St. Andrew

St. Andrew is a Los Angeles based pop/rock artist who conjures influences ranging from modern day music icons like Lady Gaga and Linkin Park to that of the legendary Liberace. Incorporating elements of body contortion and neo-classical piano playing into his performances, St. Andrew is on a mission to deliver visually stimulating and lyrically intelligent pop music.St. Andrew – Dark Room by MrBobBradley

Known for his larger than life melodies, effective use of double entendre, and clean songwriting form, St. Andrew also engages a social dialogue underneath a sheen of shiny pop sensibility. His debut EP, “No Man’s Land”, to be released September 27, 2011 discusses the intersection between religion with sexuality, war, and today’s party culture.

Prior to its release, its first single “Dark Room” was chosen as 1 of 8 pop songs for the 2011 ASCAP Expo Conference. Mixed by Brian Paturalski (Britney Spears, OutKast) and mastered by Reuben Cohen (B.O.B., Bruno Mars), “No Man’s Land” is set to catapult St. Andrew into the pop market stratosphere.

This 5 song concept EP touches on Andrew’s thoughts of religion, sexuality, war and the party culture in modern day society. The imagery of the album cover, press photos and his new music video for “Dark Room” reveal some of Andrew’s many other passions including that of powerful art direction, yoga and body contortion. - Playjones.com

In just 5 songs, St. Andrew mentions partying, and religion and delves into society. - AOL Music

St. Andrew has taken time out to speak to Smokin’ Charlie Brown about his new EP ‘No Man’s Land’. Read the exclusive interview below!

01. You’re about to release your new EP No Man’s Land . How do you feel about the record now you’ve finally completed it?
I’m am constantly writing and studying so sometimes I forget that No Man’s Land is about to be released! This project has been a year and a half in the making and I am excited to share this work with everyone, especially since this is my debut record. No Man’s Land is a reflection of my inner world, so I also feel a little nervous to share my deep thoughts and feelings with everyone. It’s a little scary, but very exciting!

02. Your music has been described as ‘smart, socially conscious pop music’. What kind of subjects inspired the songs on your new record?
No Man’s Land is a concept album based on religion. Every song on the album can stand on its own as a catchy pop tune, but if you listen closely, all the songs allude to religion in some way. There’s tons of double entendre in the lyrics so every song has a second meaning. As an artist and writer, I wanted to make music on this record that was aurally pleasing to a mainstream pop audience, but at the same time music that brought up important societal issues which often intersect with religion, like sexuality and war. For 13 years, I went to a catholic school that was run by nuns inside a convent. Religion and spirituality have always been a prominent part of my life and so it was natural for me to write a whole record about it.

03. Are there any artists in particular that have influenced your writing on No Man’s Land?
I’ve always looked up to John Mayer for his incredible, clever writing. He’s such a talented guy because his writing is really pop friendly, but at the same time his lyrics are witty and smart. I also listened to a lot of Ryan Tedder as I created this record. He’s absolutely amazing not just as a writer, but as a producer and singer as well. Obviously artists like Madonna, Prince, and U2 also inspired me to write this record. Those guys aren’t afraid to skillfully mix religion into their pop songs and that’s part of the reason why they are great musical icons. I hope to be like them one day.

04. How did you decide that Dark Room would be the first single off your new record?
Dark Room always got the best response during my live gigs, and I thought the concept of the song was a good way to make my introductory stamp as an artist.

05. The imagery in the Dark Room video is incredibly striking. What creative input did you have in the making of the video?
A “dark room” is a place in the back of a bar or club where people hook up. Growing up Catholic and having recently done the sacrament of confession, I noticed that there were many similarities between the physical space of a confessional room and a dark room. I couldn’t help but write about it. Before I released the video, people just thought “Dark Room” was a catchy pop song that was similar to the S&M single that Rihanna put out recently. I wanted to show my fans that what separates me from other pop musicians is the intelligence of my writing and my ability to silently infuse important social issues into seemingly innocent pop songs. I worked closely with my talented producer/director, R. J. Daniel Hanna, who understood my message and mission and we worked through the whole concept together.

06. With your interest in art direction, yoga and body contortion clearly influencing your music videos, will they also influence your live performances?
RIght now I am working on perfecting my live acoustic show. No Man’s Land is heavily produced, and I definitely love a produced sound, but I want to show people that I can stand on my own with just my voice and a piano. I am not a writer who can only do topline and I’ve never written to tracks before. I start with silence, and then play my piano; that’s how it begins. I definitely see myself as a physical performance artist in the near future, but want to earn my stripes as a musician first.

07. Now your EP is finished do you have any plans on making a debut album?
Considering that we are in a singles driven market, I don’t see a need anytime soon to put out a full length EP. Right now, my focus is to create 5-6 song EPs and have one come out every year. I really strive to make each song single worthy.

08. With so many different influences and art forms influencing your work, how do you see yourself developing as an artist in future?
For the next album, I am planning to put in more piano, specifically classical piano, into the production. I’ve been playing classical music since I was 6 and got offers to study classical piano as an undergrad but didn’t take them. I used to hide the fact that I was a classical pianist and its only recently that I’ve started to appreciate that part of who I am. As I find myself in the company of more and more pop singer/songwriters, I know it is this specific talent of mine that will make me stand out from the rest. I’ve already started to incorporate classical piano into my piano/vocal arrangements and am debuting this classical/pop mash up the night of my CD Release Party on October 1 in Los Angeles, CA.

09. Singer songwriters experience different pressures than artists in band, do you have any advice for singer songwriters who are just starting out?
That’s a great question. Often I wish I had band mates because members of your band can help you do more work, establish more connections, and also help pull the weight when you are feeling down. Positively contributing to a team dynamic has always been one of my strengths, so now that I am doing this project as a solo artist it’s been in some ways an uphill battle for me. Pursuing pop music has been a great challenge, but also one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I wouldn’t trade this passion for anything else in the world. So to get back to your question, my advice to any new singer songwriter would be to create your own team of people that help to inspire you. They don’t even have to be musicians. I have many friends out of school that are starting their own business and I find that we share in the same struggles of running a one man company. Surround yourself with inspiring, successful people to learn from them and one day become like them.

10. When you’re not performing or writing what do you like to do to relax?
Good question haha. I feel as if I am constantly working, which is fine because I love what I do. But when I do take breaks, I do enjoying watching good movies and documentaries, especially ones that have a strong message and raise social awareness like Crash, Waiting for Superman, For the Bible Tells Me So, etc. I recently saw Precious for the first time and was amazed at the silent social commentary that went beyond the superficial story. I always love it when movies convey deeper messages through the cinematography and specific artistic choices in the script. I also find time to work out everyday. I like doing ashtanga yoga and for the past 3 years and running, I wake up at 4:30am to do it at least 3 times a week. I love yoga because of the spiritual element to it. There’s a common thread of spirituality that runs through everything I do, whether in my music or anything else.
- Smokin Charlie Brown