23-year-old Spencer Sutherland is well on his way to becoming a name the whole world recognizes and a talent that many people admire and think highly of. Spencer is a self-taught singer-songwriter from small-town Pickerington, Ohio but his dreams have already taken him to places farther than he’d ever imagined – and this is just the beginning for him.
Spencer has his hand in everything from making incredible covers of today’s hottest hits to recording his own music and we’ve been impressed by everything we’ve heard from him so far. He recently covered “History” by One Direction, did an incredible mashup of “679/Again/My Way” by Fetty Wap, and even showed off his incredible vocal range with “Hello” by Adele. While his personal favorites seem to stem from an RnB style – he is capable of singing just about anything which will only bring him greater opportunities in the future.
From performing on stage with Ariana Grande and Emblem 3 to recently filming his first music video (it’s hot!) and endorsements/sponsorships from brands like ASOS and Express – Spencer is a force to be reckoned with. We were lucky enough to chat with him about where he’s been and where he hopes to go from here and it’s safe to say, we became fast fans of Spencer’s and we’re sure you’ll follow suit.
Your EP Unveiled was released in early 2015, the songs seem to be about romance and passion – what was your favorite track to record and why?
My favorite track was probably the acoustic version of my first single “Heartstrings”! I will always have a soft spot for my first song ever, and someone “pulling on my heartstrings”, being hot and cold was definitely a real life experience that I went through!
Your newest track Bad Influence has an incredible back beat and your vocals on the track are incredible; it’s almost got an r&b feel with a hint of pop – is this the style of music you want to keep up with?
Thank you so much! And yes, RnB/pop fusion is who I am! A lot of my influences are just as RnB as pop! Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars, Elvis, Marvin Gaye, all had a strong RnB inspiration. I love the feel that the two sounds have together and you can definitely look out for more of the same sound :)
You got your start from a small town in Ohio (I’m from Kentucky myself) and it’s harder to make a name for yourself than it is in larger cities – how did you get past this and what would you offer as advice for anyone else who wants to succeed musically but may not come from a place where it seems possible?
We are neighbors haha! It is for sure harder, but not impossible. The most important thing is perseverance. It’s going to take ALOT of hard work and time. The reason most people don’t do it is they give up! If you really want it, you WONT give up. Actually, you can’t give up. It has to be a want to make it as bad as you want to breathe kinda thing. After you have that want, things will fall into place! My manager was instrumental in opening the doors once I was ready.
Advice: YouTube and social media are powerful things! Put quality things out consistently, and you will be surprised!
Should we be expecting new music from you soon, if so will it be another EP or just a single for now?
There will be a new single coming in the next few weeks :) as well as a brand new EP! We have not announced the exact release dates yet, but those are coming super soon!
We have a LARGE One Direction following on our site and you just covered their hit ‘History’; it’s the best cover we’ve heard of the song – what inspired you to pick this track to cover?
Wow, thank you! It’s my favorite 1D song! It’s so original and reminds me a bit of Toy Story haha. I thought doing a raw live acoustic cover on top of my apartment in LA would be relaxed and fun!
-Speaking of covers, what has been your favorite track of all to cover?
Probably “7 years” by Lukas Graham!
It’s such a dope song with a great story and meaning. My keyboardist Andrew and I did a very RnB arrangement, with gospel chords, and it’s very different from the original with lots of falsetto :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwXEDVaiBhI
Your music video for Bad Influence was great; what was it like filming your own video for your own song?
It was the first time I ever did it! It was so fun being super collaborative with my team and us having complete creative control! We did what felt right, and the whole process was so smooth and fun! The director Cam “Bangout” really killed it!
You’re also signed with a modeling agency; is this something you plan to keep up as your music career advances?
YES! Actually have been doing quite a bit modeling just recently! It’s so fun and a completely different world, yet goes hand in hand with music!
If you could tell your fans one thing, what would it be?
That I am FOREVER GREATFUL, and I love them to death! I wouldn’t be able to do anything without them, so it mans a lot that they are always there!!! Thanks so much for supporting me:)
While Spencer’s talent is enough to take him anywhere, his determination, dedication, and humble attitude are what makes him relatable to his fans and anyone who comes across his song or a photo and wants to learn more about him. In a day and age where it’s easy to let fame go to your head, Spencer has his feet planted firmly on the ground and knows that he worked hard to get where he is today, he takes none of that for granted.
If you want to keep up with Spencer as he takes over 2016, follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and add his YouTube channel; this year looks promising to be one of his biggest yet, we can’t wait to see what else is in store.
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