This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
*John Alex Gatsby is a man of two worlds, seamlessly blending the precision of aviation with the soulful artistry of music.
His debut album, “Mayday,” released on May 16, is a testament to his ability to navigate both passions with equal fervor. “I don’t think they’re so different, to be honest with you,” Gatsby says of his dual careers as a pilot and a Billboard charting artist. “I mean, one might be a little bit more technical, but in my opinion, they’re both art. The way I land an airplane is very artistic… so that you don’t even feel it most of the time.”
Gatsby’s love for aviation and music was born simultaneously. “I think I was born with a love for both,” he shares. While society pushed him toward aviation as a “day job,” his entrepreneurial journey in the field gave him the confidence to pursue music as well.
“I pursued aviation first because society told me that you had to have a day job. I pursued aviation, but along the journey of pursuing aviation, getting into the business side of aviation and the entrepreneurial journey that came as a result of it, I realized that I could probably do anything and everything I wanted to do. So I then circled back, spun the block, and came back to the world of music.”
Scroll to continue reading
The album’s title, “Mayday,” is a clever nod to both his aviation roots and its release date. The concept emerged organically in the studio. “Mayday was a collaborative effort between me, myself, D. Cope, the writer on the track, and Butta and BizKit, my two producers,” Gatsby explains.
“We were talking about incidents that I might’ve had in my flying career in which it was an emergency or some type of abnormal incident. We were going over the procedure for what to do when you’re faced with an emergency situation in the air. And one of the things that I told him, I said, well, you get on the radio and you say, Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, tell them how many souls are on board, how much fuel is on board, things like that. And so that’s how it became crafted.”
Gatsby’s latest single, “Maneater,” draws inspiration from the 1980s classic by Hall and Oates, reimagined with a modern twist. “We were listening to Michael Douglas, we were listening to Prince. And then as the playlist and YouTube went on, the next thing that played was that Hall and Oates “Maneater” with the saxophone and all that,” he recalls. “And I thought, man, it’s a cool melody. I realized… what if we make a twist on “Maneater” while paying homage to what was, but then still doing it in our own way. We’re not copying necessarily. We’re taking what they laid as a foundation and building upon it.”
The track came together quickly, with Gatsby and his collaborators crafting lyrics inspired by personal experiences. “We were able to do the track in maybe an hour or two.” After multiple revisions and mixes, “Maneater” evolved into a standout track. “I think it’s one of the best works that I’ve ever done,” Gatsby adds.
Another milestone for Gatsby was seeing his single “Therapy” hit number 30 on the Billboard Adult R&B chart. Yet, he remains unfazed by the accolade: “I was more pissed off that we didn’t make it to the top 10.”
For Gatsby, the focus remains on creating music that resonates. “At the end of the day, my focus is just making good music. The accolades, the celebrations, and congratulatory effects are not in my control at all. And so, because I have no control of it, I can’t care.”
View this post on Instagram
Gatsby’s music blends classic R&B with pop and modern textures, drawing from legends like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston, as well as producers such as Quincy Jones and Darkchild.
“I study them and I study the greats and I always strive to perfect perfection,” he says. “You have to take where you are influenced and let that be a way to pay homage to those greats that came before you and then take it and twist it in your own way.”
The album’s first single, “Make Her Dance,” has been dubbed a strip club anthem by some, but Gatsby sees it differently. “Everyone else labeled it a strip club anthem. I called it a twerk song,” he clarifies. “I just thought it would be something that everyone could dance to in the club. The beat captivated me, and I knew that I wanted to make something that people could dance to.”
As a pilot, Gatsby finds reward in serving others. “The most rewarding part of what I do as a pilot is helping people. We do a lot in the medical field, a lot of overnights, late overnights, transporting surgeons, organs, things like that,” he says. In music, it’s about connection. “The most rewarding in terms of music is just knowing that there are people out there like me who can relate to that sound and who get it,” he shares. “What does belong to me is my music and my love of music, and my passion for music. And finding people that are a similar mindset makes it very worthwhile for me to continue doing.”
With “Mayday,” Gatsby hopes to uplift his listeners. “I just hope they enjoy it. I hope it takes them away from the tolls and trials of their own lives,” he says. “If I could entertain you for 30 minutes at a time, then I’ve done my job. If I can influence your emotions and your mood, if I can make you have a better day or if I can help you get through that breakup or find your way around this thing that we call life as we navigate it, then I think that I’ve done my job.”
Through “Mayday,” John Alex Gatsby invites listeners to join him on a journey where the skies and the studio converge, offering a soundtrack for life’s highs and lows, crafted with passion and precision.
Watch our full interview below.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: John Alex Gatsby Releases New Single ‘Maneater’ Off His Debut ‘Mayday’ | WATCH
We Publish Breaking News 24/7. Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
