Interview: Bet On It With Chad Courtney
Article by Lindsey V. Britt
Up-and-coming, Los Angeles-based, singer-songwriter Chad Courtney has just released his latest single “Rubber Knees Since August”. Experimenting with different synths, the pop artist since 2018 has been releasing hits such as “Harder To Breathe”, “Pretty Quickly”, and “Lost”, with more yet to come.
Where did the title for your latest song “Rubber Knees Since August” come from?
With this track, I came up with the title first, which honestly I don’t usually do. It’s based on when I met this person in August and completely fell in love with them instantly. It’s definitely one of my most honest songs. And another song I wrote called “Peaches By The Pool” goes into detail on how I met them and how the whole relationship made me feel.
Your song “Lost” has a more techno sound than the rest of your discography, what made you decide to go with that vibe for the song?
I’ve been holding onto this song for a while and the thing I love about music is that it can always be something so different from the next. I wrote this song when I first moved to L.A. and this track, production and lyrically, was how I was feeling at the time. So that alternative synth-pop vibe was what I envisioned for this track and some newer projects of mine have that similar style, which I’m so excited about.
Recently you’ve been teasing a song called “Honey, Stick To My Hands”, can you tease anything more about it?
Oh, I’m so excited for this one you have no idea! I recently finished this song and I love that I’m able to mix both a singer/songwriter vibe with these electric and bright synth pads. It is definitely one of my favorites that I’ve produced. Still a work in progress!
What first got you into songwriting?
When I was thirteen, I was an Ed Sheeran and Shawn Mendes fanatic haha! I taught myself the guitar like they said they did and with that, I started writing music. I mean, when I was like eight, I would write songs for myself and like my parents. Oh my god, they were horrible. Did not make any sense. But, I’d say when I was 17, I started to really appreciate songwriting and how it can really make an impact on people.
You have been releasing music since 2018, how do you think the music world has changed since then?
Honestly, I’m still really new to the whole music realm, but I feel like ever since COVID, music has played a huge part in all of our lives. For sure, TikTok now is a big platform for music. I can see how that’s been a huge change for the industry.
You like exploring different genres, a lot of artists nowadays like to be genreless, would you say that describes your music as well?
Of course, I’d say pop is the overall genre of my music, but there are so many different degrees of pop. I don’t think I’d say “genreless”, but it definitely depends on the track. One song could be electro-pop and the next could be a raw and warm cathartic track.
Is there an artist you would love to collaborate with one day?
Oh my god YES! I’d love to collaborate with Ryan Beatty one day. One day guys, one day. His work is a literal masterpiece. Every song off of his latest record has me instantly sobbing. So amazing.
What are some goals you have for the rest of 2024?
I really want to grow into my artistry a lot more and take risks. I feel like in the previous years, I held back a lot because I didn’t exactly know myself and I was scared to be vulnerable. I’ve definitely grown some confidence living in L.A. and being surrounded with other artists and getting their advice.
Can fans expect to see you play live this year?
Nothing is set in stone quite yet, but might have an acoustic session very soon!
I keep hearing about you singing High School Musical songs in preschool, as a fellow HSM fan, what was your favorite song to sing, and maybe still is?
This is hilarious. I’ll always be a proud HSM fan. “Bet On It” was the tune that would play on my electric toothbrush when I was little, and it’s been a favorite of mine ever since then.
I’m curious, do you have a favorite Disney movie, besides High School Musical of course?
All-time favorite Disney movie of mine? That’s so hard! I think Lilo & Stitch is a film I can continuously watch. It’s so good.
My final question is, do you have a recommendation? It can be anything, TV series, place to go, advice, anything.
Listen to Ryan Beatty right now if you haven’t already. That’s the greatest advice I think I can ever give.
Make sure to stream “Rubber Knees Since August” on your favorite music streaming platform along with the rest of Chad Courtney’s amazing discography!
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