Exclusive Interview with 'GRANT BORLAND'

American film, television, and trailer composer Grant Borland. His music constantly soars to new heights as he investigates new sonic possibilities. He is focused and driven to produce high-quality cinematic music.

He primarily used the piano to create the Neo-classical EP “Fragments.” Although it has a classical music vibe, this album pushes the envelope with its use of contemporary sampling and production methods. He sought to test himself by writing intricate and engaging compositions entirely at the piano.

The EP’s composition is a little bit sophisticated, but it also manages to be emotionally open and universally accessible.

This album strikes the ideal balance between sentimental melodies and innovative concepts, giving listeners something to gravitate toward while also feeling novel and fresh. Check out the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how you got started?

GRANT BORLAND: Hello, thanks for having me! My name is Grant. I’m from Howell, Michigan; It’s a rather small town that’s maybe 45 miles west of Detroit. Ever since I was young I’ve had a really big interest in music. My dad was always playing music around the house when I was growing up, so I think that was a big contributing factor to my fascination with music. At the age of 10 I started taking some guitar lessons from a neighbor, and while the lessons where sort of a short lived thing, it really had a big impact on me and I started writing music very shortly after. By the time I was in high school I had started to join various bands, and with that was introduced to a DAW called Mixcraft 5. My mind was blown by all the things you could do in that software, so I made sure to buy a copy of my own and the rest is pretty much history. I started writing so many songs after that, and through trial and error really learned how to write some good songs!

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

GRANT BORLAND: So aside from taking some guitar lessons for about six months at the age of 10, I also took some basic piano lessons while I was in high school. This was also a fairly short lived thing, but it really helped me gain a good foundation around the piano, and learn a little music notation. Aside from that, I really think I’m a product of trial and error. I’ve learned so much on my own; whether that’s listening to a song and trying to play along to figure it out, or watching YouTube tutorial videos, or just simply learning by playing music with friends. The best way I’ve found that I learn is by diving head first into it and figuring it out as I go.

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘GRANT BORLAND’?

GRANT BORLAND: So first off, some of my earliest musical influences would be bands like Linkin Park, Green Day, Underoath, Taking Back Sunday, and things like that. Like I said before, my dad was always playing music around the house, so I got into a lot of the bands he liked such as: The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Steely Dan, Robin Trower, Dean Martin, and even some Brian Eno. I think every kid who plays music is somewhat influenced by whatever their parents were playing around the house when they were young. As a kid I was super into skateboarding, and I think that music plays a huge role in skateboarding culture, so I quickly developed my own musical taste in stuff that my parents hadn’t shown me.

Secondly, the reason I decided to go with my own name was for more of a creative freedom thing. I am a composer first and foremost, and I’m writing all sorts of different styles of music. I found that in the past branding myself into one specific thing really felt restrictive (although I see why people do it, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing by any means). For me though, I felt that once I committed to a name or a style, I had to stay that way. Going with my own name kind of liberated me from that way of thinking.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

GRANT BORLAND: I think/hope that there a few things that resonate with people when they listen to my music. I think a lot of the melodies are fairly unique in my work, especially with my latest EP I put out called “Fragments”. I also think that people can resonate with the way I build a song. Im a big fan of productions you can lose yourself in, and a lot of my music does that sort of thing. I think I’m pretty inspired by ambient music, so I tend to bring a lot of those elements into my work as well. So between catchy and unique melodies, and the feeling of getting lost into deep and spacious ambient music I think people tend to have a pretty raw and emotional response to my work.

**5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning** **and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would** **you describe your own development as an artist and music maker,** **and the transition towards your own style, which is known as Classical?**

GRANT BORLAND:
I totally agree with that statement, and the same was very true for me as well. I think this is especially true when you’re the type of artist to dive in and learn as you go. For me, it’s really been a lifelong process of going through different phases. In high school there were so many cool bands I was being introduced to, and their sound was one I tried to emulate. I had been in various metal bands in high school with influences such as Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya, and The Faceless. I also went through a big phase where I wrote acoustic pop music in the style of Never Shout Never and Plug in Stereo. These were some crucial years because I got to work out my good ideas and my bad ones too, and it helped me further develop my own sound. I think at the end of the day the thing that really shifted my work from metal and acoustic pop to cinematic/neo-classical/ambient music was this urge to make my music bigger sounding. I never had the same emotional response to metal music as I did to ambient/neo-classical music. It was the kind of music that genuinely brought tears to my eyes, and I wanted my music to have that sort of emotional weight to others listening.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative and entertainment?

GRANT BORLAND:

Well the good thing about my music is that it’s instrumental, and with that comes everyone’s unique ability to interpret it in a way that they see fit. So I don’t tend to affront any particular political themes in my work, but if someone interprets it in that way, then that’s great. Good art drives conversation, so I like that my music can be used in a variety of ways. It leaves room for the listener to think more for themselves, rather than being spoon fed a particular message.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfilment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

GRANT BORLAND:

While I’m always looking for new opportunities for growth, I must say that I’m very thankful at just how fulfilling this work has been for me. Aside from writing Neo-classical/Ambient music, I write music for movie trailers, TV shows, and advertisements. I’m thankful that it’s been the full time gig now for a little over a year and a half. Hearing your music used in big advertisement campaigns is one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever experienced. It never gets old!

8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

GRANT BORLAND:

I love this question, but the answer is that it’s different almost every time. Some songs come to me by simply sitting at a piano and sketching out a couple melody ideas. Other times, it might be a unique bit of sound design or a sound effect that inspires me to develop a whole piece of music. After writing music for many years I’ve found that a good way to get out of writers block is to completely change the way you typically start writing a song. If I begin writing music in the same way I find that a lot of my ideas sound too similar. One way I’ve been able to get out of writers block has been recording sounds around my apartment with a handheld recorder, and process them into something musical after that. Maybe that’s taking the hum of the dishwasher, and turning into a pad or drone sound. Or maybe slamming a bedroom door makes a cool kick drum sample or whatever. I’m very passionate about crafting a lot of my own sounds in my work, so that’s one way I like to start an idea!

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

GRANT BORLAND: You know, I’m thankful that I’ve had a pretty supportive friend and family system in my life, but id be lying if I said I haven’t heard the, “what’s your plan b?” Or “nobody really makes a living in music these days.” Or “Do you really think you could actually make a career out of this?”. I think these types of things have been really hard to hear when you don’t have all the answers. Sometimes you just need a stupid amount of faith and a good work ethic to get you across that finish line to prove to people (and yourself) that having a music career is a very realistic thing. If anything, it’s more probable today than it’s ever been. Have faith, there’s nothing wrong with having a day job while you figure this out. I worked in a chemical factory for 5 years before anything took off. You’ve just got to believe in yourself, and keep at it. Also, be a kind person to work with. When people say it’s about who you know in the industry, they’re not wrong. So be an awesome person to work with, and you’ll quickly see your network expand!

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

GRANT BORLAND: I think the proudest moment in my music career so far was going to the movie theater to see a film, and hearing my music in one of the trailers before the movie started. The trailer was for a movie called “Voyagers” – Its kind of a sci-fi meets Lord of the flies sort of storyline. It has Tye Sheridan and Lily-Rose Depp in it. Pretty decent movie actually, but maybe I’m just bias about it. That was definitely the coolest moment I’ve experienced so far.

Thanks for having me guys!