Colin Brittain is an LA-based American songwriter, producer and musician who recently collaborated with Parson James and Jojo on ‘Dirty Laundry,’ and worked on ‘Same Old Story’ by Sueco featuring Travis Barker. The Warner Chappell Music signee has written and produced for acts such as Papa Roach, Avicii, Steve Aoki, All Time Low, A Day to Remember, Dashboard Confessional and 5 Seconds of Summer. We chatted with him about his productions, experience, and inspiration.
Congratulations on your new release ‘SOS’, we loved it! Tell us more about Hyper Punk as well as your collaboration with Sueco and Travis Barker?
Sueco is the homie! Hyperpunk is, as you might imagine, sort of an amalgamation of hyper pop and punk. It’s really a loose term that we all use but Sueco and the crew are really bent on bringing these genres together with this new album.
How did it feel to work with Avicii on ‘The Nights’? Please tell us more about your collaboration with him?
‘The Nights’ was written mostly by my best friend and collaborator Nick Furlong. It was one of the first tracks that we ever worked on, he had the chorus and melodies pretty much sorted. We took the song and added guitars and lapsteel to it, then sent it off to Avicci who brought it to the stratosphere. It was very natural, just like making music with your friends. Nick’s vocal performance really was impeccable too.
What’s the most memorable project, show or event you took part in?
After I produced One Ok Rock’s ‘Ambitions’, my friend Nick Long (MGK, King Princess) flew to japan and the band had me perform live with them for like 20,000 people. It was really surreal to be able to feel the music that we work on in studio environments translate to that many people all at once.
As we enter the post-pandemic phase, how do you envision the next years in the music industry? What do you think will be the biggest change?
I think the only change that will be long lasting is the confidence creatives have to make music remotely. At the beginning of the pandemic, I was very hesitant to create with artists over Zoom or Skype, because it was new territory. But as time moves on, I fell into a groove with it and kind of uncovered a sort of freedom that I wouldn’t otherwise have discovered.
How would you describe your sound?
I would like to think that my sound is whatever the artist is best trying to discover within themselves. I of course have my own influences, but they are always changing and I’m always growing as a creative. So I really try to leave it open for interpretation
When did you start making music and what made you decide to make it your career?
I started making music at age 6 and I started producing by the time I was 15. My band that I produced at the time got interest from Atlantic records and that spawned a whole different degree of focus for me.
Is there a song or an artist that inspired you or changed your life in a way?
All Time Low, Papa Roach, and One Ok Rock are all three very close to my heart in this way. They all gave me a shot when I was a nobody, just on the merit that they believed in me. I’m forever grateful for that kind of belief, because it built up my confidence to take more chances with my productions.
How do you enjoy spending your time when you are not making music?
Honestly I usually spend my time thinking about music, it’s legitimately what I love to do all the time. But OTHER than music I love spending time with my daughter and my wife, which is tough to find time to really focus on family these days but I’m getting better at it. I also love to surf when I can. LA has got some really cool surf breaks!
You are a truly versatile artist, between being a producer, lyricist, composer, arranger, mixer, engineer, drummer, vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist and more, what activity do you enjoy the most if you had to pick one?
Producing for sure, I think that is the artform that allows me to be the most creative and scratches all of my musical itches. Playing drums is something I’ve done since I was 6, so it’s kind of a language that I can tap into with the universe and sort of shut my brain off, so playing drums is a close second.