Exclusive: Stevie Redstone Live Performance Video Premiere + Interview

Stevie Redstone is premiering his live performance video for his latest single “Now” exclusively on Talk Nerdy With Us. The Los Angeles native is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who describes his music as “honest, real, [and] organic.” “Now” speaks on how love cuts through all the negative noise and energy infiltrating our world today. Check out the video above!

In addition to letting us premiere his new video, Stevie also took time to answer our questions. We talked about everything, including how he got started in music, the inspiration behind “Now,” how the live performance video came about and so much more! Keep reading to see what he had to say.

Tell me a little bit about how you first got into making and performing music.

I’ve been singing and “performing” since I was about three years old. Fast forward to just after high school and my early college years, I started a band with some guys from the neighborhood. We started writing, playing out and having lots of fun. Can’t seem to shake it since.

Was there a specific moment or person who made you realize music is what you wanted to pursue professionally?

I don’t recall a specific instance or person, no. I’ve just always had the calling to sing, write, and perform. Once the band was playing regularly and I felt like there was something there musically that people were responding to, the natural progression was to see if I could make a living at it. Plus the old adage is true — “If you can get paid to do something you love…”

I’m always genuinely curious about what artists want to convey with their music. So how would you describe your sound without using genre names? What kind of music do you produce?

I try to produce honest, real, organic music and simply hope that the listeners feel something. I aim to make music that can evoke some emotional response or feelings from the listener beyond the superficial.

Going off of that, who are some of your musical influences?

I really run the gamut and listen to/am influenced by all kinds of stuff, but I’d say The Beatles, Paul Simon, Talking Heads, Harry Nilsson, Allman Bros, and Phish stand out.

Let’s talk about the new single, “Now.” What’s the story behind the song?

“Now” is an up-tempo tune that aims to cut through all the negative noise of modern times with a message of LOVE.

What was your songwriting process like for this song in particular? Did it flow pretty easy or did any part of the songwriting stump you? Did you write it by yourself or was this the result of a co-write?

I co-wrote “Now” with a wonderful writer/producer here in LA named Lewis Pesacov. This was a rare instance, for me at least, where we wrote with a specific rhythm in mind. So we started with that breakbeat and then came up with the chord progressions and vocal melodies. Lyrically this one flowed out pretty easily. There have been many times where I’ve had to search and fight it. But with “Now,” we sort of honed in on what we were writing about, or commenting [on] really, and banged it out fairly quickly.

What was the recording process like? Did any part of the song change once you got into the recording studio?

Recording “Now” was a blast. We started by doing the basic tracks (drums, bass, guitar, percussion, and piano) all live as a band to get that feel. Then we added overdubs like horns, strings, backgrounds singers, etc. to put some icing on the cake. This one ended up pretty close to the original demo, save for those arrangement goodies we put on top.

You also did a performance video for this single. Was there a reason you chose to do a live performance versus coming up with a concept and scripting a whole storyline?

I think we’re in an era where content is king. So doing multiple bits of content for people to vibe out to never hurts. I also just thought it would be fun to re-assemble some of the cats who played on the record and throw down one more time in a totally live setting.

What was the process of filming the video like? Was that your first time shooting a live performance video?

I was there in the morning with the fellas who shot the video so we could set up the lights, positioning of the instruments, etc. Then as the band filtered in, we checked their mics to make sure we were all set before basically pressing record and banging out some takes without overthinking it. So the result is pretty raw and organic, which I like. It also gives a glimpse of what people can expect at a live show. And no, this was not the first time we’ve shot something like this. There’s more in the pipeline!

You’re still relatively new to the music game. What are some music industry-related goals or benchmarks you aim to reach in the next couple of years?

• I’d love a booking agent who believes in what we do, can get us on a tour supporting a bigger band, and help us play some more festivals.

• There’s a station in LA that I love, 88.5. It would be a dream to hear my tunes on that station. But local/college radio in general.

• The elusive hit song.

Last question – we’re called Talk Nerdy With Us because we all have an inner-nerd. What is something, besides music, that you nerd out about?

I love to cook, so I geek out on that pretty often. I’m also an obsessive baseball fanatic.

In addition to checking out Stevie’s live performance video, make sure you visit his website and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.