Exclusive Interview with TJ VIOLA

Thomas John “TJ” Viola has been developing his skills as a musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and producer since he was a young child. TJ started playing the piano when he was eight years old and the French horn when he was twelve, both in his hometown of North Caldwell, New Jersey, where he was born and raised. Since then, he has become proficient in a number of wind, brass, strings, and percussion instruments. He has also started to experiment with composition and recording, using the programs Finale and Logic Pro X for each. By the age of fifteen, TJ had become an expert in electronic producing with the assistance of his brother, John Baab. TJ founded the HyBreed Entertainment record label at the age of sixteen with the help of a few friends. The label operated from 2018 to 2019. TJ has produced solo music as well as collaborations with Isaji Riq and Jack Cunningham. He has also been regularly playing a variety of gigs on various instruments since he was thirteen years old, from the NJ/NY region to as far as Hollywood, California. Additionally, he has shared the stage with bands like Water Street, the John Baab Trio, the Isaji Riq Band, and the Jersey Jazz Collective. He studies with Michelle Baker at the Manhattan School of Music to earn a bachelor’s degree in classical French horn while also working as a producer and studio musician.

‘Running’ depicts the addictive obsession that a person experiences after falling in love. They invade your head for days, almost as if they were constantly on your mind because that particular person makes you feel on a different romantic level.

A full horn section, bass guitar, drums, and melodic and rhythmic synths and pianos are all used in the song’s musical composition. Check out the exclusive interview below:

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

TJ VIOLA: Sure! I’m originally from New Jersey and I grew up in a town 30 minutes outside of NYC. I was born into a musical family, where I would listen to my mother and brother playing music/ practicing all day for years. My grandparents bought my first keyboard when I was very young and that was my first introduction to playing music.

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

TJ VIOLA: I took piano lessons for five years when I was 7 under the tutelage of my first piano teacher Chuck Speicher. I took lessons up until I was 12, which is when I began taking lessons on the French Horn, which is the instrument I currently study. Technically, I’ve been studying music formally my whole life, since I still continue to do it today. I am also self-taught in several other instruments.

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

TJ VIOLA: My strongest musical influences to this day include TOTO, Michael Jackson, Charlie Puth, Dirty Loops, Jacob Collier, Stevie Wonder, and Phil Collins. Oftentimes, I sometimes find that I’m able to resonate with ‘older’ music compared to most modern music. I am also heavily influenced by classical and jazz music, and had a strong upbringing on metal and rock music when I was in middle school, to which all those genres help shape my sound to what it s right now. TJ Viola is just my regular name. TJ stands for Thomas John.

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?

TJ VIOLA: I leave a lot of it up to the interpretation of the listener. In my lyrics, I try to write out meaningful, relatable scenarios that are sometimes based on real stories. I also aim to engage the listener musically, with a vast orchestration made up of synths, bass, guitars, drums, and horns or strings; as well as catchy melodies backed up by complex yet digestible harmony. My sound can be described as Hi-Fidelity Pop music or Fusion, with traits of the 80s-90s, Jazz, Classical, Dance, and Rock music. If you’ve ever listened to a highly-arranged cover of a pop song, you will dig my music.

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 POP?

TJ VIOLA: As I have mentioned before, some of my earliest influences include Rock/Metal which includes the sub-genres of Punk, Power Metal, and Prog. When I was in middle school, I really wanted to be in the band DragonForce, and I had hair all the way down to my back just to look the part. But as my taste continued to develop as I grew older, I started diving into pop, hip-hop, and folk production and started incorporating those styles in my writing. When I was a senior in high school, my friend and now colleague, Jack Cunningham, wanted to see if we could write a pop album in less than a year, and although we didn’t succeed past production, it did birth our first single, Escape (2020). Since that moment, I have always enjoyed making this style of pop music.

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?

TJ VIOLA:

This is one of the reasons why I like to mention the power of music in interviews. In the terms of political, cultural, spiritual, and social uses, musicians and artists have been using these themes for centuries. You can trace this back to Sacred music during the Baroque days, or more notably Rage Against The Machine with their anti-government-driven themes. Music has the power to make people connect with their emotions, unlike any other artificial force on this Earth. Music is 100% used to express artistry, but should never just be technically or personally focused. Music was made to be felt, and whether that stirs a person spiritually, politically, or culturally depends on the context of the song/piece.

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

TJ VIOLA:

I believe that I am right where I need to be in my process of being an artist. I still have a long way to go with where I want to be. But a good friend of mine once said the journey is the destination, so I am riding on that wave right now.

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?

TJ VIOLA: Usually, I begin with the chorus/hook. I like to make sure that is the most memorable part of the song, musically and lyrically before I proceed with the rest of the writing. Then, I usually add whichever part of the song flows out more naturally first, this could be the bridge, solo section, or verses; it should just feel authentic from the moment it is written on the paper. The writing process and recording process is definitely not easy, so I do ask for a little help from my very talented friends. On my most recent release, ‘Running’ I collaborated with a 5 piece horn section, bassist, and drummer who are all very good friends of mine.

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

TJ VIOLA: There are many things that are difficult about the artist life. One thing that I have been struggling recently is the absence of gigs due to unforeseen circumstances, and this is not only the case with Covid since 2020, but other things that have impacted both my own life and the life of some of my bandmates/colleagues. And of course, sometimes self-doubt gets the best of you, but it comes and goes in the heat of the moment (of performing).

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

TJ VIOLA: Being able to record with, play gigs with, and surround myself with some of the most talented people on some of New York City’s most iconic stages is always a moment of success in my book. I genuinely couldn’t ask for a better circle of musicians to collaborate with (you know who you are if you’re reading this).

11. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

TJ VIOLA: Honestly, since my following is still pretty small, I don’t encounter too many haters (yet, haha). Mainly because I don’t really give out anything for people to hate. But there’s always one comment that happens to be the opposite of positive, and those comments never really affect me because I know my worth and what I am capable of as a composer and player.

12. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

TJ VIOLA: Both! I love doing studio sessions and playing live equally. They both are fulfilling in their own ways, and at the end of the day, you’re making music that people whether you’re in front of them or in their headphones/car speakers.

13. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

TJ VIOLA: As I’ve mentioned before, I believe my lyrics are up to the personal interpretation of the listener, even though some of my songs are based on real stories.