Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: Sure! My name is Robert Smith, I’m a vocalist, producer and songwriter from Melbourne, Australia and I make music under the name AMERICAN DOUBLES. I recently released my new single ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ and accompanying music video – another epic one-shot take in a warehouse in Sydney. I learnt piano from an early age from my mother, who played and taught the piano. At age 11, I started teaching myself guitar and writing songs. I used to play along to ’60s and ’70s music including The Beatles, Beach Boys, and Bowie. I was very lucky because those songs were really well-crafted records with a lot of punch. I used to just study how they all went together. So the overall sound was something I always had a bit of an awareness of. My cousins who played in bands introduced me to the electric bass and shortly after, I formed a band with my friend and older brother. I formed several bands after that in which I played bass. From the moment I picked up a guitar and started jamming with others, I knew that music was the thing for me and going play a big part in my future.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover American Doubles?
A: I release music independently and it’s available wherever you listen to music. This is the third song I have released with many more releases to come this year. I basically just focus on digital releases. Streaming revenue I’d say is the easiest, most accessible and cheapest form of releasing music. I have done a small run of vinyl which can be purchased by sending me a DM! I’ll probably do a vinyl compilation again at some point, but yeah just doing digital releases working with a solid distributor for those and then doing worldwide publicity campaigns, focussing on third-party play listers, online magazines and music websites, radio stations and youtube channels around the world, getting my music and artist name spread so far and wide so I can get as much interaction and exposure as possible. I plan on touring later this year to regional Victoria and the east coast of Australia. My long-term goal is to tour overseas in the US, UK and Europe. The message I have for anyone about to discover American Doubles is if you like music that is a musical collage of nostalgic yet fresh sounds, with pop, electronica, and dance, alongside R&B influences and hip-hop style beats resulting in catchy earworms which could light up a club, festival stage or soundtrack a long, cool drive, perhaps one that involves a Miami Vice-esque nighttime cruise sequence, then you might like me haha.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: One of the most inspiring artists for me right now is Maxwell Byrne, AKA Golden Vessel. He also has a side project called One Teaspoon and another called Lucky Idiot. He does production for a lot of other artists as well, including, Mallrat, Cubsport, and FELIVAND, and he does a lot of collaborative releases throughout that mix too. He is super busy and super creative and he is a really cool photographer as well. He likes to be called an artist and has a very strong vision of his style and aesthetic and all that comes across with every release so well. Along with producing music, I’m an artist and multi-instrumentalist. I’m a vocalist, producer and write lyrics as well. I have a degree in music improvisation and fine art, where I studied 2D art and media art. I’m interested in photography and I make music videos. I have so many areas of creativity that I work within and, like Golden Vessel, I have a love for collaboration. I find inspiration for making music from acts the world over. Australia is a great place to be making music and playing live. There are so many interesting artists releasing music here. I think being so far away geographically from the US, UK and Europe allows freedom to experiment and combine different styles of music, which is unique and really interesting. I tend to like music that has got a certain kind of intensity. I don’t care what it is really, it could be an acoustic track, as long as it’s not bland. I’m always just listening for what really grabs my attention.
Q: You just released your new single, “Just Can’t Get Enough”. What inspired the writing and recording processes for this single?
A: I’m describing a passionate affair that I know is no good for me, but loving it too much to stop! I wanted to try and capture some of that feeling of fun and blissfulness you experience when you are in love. I’ve tried to convey this feeling through the thumping drums and bassline, but I also wanted keep an element of mystery and an unsettling feeling to the song through the use of layered tones in the introduction and middle eight. There are darker synth tones in that mix, which are somewhat unexpected and unpredictable and juxtapose what is happening with the beat in the rest of the song. There is an element of mystery and an uncomfortableness, which often comes with and is part of the attraction to someone. If you could remove these elements, I don’t think the experience would be as powerful. I guess in life there are things which we don’t always arrive at a comfortable position on, and even though we know they are no good for us, we do them anyway.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: That’s a hard one! From the feedback I’ve received, there is an energy and vitality to my music which appears to be peculiarly Australian, that seems very fresh. There is a wonderful urgency in the Australian music scene that I have not seen in other places, particularly in the scene I’m in and the people I work with. To describe my sound in one word for potential listeners, I would say it is vibrant.
Q: Is there a possible album being worked on? Any tea to spill on the release date or name?
A: Yes, I’m working on my debut EP! I have demos of the songs, and I’m in the process of recording and producing them up right now. I can’t spill the tea on a name just yet, but I can say it’s due to be released later this year, so keep an eye on my socials!
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: I want to present the familiar styles that I love and that has influenced my taste in music in a way that is unique and different to most of what you hear on the radio. My goal as an artist is to grow to a position where I can just work on music full-time and earn enough money from this to sustain my lifestyle.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: My dream artist to collaborate with is considered one of the greatest minds in music and television history, and growing up, I listened to so much of his music. He moves easily between different styles of music and will forever be remembered as someone who helped sculpt it in every form, and through the music he helped sculpt brought messages of peace, justice, love, funk and hope – Quincy Jones.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: Gig as much as possible. It’s going to be hard at first and take a while to develop your own cool things to do on stage while performing, growing stage presence and getting used to performing in front of a crowd, but you need to fight through those early barriers and gig as much as you possibly can. So take your time, take notes and write down ideas. Record and watch yourself to find strengths and weaknesses. Try to get to your gigs early and go and support other gigs. Chat with the booking agents, support acts, venue owners, photographers, potential managers and even that random person in the crowd. Surrounding yourself with other creatives is essential in this industry. You need to understand the music business, and that it is just that – business. It’s great to get out there and perform in front of a crowd, but to make it a career you need to earn money. When you understand the business of music you will ensure you get paid on time, lock in the best gigs and not get ripped off. It could be the difference between making it or not and saving you a lot of money in the process. Don’t be afraid to try out different kinds of music. Try other sounds to get a feel for the full range of music. Immersing yourself in different styles will help you understand music as a whole, making you a much more well-rounded musician able to appreciate all styles of music. Learn to promote yourself. The musical landscape is changing. You no longer need a major record label to get your music before a massive potential audience. The power of social media and online platforms means you can do it yourself, so long as you know what to post and when to post it. Know your target audience, ensure your content is good quality and find which platforms are best for you. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify are some of your most valuable assets as an upcoming musician.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: I think my younger self would be chuffed to see me now. I’m lucky to be making records with some of the biggest names in the music industry and releasing music videos with tens of thousands of views in over 100 countries. It has all been possible due to an amazing team of talented people I have been able to bring together, guiding the project in the right direction. If I could go back in time and give my younger self some words of wisdom, they would be to have big goals. Have a clear vision of where you would eventually like to be, but be sure to set yourself plenty of mini-goals along the way. Achievement drives ambition. The dream may be the destination, but the little wins will get you there.
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