Having recently performed alongside Rag 'n' Bone Man, surpassed 4 million streams and a successful 8 date European tour, Max White has returned with his new single 'Breaking Down', which is louder than ever before.
The 24 year old singer / songwriter, born on The Isle of Wight, draws influence from a wide range of artists including Lee Fields, Justin Timberlake and Miguel. With intimate songs decorated in catchy melodies, funk / rock instrumentation, and pop structure; his music appeals to a wide range of listeners with his new spin on alternative pop.
Showcasing his ability to thrive across a wide range of genres, his collaboration with dance music giants Dada Life has now received over 4 million plays and is the most successful track on their album. Since then, Max White has received support from Spotify official playlists and endorsement from Rag ’n’ Bone Man off the back of his last single ‘I Don’t Need You’.
'Breaking Down' marks a new era of self-recorded and self-produced music alongside co-producer Johnny Ovadias. Written and recorded in 2 countries due to Covid-19, ‘Breaking Down’ is the result of hard work, dedication, and vision.
We had a chat with Max White on the new release and more as part of our Introducing series...
Introduce yourself and tell us a bit about you!
"Hi, My name is Max White and I’m a singer/songwriter/producer currently writing and recording out of my home studio in a cabin."
Where are you from and what’s your favourite thing about that place?
"I was born on the Isle of Wight, but moved away when I was about 5 or 6. My favourite thing about the Isle of Wight has to be the sea. I did a lot of sailing there as a kid and when you live in Cowes you can usually always see the water. I think I’ll always find it hard to live somewhere without a seafront I can go to, after growing up there."
How would you sum up your sound in the form of a hashtag?
"I write a lot of different styles, but I guess overall… #altpop"
Do you have any early musical memories?
"I remember the first time I saw someone play guitar. I was probably about 7 and my parents friends were having a bbq. There was a guitar with only 4 strings that another guest had found lying around. She started playing it and I remember my mum saying “wouldn’t you like to be able to do that”. i was so keen that 2 weeks later she bought me a little nylon string to learn on."
Who would be your dream artist to collab with?
"I think writing with Nile Rogers would be incredible! He’s written sooo many hits through the years and seems like a bit of a legend of a person. Fingers crossed!"
What’s been your stand out moment so far?
"There’s been a couple. My recent work with Rag’n’Bone Man is definitely a stand out moment in my career. To work with him and his incredible band was a dream. Another stand out moment was when I was in Cologne on tour. We had a fully packed room of strangers singing along and even got to party with them afterwards. It was a surreal night and one of my favourite gigs."
You’ve just released your new single ‘Breaking Down’. Tell us a little about it!
"So, 'Breaking Down' was written, recorded, and produced by me and a producer called Johnny Ovadias. We originally started writing the song because he had a new synth to play around with. We had the first verse and pre chorus for a few months, until one day he sent me a chorus instrumental and I almost immediately sent back the chorus as it is in the finished version. The track then came together slowly after a lot of hard work through COVID-19. We then got in contact with a mix engineer in Los Angeles called Jeremy Inhaber, who really brought our creation to its fullest final form."
Is there a story behind the lyrics?
"The song is about feeling like a relationship with someone in your life (whether that be a friend, family member, or partner) isn’t working very well, and feels like it’s going to break down. At that point you have to decide whether or not it’s worth salvaging."
Do you have a favourite lyric from the track?
“If we’re not moving up, then we’re just going round. I think I’ve had enough, we’re breaking down down down.”
Finally, what do you have in store for the rest of 2021?
"There’s a lot more in store for 2021 and the best way to keep track of all the work I’ll be putting out this year is to follow my Instagram!"
'Breaking Down' is out now
Listen HERE
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