An Interview with Jason Henshaw
I recently sat down to speak with Jason Henshaw, a rising artist/songwriter who currently splits his time between college in Phoenix, AZ and studio time in Los Angeles, CA. Henshaw was born in Fort Rose, TX, but grew up primarily along the West Coast. His first love was sports – particularly basketball and bull-riding. He spent many of his younger days competing in rodeos. But before too long – in high school to be exact – Henshaw turned his attention to music. Frequent relocations from one city to the next have helped Henshaw develop a deeper understanding of cultures and people. He applies his life experiences and observations to his skillful songwriting, which has already landed him placements on Keeping Up With The Kardashians and ESPN. Henshaw is currently working on an EP, which is on the horizon for release later this year.
BLANK NEWS: Jason, you have an interesting background. What inspired you to start making music?
JH: I moved around a lot growing up. When I lived in Washington, I saw how much music went hand in hand with the basketball culture there. And I just fell in love with music. So in my freshman year of high school I started writing a little bit. But in my senior year, I started taking it more seriously, focusing on all aspects of it, like production, writing, making a complete record.. And since then I’ve been working on the music thing.
BLANK NEWS: You mentioned that you saw how music went hand in hand with the basketball culture in Washington. Can you explain that a bit more?
JH: I saw that the most when I was in Seattle. Basically, hip hop and rap culture was extremely influential with basketball culture. Whether it be pre-game music, just hanging out with the team or whatever it looked like, there was always some sort of music playing and going on. And I thought it was cool how music and sports can relate. And that made me wonder if I could do this music thing.
BLANK NEWS: You moved around a lot as a kid. What place helped shape you most as a musician?
JH: I would say Los Angeles. That’s where I sat in my fist ever studio session in high school. Right there and then, I knew that this is it. This is what I’m passionate about. It is also where I connected with my producer Alex Hitchens, who I work with on the production of my songs and songwriting. So Los Angeles is definitely where my passion for music grew. And it is also where I am currently learning a lot.
BLANK NEWS: What drew you to start making rap/hip hop music as opposed to any other music genre?
JH: I was very influenced by two artists in particular: Kanye West and Lecrae. Just seeing how they were able to engage culture and have a platform where they could connect with people was very inspiring to me. Those two artists influenced my decision to choose rap and hip hop specifically.
BLANK NEWS: Do you ever work within any other genres?
JH: Yes, I’m starting to get into songwriting for other artists. So I have been learning how to write for pop music and country music, which has been really fun.
BLANK NEWS: Is there a particular reason for pop and country?
JH: Those two just really sparked my interest because I love how pop incorporates so many different aspects of all genres. For example, in hip hop and rap there is a ton of pop influence. And even in country there has been a lot of crossover with pop lately. So I definitely wanted to begin with focusing on pop as I learn to write for other artists. And then country just kind of came along with that.
BLANK NEWS: If there is one person you could collaborate with musically, who would it be?
JH: Sabrina Carpenter with Hollywood Records. She is a great songwriter and she is doing some really cool things in the industry right now. I would definitely love to collaborate with her. She is very interactive with her fans. I was able to catch one of her shows in Los Angeles recently. She is very intentional about her time spent with people – and also in telling stories. She’s just a great storyteller.
BLANK NEWS: In terms of your music career, what has been your biggest challenge thus far?
JH: [Laughs] There have been a lot of challenges. But I have to say the biggest challenge is finding my sound. I’ve been in the studio a lot lately, which is great, and I have been having a lot of fun working on different songs. But I’m finding it hard to settle on “this is Jason’s sound.” I’m trying to find what works and what sounds and what songs work together. This is an ongoing process, but I have narrowed it down more. I definitely found some sounds I really enjoy working with and some writing segments that I have been applying lately that have helped me tell my story more.
BLANK NEWS: What do you hope to accomplish with your music? What message do you want the world to hear?
JH: I love connection and think it is so important – whether people are connecting with my art, or if they’re inspired by my art. And I also think that leaving an impact on others is important. Because anybody can try their hand at making music, but not everybody can have an impact and leave a message with people.
BLANK NEWS: Is there a specific impact you’re hoping to leave or a specific message you’re trying to convey with your music?
JH: Authenticity. I want to impact others by being authentic, so they can relate and connect to what I’m saying – whether that’s an upbeat, happy song or a song that addresses the negative aspects of life.
For a preview of Jason Henshaw’s music, head on over to his website: JasonHenshaw.com.
