He might have grown up on asphalt – raceway asphalt that is – but PJ North has country flowing in his veins. After years of writing hip-hop racing songs, this part-time race car driver, full-heart performer has returned to his country roots but on his terms, as he represents his inspirations from all genres in his music.
We caught up with the Ohio native to talk about racing, the new single “B Sides” and his very first music video.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
PJ: My name is PJ North, I am a singer/songwriter based out of Nashville Tennessee but originally from Columbus, Ohio! I’ve been a performer for as long as I can remember. I made the move to Nashville four years ago to pursue music full time and move in with my now wife! When I’m not playing music, I drag race with my family all over the country at different tracks or I’m watching professional wrestling as my guilty pleasure!
CN: At what age did you discover music? How long have you wanted to pursue a musical career?
PJ: I remember singing when I was younger but being terrible at it then going to my first concert at age 5 or 6 to see Brooks & Dunn and pretty much since that moment I wanted to be on stage!
CN: Which musicians, country or not, have influenced you both personally and as an artist?
PJ: Sam Hunt, Jay Z, Brooks & Dunn, Fall Out Boy, Jason Aldean, Garth Brooks, just so many! I’ve loved country music since I was a kid and grew up on listening to so many genres that I feel like my writing now showcases all my various influences!
CN: You grew up with the sport of car racing and had a huge passion for it since you were 10. What was it about racing that drew you to it?
PJ: My father built my first car for me and I remember before that I used to run my go-kart all over the back yard of my parent’s construction company shop and I just always mimicked being the winner. So, when I got to race against other people and finally started to do good, I was hooked. It’s the going fast but being in complete control and being able to depend on yourself to get the win!
CN: Surrounded by the speed of the chrome and rubber, you found the niche of writing racing hip-hop songs, but when you released your debut EP Part Time Cowboy in 2016, you began to mix that fast pace with country. That theme continued with your following EP This Is It (2017) and last year’s single “She Was.” What made you decide to take the step to a more country sound?
PJ: I grew up on country music and I always wanted to be a singer but honestly at a young age I couldn’t sing a lick but, I found that I could remember lyrics from songs. I started making my own songs up and when I got into hip hop it used to be “my thing,” my friends would always ask me to rap. When I started making my own music around age 16, I found that I could sing, I just had to work at it. Finally I felt after demoing and writing for other artists that it was time to make the full transition into making more of the music I really wanted to make and plus I’ve wanted to be in Nashville since I was in college so what better way to take the plunge!
CN: Today there is a lot of talk about country music morphing with other genres. Do you feel that there a natural connection between hip-hop and country music?
PJ: I feel that good music is good music regardless of the genre ya know? I listen to so many types of music that as long as it’s good it doesn’t matter what station its on. I don’t know if natural is the word I would use but my friends love when I do “the thing” on their songs at writers rounds and what not haha it’s kind of a party trick now to rap over country songs.
CN: How would you describe your sound today?
PJ: I would say it’s Pop Country mixed with everything else haha
CN: You released your latest single “B-sides” on February 1, a fun rockin’ country track. Can you share with us the story behind this song?
PJ: I set up a write with my buddy Frank Legeay and he sent me a text and said, “you ready to write your next single”? I love his confidence, and I’m already a pretty excited dude so his energy feeds mine. This was our first co-write together where it was just me and him, he had normally been the track guy at the other co-writes I was on so it was cool for just me and him to jam. I gave him the title and concept and he loved it and came up with a great progression and it just started to roll, it felt like the song we were supposed to write that day. “B- Sides” is about someone who went through a breakup and now all the big moments that used to mess that person up no longer has that effect, and that’s because the little things are still there and it’s not that bad after all. Frank and another good friend of mine Michael Mechling ended up producing and mixing it and we all just got really excited about it and made it the first of a few new singles coming up!
CN: The music video for “B Sides” appropriately takes place in a record shop, but it’s not any old record shop – it’s Nashville’s Grimey’s. How did you come up with the idea for the video?
PJ: Crazy story, I had the idea to make the video a play on the movie High Fidelity in the scene where they talk about the top 5 side A track ones, YouTube it, it’s hilarious…but I sent the idea to Preston Leatherman who Frank hooked me up with and then Preston had the great idea to actually use the record shop and when the girl (my wife Amanda) switched records we would switch outfits on stage to match the record she played! It was so much fun having friends jump in and play as my band, Matt Muha on drums, Nick Diamond On Bass, and Frank on Guitar!
CN: You still find time to race? How often do you get behind the wheel? Which type of auto racing do you prefer?
PJ: I still race quite a bit, a few years back I made the decision to try and do music and racing together. When we booked shows at big races or cities around big races, I combine the two together. I probably race close to 20 times a year. I grew up drag racing at a local race track in what’s called a junior dragster, I graduated into a 66 Chevelle that my dad had and then a dragster, both of which I race in what’s called Bracket Racing. I enjoy that but I really love Class Racing in Stock in my cutlass that now my wife drives or my brand-new Pontiac Sunfire Super Stocker. Most people think drag racing is who gets to the finish line first, but it is so much more than that which is what I really love about it!
CN: Do you have a dream collaboration in mind?
PJ: Jay Z or Brooks & Dunn
CN: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
PJ: Brash…I forget my “filter” sometimes and I’ve always been a confident person. I realized at a young age I’m not for everybody and I can’t change that. Plus, my wife tells me I’m brash all the time haha
CN: What’s next on the horizon in 2019?
PJ: I have some more new music coming, hopefully, our show schedule will be completely full, and we keep chasing the Dream!
Stream “B Sides” on Spotify here.
For more information on PJ North, visit his website at www.thepjnorth.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.