Creating “New Money”
Last year, when I realized I had a body of work that was shaping up to be an album, I knew I needed a lead single. I wanted it to be something fun, aggressive, and loud. That’s how I came to write “New Money” specifically to serve this purpose. At first, I wasn’t sure what I wanted the song to be about—I only had the bass line playing on a loop in my head. Then one day, while I was in the shower, the hook just dropped into my head out of nowhere: “I got that - new money, so come try to take it from me.” It was so simple, catchy, and silly that it made me laugh immediately. I jumped out of the shower so fast I almost slipped because I was scared I would forget it and needed to record it immediately. That was the first part of the song I wrote. From that moment, I knew what the song was called and what it would be about thematically.
Next, I added the key change and chords for the chorus. I wanted the chorus to be big, loud, and muscular, building up tension for the refrain. I love experimental music, but as a songwriter, I think it’s important to at least understand pop song structures so you can use them effectively when they serve your music. A lot of indie music veers toward the experimental and tends to create a more insular, introspective experience. I wanted this song to be the complete opposite. I wanted to show people that indie musicians can write and produce songs that are big, catchy, extroverted, high-definition, and pop-friendly. I didn’t want to create something interesting or groundbreaking; I wanted to make something that just fucking slapped.
The lyrics for the chorus came to me so quickly and easily that I didn’t even need to write them down. I don’t consider myself a great lyricist, but I’m really proud of the chorus, especially the play on words with “heavy-handed” and “big footprint (Bigfoot print).” The verses took longer because I wanted them to be distinct from each other while still forming a coherent narrative. The song is quite long at 4:19, so it was important to me that it had a sense of acceleration to keep listeners engaged. It’s almost like five songs smashed together into one.
Sonically, there’s a lot going on. I was listening to Pearl Jam and a lot of 90s alt-rock and ska music at the time, so I think you can hear some of that influence. There’s also a healthy dose of the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears—my first two concerts—which clearly left a lasting impact on me. I’ll address the rap verse later in this blog.
As for the message of this song, to me, it was never really about money. That was just a metaphor for my own artistry. We all have our unique gifts, and these function as our social currency, helping us move forward in life. For me, that’s my creativity and artistry. When you know exactly what your gifts are and how to use them, it can be really polarizing for others. And that’s what this song is about. With all due humility and respect, I don’t know anyone else who could write, produce, or perform a song like this. And I did all three of those things. I know how great it is, and I’m not going to apologize for it. That’s what “New Money” means to me.
Producing this song took a couple of months. I started playing it for others, and it became apparent that they thought the song was a social and economic critique. I loved that interpretation. It’s thrilling to see your art take on a meaning for others beyond what you originally intended. So, I leaned into that aspect and made some adjustments accordingly. The virtues I sing about literally are individualism and capitalism. As Americans, we’re constantly told that capitalism, inequality, and corporate consolidation are the natural way of the world—unchangeable realities. That the ruling class is impenetrable. Yet, these ideals have to be constantly reinforced or they will fall apart. In this context, the boastful attitude of the song and its untouchable protagonist took on a whole new dimension and complexity.
For the rap verse, I initially considered featuring another artist. But then I realized that with a song so personal and audacious, I had to do it myself. As a lifelong fan of hip-hop, and especially as a white boy from Vermont, I knew I had to absolutely kill it. There couldn’t be one syllable that was wack or corny. My first attempt at writing and recording a rap verse was terrible, but it taught me a lot. The first thing I learned was that authenticity in hip-hop is crucial. People can spot a phony from a mile away. In the song, I’m embodying this mobster-type character—but the rap verse had to be 100% true to me and my real life. No lies were told. I also learned a lot about the musicality of rap—diction, speech, phonetics, poetic meters, and internal rhyme structures. I studied artists like B.I.G. (the greatest of all time, in my opinion), The Beastie Boys, Joey Bada$$, Raekwon, and Nicki Minaj. Besides all being from New York, another thing these artists have in common is that it sounds like they’re actually having fun when they rap. I hope I captured a little bit of that in my own verse.
Some of my biggest supporters and those who’ve given me the best advice are people in the hip-hop community, specifically Black people. They understand and support my artistry in ways I never expected. I’m deeply humbled and grateful for this. I think it’s important to acknowledge that Black people have been at the forefront of every genre of popular music you hear on the radio today—not just hip-hop. There’s no way to make good or popular music without meaningfully engaging with the legacy of Black artists. If you’re not prepared to do this, you probably shouldn’t be making music at all. I’ve been fortunate to have Black music teachers and mentors for many years, helping me learn about everything from indigenous African music to slave hymnals, rock and roll, jazz, funk, electronica, and of course, hip-hop. I feel like I have so much more to learn. The legacy of Black music is all over “New Money,” and it wouldn’t exist without it.
I didn’t even consider the possibility of a music video until the song was 100% done. Then I had this vision of three guys in tuxedos. The problem was, I had no idea how to bring a music video to fruition. I started talking to people I know in the music industry and video production. They understood the song and my vision and made me feel like it could potentially work. Then I met Stu, who ended up directing the video. He not only understood my vision immediately but elaborated on it. He started asking me all these questions, and his attention to detail was incredibly sharp. He thought of so many things that I hadn’t considered. He wanted to make sure I was really prepared as a performer and knew what to expect. Luckily, I’ve been performing in some capacity for most of my life, so I was confident that I wouldn’t freeze up. When I met Javier and Adrian, I knew I was in safe hands with them as my co-stars. I finally felt comfortable with this team around me. I felt like no one was going to let me flop and that everyone involved in this project would elevate it and make it something special.
Unfortunately, during this time, I had major shoulder surgery, which delayed the video and really knocked me down for a while. I had to relearn how to use my arm from scratch. I was still in a sling with limited mobility and control over my arm until just a week before we shot the video. Everyone was a little worried about that, but some things are just meant to work out, I guess. The video shoot was long, grueling, fun, exciting, exhausting, and kind of a blur. And it went as well as I could have hoped for.
Fast forward a couple of months, and we finally got to release the song and video as the first single from my album. It’s been quite a journey, and I hope you have as much fun listening to this song as I had making it. I knew people would either love or hate this song, and I was right. I’ve received so many encouraging messages from people I never expected. And some people in my life refused to acknowledge the song at all and basically stopped talking to me. Oh well, you can’t please everyone. That’s “New Money.”