Nowadays,
real artists’ development seems extinct. However, there are some new-school
purists, like singer/songwriter Johnta Austin, who are reverting back to
the industry's original mantra: just make good music. For nearly a decade, 24
year-old Johnta Austin has been doing just that. An accomplished
songwriter, Austin is the pen behind such hit's as Toni Braxton's "Just Be A Man
(About It)" (2000), Aaliyah's "Miss You" (2002), and Mariah Carey's smash
hit "We Belong Together" (2005). But it was a tender ballad "Sweet
Lady" (1998), recorded by R&B belter Tyrese, which was written by Austin at
the tender age of 16, this prominently introduced him to the music world. Austin
is fully prepared to unleash his long-awaited So So Def/Virgin Records debut,
Ocean Drive.He may be young but you can’t deny Johnta Austin's "old soul" gift for songwriting. For years, he's lent this talent to dozens of other artists. Now, on Ocean Drive it's his turn to shine.
How did you become a songwriter?
It kind of happened, not by accident, but by good fortune. I had a record deal with RCA but I was dropped and was replaced by Tyrese. When they were looking for a singer for Tyrese I became involved with his record and that was my first time writing. It was all good fortune.
When you were dropped from your first deal did you ever feel like giving up?
Not right away, when you’re young you’re very resilient because you’re not used to disappointments and you find it easier to shake off. I thought I would try again and see what I could make of myself.
What is your thought process when you write a song?
I like to think of a concept first and get a title. Once that’s done I try to get the melody and the words, I try to think of everything as a movie and I try to paint a good picture. You can have the best screenwriter in the world but if you don’t have a good story in the first place the words don’t matter. I like to tell stories, I don’t like to write songs just for the moment.
How did you feel when you won the Grammy for We Belong Together?
That was great. The Grammys are like the Super bowl of music. To start out asa writer and receive my first Grammy for writing was a great acheievement. Everything just felt right. Before I got into music I would watch Te Grammys on TV and to finally have one of those trophies on my mantelpiece is a good feeling.
How important has JD’s support been to you?
It’s been amazing. His track record speaks for itself, his track record and the calibre of artists he’s worked with from Mariah Carey to Usher to Bow Wow. He’s put out number 1’s time after time. To have someone like him believing in me and vouching for me is great. When he rolls out an artist people pay attention because he knows how to do it.
Who are you writing for at the moment?
I’m working with Tyrese and Ciara on some of their material.
What has it been like working with artists like Mariah Carey and Mary J Blige?
It’s great, someone like Mariah and Mary are people that I listened to before I got into music and I was a fan of them before I was able to work with them. Someone like Janet Jackson is an icon so to be in the same room as them and give them any kind of creative input is almost surreal but it’s a beautiful feeling and people dream to work with artists like that.
What made you want to release your own album?
It was something that I never lost the desire to do since the time I had my first record deal. The timing was just right, Jermaine took interest in one of the records that I did and he said that nobody else could do the record as well as I could. He then offered me a deal and I had do it.
How do you balance song writing and singing with being a performer?
It’s rough, my schedule is crazy these days trying to balance the artist obligations that I have. I try to do the best that I can and accommodate people and make sure I do my part. To be an artist and to have an album out your heart has to be in it 100% and that takes the front seat, everything else is squeezed in.
If you had to give up singing or song writing, which one would you choose?
I would choose singing overall because singing is where I started. My song writing starts and ends with me being able to sing the song so that’s the first and foremost thing that makes me who I am.
Why is the album called Ocean Drive?
Jermaine and I wanted to come up with a different sounding title. Ocean Drive sounds like a place people want to be, it’s a strip in Miami. We thought about what Ocean Drive means to us which is sexy and fun with no inhibitions. That became my mentality when creating the album. We wanted to think out of the box and express a lot of different emotions.
What’s the story behind A Lil’ More Love?
I was given the beat and I wrote for the record, it wasn’t originally for me. It’s about coming home and wanting to make love even though it’s late and not wanting to stop. It’s the record that got me my deal and made Jermaine think that I was the only person who could sing that song.
Do you have any advice for potential songwriters?
Stay true to yourself and your craft. I pride myself on telling stories and creating music that will be timeless. People like Diane Warren’s songs are as beautiful now as the time they were written. Sometimes records that bump in the club are just for the moment, there’s nothing wrong with them but true writing tells a story and draws the listener in. Always look for a story to tell. You have the pen and the paper so give us something to appreciate and love.
www.johntaaustin.com
www.myspace.com/johntaaustin
By Rashmi Shastri - Sep 2006