Mariah Crom
Rising country singer Jackson Michelson is all about putting on more than just a show. The Oregon native strives to gives fans an experience, which he has completely masted by performing over 100 shows each year between headlining and opening for acts like Lee Brice, Blake Shelton, Frankie Ballard, and more.
Celeb Secrets Country sat down with Michelson during the 2019 CMA Music Festival in Nashville earlier this summer to chat about his new focus on songwriting and his unique method for releasing new music to make sure every song is given the attention it deserves.
Celeb Secrets Country: Let’s talk about the new music. ‘One At A Time’ — what made you pick this particular song as your single?
Jackson Michelson: “That’s a good question. I wrote one hundred songs last year. I’ve been touring 200 shows a year for the last 8 or 9 years and this last year I just decided that I’m going to put that same drive and focus that I’ve put towards my live show into songwriting. So I just buckled down and I’d write 1-2 songs, five days a week. I was writing with Justin Ebach and we just got on this hot streak writing these great songs that I loved. I don’t know if they’re great songs but they’re songs that I love so I call them great songs! I’ve always been an artist that cares what I think most of the music. I want to put songs out that I’m proud of and my wife is proud of. This song just really kind of raised its hand from the moment we recorded it. I turned it in and people were like, ‘whoa what’s this song?’ It just feels good. It feels like the summer. I just love music that makes me feel like the sun is out. I grew up in Oregon where it rains 9 months out of the year and so I love anything that makes me feel like I have sunshine.”
CSC: So what’s the fan reaction when you perform ‘One At A Time?’
JM: “That’s the craziest thing about this song. You can play it at a festival or club environment and people will sing along and then I played it for the first time at Whiskey Jam, and everyone who’s at Whiskey Jam is a songwriter or an artist themselves so usually its a pretty tough crowd to get people into it, but I remember playing it there and people sang along the first time I played it. So I was like, ‘there’s something to this and I’m all in on it.’ It’s a special song live.
CSC: What do you have coming up the rest of the year?
JM: “We just announced my tour. I think I have about 40 dates through the end of the summer. A lot of festivals and fairs and kind of getting back to the roots of all of that. I’m excited to play this new music. That’s my favorite part of summer is getting to play for the country fans at the festivals who are camping out and are diehard fans. So I’m hitting the road and still recording some. I’m releasing one song every month for the next few months so I’m just excited to put them out ‘one at a time,’ pun intended, and see how people grab onto it.”
CS: What made you pick that method releasing one single per month instead of just releasing a solid EP?
JM: “I think music is consumed so differently now than it ever has been. I grew up listening to albums, and I love albums. I’m an album consumer but I also wrote 100 songs and I care about so many of them. I want them to be heard without being left behind. So I feel like if we focus on one song per month and do a video and lyric video with it and just give every song the attention it deserves, that also does the fans better if we’re really focusing. I can’t wait until the end of the summer when these songs have had this much focus and to hear the crowd’s reaction at shows. I bet they know them a lot better and it gives me a better gage before we go to radio with these songs. What are people loving? They might be liking this one but they’re clearly loving that one. I want to know my fans just as well as they get to know me.”
Fans can catch Jackson Michelson on the road at various upcoming shows across the US! For more information visit jacksonmichelson.com and follow along on Facebook and Instagram!
