James Quick

The pop music industry gets a bad rep. Superficiality, fleeting successes, and most of all, a lack of work ethic possessed by the “minimally talented” artists who find their temporary thrones awaiting them at the top of the charts until the next pretty face or Twitter trend comes along and decimates their fifteen minutes of fame.

Many argue that the pop artists who do tend to see a more permanent home in the spotlight owe all of their success to their team of songwriters, producers, engineers, managers, publicists, and the colossal financial backing and influence of the notorious major record labels. In the ever-evolving music industry, it is becoming increasingly important for artists to become self-sufficient no matter what genre they call home. San Francisco native James Quick is one of these artists.

For his newest single “Sick Fool” (Off Topic Entertainment), Quick takes on various roles to ensure its success. With a raspiness in his vocals similar to Mike Posner, heartfelt songs like those of Ed Sheeran, and soulful vibes reminiscent of a young John Mayer, Quick is capable of providing a sense of warmth through his music that feels personal and intimate to anyone who listens. This intimacy is most significantly heard in “Sick Fool,” where he sings about his struggles with who he wants to be and how he will stop at nothing to get there. An artist who is adamant to release only music that he has personally written, Quick sings:

“So I will search so deep in me to try to find the secrets lying in the words behind the beat 
And I will tear myself apart if thats the love behind a song that gets you through your misery 
Cuz I would risk it all to see the spotlight”

He makes himself vulnerable and sings about everything that goes hand in hand with being an artist: stress, anxiety, expectations, shortcomings. Yet through all of this, he is able to see past these day-to-day worries and distractions in order to keep his focus on the bigger picture. He is aware of the consequences of a career in music and how it can change a person, yet he remains grounded in who he is.

"And I'll be good but I have heard
That it's a sin that teaches more than proverbs 
And I'll be good but I still ask myself if I imagine riches and the rest well that could hurt."

Seeing past the superficialities of stardom, he works hard doing what he loves. Currently a sophomore Music Industry Studies major at Loyola University New Orleans, he has learned what goes on behind-the-scenes of the budding careers of superstar artists today. Quick not only wrote and recorded “Sick Fool,” but also spent laborious hours in the studio perfecting the final master recording with the help of Off Topic producer and president, Randall Swain.

An artist who runs his own social media accounts and makes his own creative decisions, James Quick has developed his very own “brand” for himself as the new kind of pop artist. His previous single, “Meeting Skylar” — in which he played just as active a role in the creative control of the final product — saw enormous success. Such success landed him an opening spot on Aaron Carter’s New Orleans tour stop at The Willow, where he serenaded what seemed to be a crowd of local fans and fellow Loyola and Tulane University students who came to support one of their favorite local acts.

The concert was a collision of generations in the most nostalgic of ways. It was the comeback tour of a former teenage heartthrob, enhanced by the ushering in of a new one. The new pop artist who writes his own songs, who makes his own decisions, and whose music is so timeless that a comeback tour will never be necessary.

As artists like James Quick set the new standard, it begs the question to artists hungry for the spotlight: How far are they willing to go for a lasting career in music? - Atwood Magazine

San Francisco singer-songwriter James Quick encompasses the complete package for an aspiring musician. His radio-ready sound puts him in the same arena as John Mayer, yet there is something about his soft-spoken, melancholic vocals which set him apart from the typical singer-songwriter style saturating today’s music scene. Most notably in his new song, “Meeting Skylar” gives off a certain California warmth and nostalgia that melts the melody he wraps his voice around as he finds a way to tell a beautifully illustrated story with each lyric. Not only in his originals, but also in his YouTube portfolio of some unexpected cover choices does he showcase his artistry and chart potential through thoughtfully crafted acoustic arrangements. Recently signed to New Orleans’ rising independent record label, Off Topic Entertainment, this newcomer to the music scene is now ready and determined to share his story with the world. Be sure to download “Meeting Skylar” today! - Big Bad Buckle

Oh, Florida. It's a wacky and wonderful place that I called home for four years. So when singer-songwriter James Quick's stunning Miami-shot video for his atmospheric single "Oceanside" crossed my path, my nostalgia took control.

Take an all expenses paid mental trip to Miami on EARMILK's dime with our premiere of James Quick's debut video "Oceanside." Quick's voice has a raspy, vulnerable quality that recalls Ben Harper, and its a serene presence when matched with the staggering visuals of cerulean South Florida waters. The video's narrative follows a forlorn Quick through a turbulent relationship, set against the backdrop of vibrant Miami by day and night. Directorial duties fell to frequent G-Eazy collaborators Dusty Kessler and Adrian Martinez, whose cinematography remains both intimate in tone and striking in scope (read: drone shots).

A forthcoming Oceanside EP is due February 16. Last year saw the 21-year-old New Orleans-based artist write and record nearly 100 new tracks, including a collaboration with Bella Thorne. With 5 million Spotify streams under his belt and a slew of new original work on the pipeline, James Quick's evocative style is one to keep on your radar in 2018.

Read more at https://earmilk.com/2018/02/06/take-a-virtual-vacation-with-james-quicks-oceanside-video-premiere/#3cVuiwU1OX7vy9B2.99 - Earmilk

Hot off the tarmac after spending a summer away in Los Angeles, James Quick kicks back with his drummer Ethan Wallace and co-manager Connor Ellison up in Gasa Gasa’s graffiti-covered loft before his first concert since coming back to New Orleans.

The trio met each other in their freshman year at Loyola University’s music industry program, seeing their commitment to working in the industry and churning out material.

“Our eyes made contact across the room,” Quick said.

“He kept following me around,” Wallace replied.

“We had a collective of friends in the Biever dorms who just genuinely wanted to grind and make music and be production companies and be management companies, so it was a really productive environment,” Wallace said.

Wallace started out as a session drummer for Quick, working in live shows and recording sessions.

“That’s how I hooked up with James — musically,” Wallace laughed. “We’ve been able to progress as musicians and as one musician. As Jathan.”

Wallace got excited about the inclusion of a Roland SPD-SX pad for their Gasa Gasa concert last Thursday. The sampling pad allows for the band to achieve the production value that Quick has on his recorded songs and execute those live and would be the first full test run of the product in a concert of theirs.

“A lot of times you see people who have really cool production in their recordings with a lot of electronic elements and a lot of cool sound effects and you can’t really do that live so a lot of what I like to bring to these songs live is to have those electronic and those three-dimensional elements,” Wallace tells OffBeat.

Moving to Los Angeles over the summer was a strategic move on Quick’s and Ellison’s part, taking note of just how many of their contacts set up base in California and set up meeting after meeting to start working with them. Quick had a songwriting session with singer Alice Gray, worked with producer Nolan Frank, performed at the Hotel Cafe shortly after his first week in the city, and has had rappers approach him to write beats.

The socialite of the band, Ellison’s contacts came in handy with their trip to Los Angeles.

“It was connections after connections so I had a few meetings every day,” Quick said. “Connor’s friend [Charlie DePew] is doing a TV show now with Bella Thorne, they happen to be costars, and he [DePew] showed her my music and she liked it so we went over there to have a little songwriting session.”

DePew, known for roles on “Famous in Love,” “Mad Men” and “The Goldbergs,” knew Ellison in high school, where he first heard James Quick’s music.

“Back in my senior year of high school I would drive home from school and one day Connor sent me his SoundCloud profile,” DePew said. “I freaked out a little. I was, like, ‘this kid is crazy talented.’”

DePew showed Ellison and Quick around Los Angeles and went to see Quick in concert at the Hotel Cafe.

“I still can’t believe that’s his voice untouched,” DePew said.

Quick is now writing songs for the Famous in Love star including her forthcoming single “War Crimes,” and then the pair are planning on singing a duet together on a song called “Any Place.”

“It was great. She was super down to earth and we got along really well. I went over to her house when I was in L.A. to show her some demos for songs we could potentially do together and we started working on a couple different projects,” Quick said.

“A lot of people in the industry are looking for new talent they’re all looking to get their hands on,” Quick said. “It’s weird being out here where it’s a little more mellow and slow pace.”

Quick and Ellison started their day at 8 a.m. and drove all over Los Angeles going from studio session to studio session until 8 p.m., when they decided to reward themselves by going out to unwind.

“I’m happy to be back because I’ve got my home studio set up in my apartment so I’m honestly just going to be recording forever,” Quick said.

Quick churns out more than a song a day when he feels inspired. The singer has a stockpile of over 200 songs that he plans on getting to before writing any more so that he can get the old ones out of the way to make room for the new material.

His performance at the Dragon’s Den, in March of 2016, was “95 percent covers” according to the group, laughing at their “standing ovation” that night. (Everyone was standing as there weren’t any seats.)

“I remember when we came out of that show I heard a lot of people saying that they like to hear originals and that was kind of the game changer,” Quick said. “The style has evolved in the sense that it is all over the place now. I’ll be writing almost like a hip-hop beat one night and the next day I’ll write the most acoustic folk song or a country song.”

The Gasa Gasa concert got jam-packed before Quick and crew walked on stage. The eclectic interior of the space was fitting for a line up featuring DJ Derek Taylor for pre-show and post-show music, rock artist Tristin Sanders, and Quick’s mix of acoustic and electronically enhanced music. Connor was glad to have included Derek Taylor for pre-show music, thinking it would help retain college-age crowds waiting for the show to start. The crowd soaked up the atmosphere and the drinks, playing on arcade machines and dancing to Taylor’s set. Quick played mostly originals, keeping a popular cover of Chance The Rapper’s “Cocoa Butter Kisses” in the set, and included the SPD-SX pad for songs like “Brushed Down Kilos.” The band walked off stage for a break, leaving James on stage singing acoustic duets with Kayla Mims.

James Quick and his band are performing with MØ at Tulane’s Devlin Fieldhouse tonight, Sept. 6th from 8-11 p.m. Tickets are $5 for Tulane students and $20 for the general public. Doors open at 7 p.m. - Offbeat