HBT Chats With Chuck Mercer

What first drew you into singing?

I picked up a guitar after a friend of mine was really into it and he was really good. I learned a few chords and it slowly turned into songs.  It was at that point that I started singing.  I started out only learning and singing cover songs.  I wasn’t really any good at first but I kept playing.  Eventually, I started to experiment with writing songs.  At that point, the singing clicked and I kept it going and refining it and eventually started singing / writing over anything and everything.  My main focus is still singing on songs that I actually write.

Your latest track “Overtime” is very modern and sounds very professional. What is your creative processes like? How do you write your lyrics?

Thank you!! I really appreciate it and I’m glad you like it. I generally start with some sounds I like from a guitar, production software, or instrumental productions.  If I’m feeling a vibe to it I just start essentially singing over it off the cuff and sometimes good melodies and lyrics just come out.  If I get a melody I really like I can fill in the lyrics or refine it later also.   The instrumental of “Overtime” was produced by Wolfgang Pander who just crushed this.  I just immediately fell in love with the track and feel and knew I had to write something on it.  It generally starts with the instrumental or base instrument, then the melody and then the lyrics for me.  Sometimes, I just write to the music playing anywhere, in the gym, walking down the street, around the house, and then other times I just start recording in the booth without anything written.  The lyrics I write have to be something I experienced or felt so at the end it has to really feel right and I have to like it.

You have worked with many great producers/artists in the past, If you could work with anyone who would that be? 

Oh man, I am a big fan of so many producers.  There are millions of talented producers out there, main stream top 40 stuff and others.  There are sooo many relatively unknown great producers.  A few well known producers I really like are Ayokay, Louis the Child, Zedd, Matoma, Calvin Harris, benny blanco.

Your voice is very warm and comforting, do you have any tips for upcoming singers/songwriters to get the most out of their voice?  

Thank you.  I would say there is nothing better than persistence.  I would encourage people to get feedback from blogs and others that they can learn from.  Then, you can tailor it in to what sounds good and what doesn’t from a third party.  My personal thoughts are that you should also embrace your own voice as you’re never really going to sound that good or unique trying to sound like someone else.  You have to just go with what you got but put it out in the best way possible and try to improve it.  Generally you cannot change the underlying tone which is why you have to embrace it.

What are your musical goals for the future? 

My goal is to keep making music and as much of it as possible.  I love music, I just want to live that. I’ve actually written a shit ton of songs, most of which are unreleased.  I just want to keep getting better, growing, and expanding the people exposed to my music as well as the people I am exposed to that I can learn from in music.

What are you goals for the next few months, any upcoming projects we can get excited about? 

I have a new single coming out in the next month, its going to be an upbeat danceable track with a real vibe to it.  I’m really excited about it.  I am also working on a 5 song EP that is expected to be released in the next several months.  Stay tuned into my Spotify, Soundcloud, for new material.  I have some big plans and some really good songs in the pipeline.  Please stay tuned and thank you so much for having me..