, I’m just not having fun”. I think the lyric speaks for itself – but there are always things out of our control – and the way we grieve these things is one of them. My grandfather was my favorite person in the world, and it wouldn’t have felt right to not pay homage to him on my sophomore EP.
Kat: How do you hope listeners will connect with your music on an emotional level?
Jack: There are so many artists that have made me feel like “wow, they put a feeling I’ve felt before into words so beautifully”. That is truly the best feeling in the world – to feel so seen by somebody you’ve never met. My goal is to make other people feel less alone, which will in turn make me feel less alone. Sometimes I write songs and I think to myself.. “Has anyone else felt this way before?” and I know that they have. I just want people to scream my lyrics as if they are reading from their own diary. I want my music to feel like a diary entry – so vulnerable that it can make you uncomfortable at times. The truth is that it’s good to start these conversations. The most important topics in life are the most uncomfortable to discuss with one another. My music has helped me open up to my family and friends about certain things I’ve struggled with, in a way I may never have otherwise. I want my listeners to know that they can be 100% themselves and scream it from the rooftops. We are all imperfect, but you don’t need to be perfect to be enough.
Kat: Can you tell us the story behind your latest single, “California King”?
I wanted to paint a picture of a person who has an infectious and magnetic personality. I’ve met a lot of people who have that and usually they have no idea how they are perceived. It’s relatable, especially in LA, to want somebody that a lot of other people want too.
Kat: You mentioned that “California King” is about the inevitable reality versus our hopeful expectations. Can you elaborate on this theme and its significance to you?
Jack: I think as we grow up and start to experience a variety of different romantic relationships and some of them are bound to have a power imbalance. I dated a lot of people that I thought were out of my league or better than me. It’s a vicious cycle that is hard to break until you learn how to be alone and build up your self worth. Even though I know how independent I am now and how good I am by myself, there are still times when I have crushes on people who I think would never actually like me back in the way that I like them. Oftentimes, we are making up a version of someone in our head, yet, we don’t actually know the person. That’s why I wanted to highlight this untouchable person that is bigger than life. A lot of the time, it will inevitably not work out for one reason or another. No matter how many times that happens, it doesn’t make me any less hopeful for the outcome to be different in the future.
Kat: What was the creative process like for “California King,” and how did you collaborate with Alyssa Wilkens, Ryan Schumer, and Carl Bahner?
Jack: The song took a few months to perfect. I wrote a draft of it in my notes and shared it with Paige Shannon who then came up with a melody and made the lyrics better. The funny part is that we didn’t write it together in person. Alyssa Wilkens helped me bring the song to life in such a big way. They are truly my partner in crime. Carl Bahner then mastered the song after Alyssa was finished mixing.
Kat: How do you approach the songwriting process? Do you have any rituals or routines that help you get into the creative flow?
Jack: My songwriting process may not work for everyone, but luckily it does for me. I am lucky in the way that I never have to force myself to write. I typically write something every day – whether it’s one word or a whole page of lyrics. Writing is my therapy – my outlet to vent about anything and everything. I often write these feelings as lyrics, but sometimes it’s a poem or just free thought. Once I have an idea that I like, I will flesh it out and come up with a melody to record a voice memo with. I’ll then send it to Alyssa who will make some sort of guitar or piano part to build the song off of. I’ll then go into the studio and we’ll record a scratch vocal to build the production off of. I don’t really have any rituals or routines, but I write a lot in my room and sometimes even in my car (I record voice memos of my ideas). Sometimes if I want to write but have nothing to write about, I’ll listen to a new album or one of my favorite albums to get inspired.
Kat: Your upcoming releases are said to explore a more experimental side. Can you give us a sneak peek of what we can expect?
Jack: I love my debut ep, but I think it’s necessary to pivot or redirect after creating a project that came so naturally to me. I love all genres of music, so sometimes I just make songs based on what music I am inspired by at that particular time. I will say that there are definitely some more upbeat songs on the next EP, as well as more experimental vocals. I also played even more with vocal stacking and harmonies, so that’s very exciting. There is a song for everyone on the next project, yet somehow I still love all of them. I also made my first real love song which is very dear to my heart… I can’t wait to share it.
Kat: How do you balance maintaining your signature sound while experimenting with new musical elements?
Jack: Luckily, I don’t worry too much about maintaining a signature sound because I’m not known for any particular sound yet. I genuinely believe that everything I make is inherently me and nothing I can do will change that. Trying new things is part of the excitement, as long as I’m not mimicking someone or something else. At my core, I’ll always be a lyricist and the emotion in my songs will always be important to me. I also think it’s important to show off my range in most of my songs, so I don’t think my signature sound will ever get lost.
Kat: What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your music career, and how have you overcome them?
Jack: This goes with my question about what advice I would give.. But I truly think I’ve been my own worst enemy. It’s natural to have days where I’ve wanted to give up. Not seeing the numbers that I want or not getting on the playlists I want is an internal struggle because my expectations are high for myself. I have definitely learned how to be patient because nothing happens overnight in this industry. As long as I feel like I am consistently growing with each release, I’m happy.
Kat: What advice would you give to aspiring indie artists and songwriters looking to make their mark in the music industry?
Jack: I know it may not seem like it, but the most important thing you need in this Industry is a strong belief in yourself and your artistry. The amount of times you will hear the word“no” is going to be a lot. It used to a bit, but I realized that the people telling me “no” are either hearing one song of mine or watching one live performance.. They don’t know me as a person or an artist. This is not an Industry where you can put one foot in and one foot out. You need to jump in blind with as much confidence as you can muster up. There are times when you’ll feel like you’re faking it til you make it and that is natural. My best advice would be that if you have the passion, vision, and skill – the only “yes” you truly need to keep going is from yourself.
Kat: What’s next?
Jack: I have written out a list of specific goals for this year and although I won’t say all of them out loud, 2025 will be a year of me chasing many of my goals steadfastly. I will be releasing my sophomore EP this year and would love to play more shows or even go on a tour of sorts. I’ve found that many opportunities are within reach if you just put yourself out there and think optimistically. Stay tuned !!!
Connect With Jack Drinker
https://www.instagram.com/jackdrinkermusic