Interview: Thunder Jackson Returns with “Heart Attack” and a Bold New Era

Photography @jared.kinley

You’ve just dropped ‘Heart Attack’ — can you take us inside the moment you knew this was the right song to mark your return?

After record two, I was searching for a new way to approach songs, a new tone, a fresh sound. ‘Heart Attack’ was one of those songs that just jumped out at me immediately. It felt like a new chapter had begun, the page turned.

‘Heart Attack’ feels both propulsive and vulnerable. How did you find that perfect balance between emotional storytelling and infectious energy?

I think I’m sort of obsessed with duality at the moment. I love blending the opposite spectrums of reality. This song is sort of a good example of that. I wanted the lyrics to feel vulnerable, but the song is this sort of driving force that counteracts with the melodies.

You worked closely with Taylor Johnson again on this track. What is it about your creative partnership that brings out your best work? 

When you get to make music with one of your best friends in the world, it creates an environment of encouragement and honesty where we can be real with each other. There’s no reading between the lines. He’s also an evil genius of sorts, Taylor. He is single handily the best musician I have ever been blessed to encounter in this life.

Cian Riordan’s mix gives the song a big, cinematic feel. How important was that mix in shaping the final sound? 

After we finished the track, I went on a deep dive search for a mixer. I was listening to all kinds of records; searching for this exact sound I was after. Cian’s name kept popping up as the mixer for a lot of the records I was listening to. He’s the perfect balance of this sort of 70’s saturation, whilst keeping the song sounding current with the times. I couldn’t have asked for a better mix. Cian is a legend.

HELLO STRANGER has been such a pivotal record for you. How did the experience of making that album influence this new chapter?

I poured my soul into ‘Hello Stranger.’ It was not an easy record for me to write. I was going through an identity crisis at the time and felt like I was in a constant fight with myself and the person who I wanted to be for the world. Once I came out the other side of that record, I wanted to create from a different perspective, I hate to this say this but I wanted to have fun again making records… And fun we did have again.

You’ve been named one of SXSW’s “Best 15 Acts” and sold out shows across the globe — how has the growing audience changed the way you approach live performance? 

The live show is everything to me. I write the songs based on how I am going to perform it live. The more the audience has grown, the more energy I feel like is being put into these songs and live shows. The songs have grown and changed as the crowds have grown and changed. It’s a beautiful ride to be a part of.

The HELLO STRANGER tour has been high energy. What’s been your favorite live moment so far this year? 

It has to be playing the SWR3 festival in Baden-Baden. It was a pretty surreal moment to sell that venue out to that size of crowd. I’m a kid from a small town in Oklahoma. It warmed my heart to look up to that crowd with my best friends behind me. It’s a moment I will never forget. Mom & Dad, I am really living my dream!!

This upcoming run includes both Europe and West Coast US shows — what can fans expect from the setlist and overall vibe of these gigs?

Sweat, tears and electricity.

With over 50 million streams and counting, what excites you most about where Thunder Jackson is headed next? 

The possibilities of the sound of Thunder Jackson are infinite. I want to continue to create and challenge the listener, with something fresh and something different. I’m about to start writing record three… prepare for a wild ride.