Indie pop band Kezar is already making waves with their second single “Let’s Talk About You”. The song is the perfect combination of soul and modern pop, inspired by musician Jack Mosbacher’s affiliation with both New York and his hometown of San Francisco.
Mosbacher chose the moniker Kezar to honor the Kezar Stadium in the Haight-Ashbury district in California, which was used as a stage for legendary artists that inspire Mosbacher today, like Led Zeppelin and Santana and The Grateful Dead.
I sat down with Mosbacher to get a better understanding of what influences his music, and I am happy to premiere an exclusive look at the music video for“Let’s Talk About You”.
Ariel Zedric: Could you talk a little about the inspiration behind your single “Let’s Talk About You”?
Jack Mosbacher: It all happened incredibly quickly and organically. I was doing a session with three of my friends — Ryon’s World, Matluck, and K-Kov — and we started riffing on a theme: what if we wrote the internal monologue of a guy at a club who is working up the courage talk to the most beautiful person he’s ever seen? We wanted to capture that moment of unbridled self-confidence that all three of us knew (though, at least for me, it never seems to go as smoothly as planned).
How is “Let’s Talk About You” similar and different from “(Tell Me) It’s Not Love”?
To me, “(Tell Me) It’s Not Love” is just sweeter. “Let’s Talk About You” is kind of an edgier prequel, a bit more masculine and intense. I love playing them back to back because, as a performer, attitude and delivery are completely different.
Are there parts of your childhood or culture that you pull from for inspiration? How so?
Absolutely. Like almost everyone my age, I was (and am) a huge Justin Timberlake fan — and K-Kov (our producer) has worked alongside him extensively. To get to channel that boy band energy into an edgy hip-hop track is something my 13-year-old self would have really enjoyed.
What’s the hardest obstacle you’ve had to overcome in the music industry?
I think the most common obstacle for everyone is to find your own unique voice while staying true to who you are. It’s taken me a long time and a lot of effort to find my niche — it feels so good to feel like I have arrived.
Have you ever doubted pursuing music? What inspired you to keep pushing?
I guess so — I think everyone has their doubts. It’s a business where you hear a lot of “no,” particularly if you have your own vision and won’t compromise it. But I never have any lasting doubt that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing.
Courtesy of Kezar
If you weren’t pursuing music, what would you be doing?
Teaching or coaching. I played baseball in college and loved being a student. So much of this business is self-focused, and it would be so nice to be able to focus more on helping others develop and mentoring.
What moment in your career so far has left you the most satisfied or proud?
I think the first time I heard the final version of “(Tell Me) It’s Not Love”. It’s weird for your proudest moment to be by yourself, but hearing the vision come together after having taken a big leap to a new genre, and to hear that, it felt so high quality and relevant, but also so true to who I am. That was just the best.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
My mom and dad. They are the two most rock-solid, supportive, incredible people. There is no chance I could take the bumps and bruises of this industry without them.
What would you say is your overall message in your music?
I want my music to make people happy. I want to make them smile, dance, and most importantly, to remind them of all of the joy and love in the world that surrounds everything we do.
If you could give young aspiring artists one piece of advice, what would it be?
I don’t think I’m particularly qualified to give advice yet, but the two biggest lessons I’ve learned are to never let a lack of patience cause you to forget who you are or why you’re doing what you’re doing, and to surround yourself with people who are talented but even more kind.
Any last thoughts?
I just feel obligated to say thank you to everyone for making Kezar a part of your life and for your support. It’s an isolating business sometimes, but the constant encouragement (even just in the form of something as simple as streams) is a huge part of what keeps me going.
Courtesy of Kezar
You can follow Kezar on his website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or Soundcloud and stream “Let’s Talk About You” here.
Featured Image courtesy of Kezar.
