Songwriter and producer Tim Myers has written or been a part of over 1,100 songs in his career, working with artists such as OneRepublic, Hailee Steinfeld, Philip Philips and more, but this fall, he’s focusing on his own music with his stunning new album, Portraits. The deeply personal album focuses on those who have affected Myers’ life, with each song on the collection serving as a portrait of a different person, from his wife and daughters to a close friend who died by suicide. The wide range of emotions on the album directly reflects the day to day life of any average person, making it incredibly easy to relate to while also remaining personal to Myers.
Earlier this month, Tim Myers released “Lover My Love” from the album, an ode to his wife, Lauren, which can be heard below. With more new music coming soon and tour dates in the works, anything is possible for Tim Myers this year. Read more about the album and listen to “Lover My Love” below.
Interview by Dom Vigil
As a songwriter and artist, you’ve been involved in countless projects, but you’re currently focusing on your own solo material. Is it a nice change of pace to be writing for yourself for a change?
I love writing and recording for myself! While writing Portraits I was really able to dig deep into some very personal things. Because each song is a ‘portrait’ about someone in my life I had to be real and authentic. While writing with James Arthur, Hailee Steinfeld, or Philip Philips, it’s more about their own personal journey and I’m more so there to guide and help them discover their words and voice in a song which is so much fun and totally a different thing! I absolutely love writing with and for other artists, it’s something I do every single day, I write and or record and work on production on a song every single day whether it’s for myself as a solo artist or another artist, often times 8 or more hours a day. I’m really disciplined, I feel like it’s like a muscle you need to work out every day. My publisher just showed me recently I’ve written and have been a part of over 1,100 songs, which I’m shocked about. It is the biggest blessing in the world to do what you love for a living and wake up each day to make music and I feel grateful I get to do that.
This fall, you’ll be releasing your new album, Portraits. What does this collection of songs mean to you? Were there any stories that you wanted to tell or people that you wanted talk about with the songs on Portraits?
Each song on Portraits is about a person in my life and it’s a rollercoaster ride of emotions. One of the songs “Tana: Sorry Don’t Live Here” features vocals on the chorus from James Arthur is about a really close friend that committed suicide. My wife felt so much guilt, it was her best friend and she wished she could’ve done something to stop it. So this song is really about the personal effects suicide has on the family and friends. The chorus is actually uplifting in a sense and the message is about letting go of the pain and guilt of this tragedy that happened. Other songs are feel good and fun like “Daughter” which is about my two girls who are 5 1/2 and 2 1/2. I cry every time I listen to the song and I’m not sure how I’ll get through that song live without balling and being a mess. There’s also an anti-Trump song on there called “The King.”
Some of the songs on Portraits are incredibly personal and close to you. Was it ever nerve wracking revisiting some of these memories or opening up in these songs that people would eventually hear?
It was extremely nerve wracking and very difficult writing songs about suicide or my two daughters and that personal joy and innocence. Sometimes I’d sit down to write it and have to put it off for weeks. I even have a song that’s a ‘self-portrait’ which was extremely difficult to write and talk about things that I usually keep personal and can’t tell people, “I’m not going to hate myself” “I can never get close to my feelings” and talking about my past.
You just recently released “Lover My Love” from the album. What is the story behind this song?
This song is about my wife who I call “lover.” I just recently released the music video and was in shock it had over 500k views in 5 days! The song is from the perspective of marriage and sticking through the hard times and celebrating the good times. This song is deeply personal. Lauren and I have been through some very huge and tough obstacles and have had some amazing times. Lauren has battled cancer, her best friend who was like a sister committed suicide, and I’ve had trauma as a child to overcome and have experienced some big issues as an adult. So this was a song celebrating sticking with your partner through thick and thin, riding through those hard times and coming out the other side and finding joy in this wonderful life we’ve been given. There’s some deeply and almost uncomfortable lyrics at points, one is in the second verse about “not having sex” “rehab and disease” but in the chorus it’s celebratory “I’m yours your mine my breath of life” I hope the makes you want to get up and dance and makes you feel good, but it’s also a real, authentic, deep song about my relationship with my wife.
What are you most excited for listeners to hear on Portraits?
My favorite song is called “Portrait Of Home” it has an alternative folk sound in the wheelhouse of Of Monsters & Men or The Lumineers. The lyrics say: “On a quiet road, There’s a home, That’s More than walls more than rooms, And through the door, There’s a heart, Inside that heart, There is love, There is space here for both of us, There’s a well that gives more than enough, In this day they’ll be an hour in that hour there’ll be a moment, we’ll realize that time just flies so hold on tight”
When can fans expect to hear some more new music from the album?
End of September, beginning of October
Do you have any other big plans for the rest of 2017 after Portraits drops? Could we maybe expect some shows as well?
We are talking with a big artist now about a tour! You should know soon.
Thanks for taking the time to talk with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you! I really appreciate you listening and I’m so thankful for the outpouring from the fans! I’m so excited to release the album!
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