Name: Johnny Burgos
Occupation: Singer, songwriter, producer
Nationality: American
Current release: Johnny Burgos's All I Ever Wonder is out via LRK.
Recommendations: I think everyone should read Malcom X’s autobiography by Alex Haley. And one album everyone must experience from start to finish is Voodoo by D’angelo.

If you enjoyed this Johnny Burgos interview and would like to stay up to date with his music, visit his official homepage. He is also on Instagram, and Facebook.



Do you think that some of your earliest musical experiences planted a seed for your interest in writing lyrics or poetry? How and when did you start writing?

Absolutely! I started writing my first lyrics at about 10 or 11 years old, and it was in a rap-like format. Hip-hop had me in a chokehold at the time and I was convinced I’d be a rapper haha. But then I realized that I also loved melody and always had a few ideas that channeled feelings which seemed to be better expressed in some sort of sung manner, as opposed to just saying it without melody.

I was heavily influenced by the music I was raised on, such as soul, funk and salsa, but also doubled down on hip hop, which encompassed a lot of sampling of Soul and Funk. The lyrics in both the hiphop I was drawn to (ATCQ, Mos DEF, Lauryn Hill, The Roots, NAS) and soul music (Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Sly & The Family) always spoke to me profoundly. I related to them in a way that felt like they were almost writing my own experience at times.

Being a mixed-race kid from an inner-city community made up of mostly people of color, their stories were stories I was living or saw people living around me and I began to feel the need to express my own story.

It is sometimes said that “music begins where words end.” What do you make of that?

I believe it. Sometimes music is the vessel that allows me to express more emotion than I could ever translate with words alone.

I think the marriage of melody and language enhances the effect of translation, which is a huge part of why I fell in love with the songwriting and production processes.

Entering new worlds and escapism through music and literature have always exerted a very strong pull on me. What do you think you are drawn to most when it comes to writing?

I love that you feel this way. As a creator, I live for the people who do! I think escapism through lyricism is one of my love languages tbh HAHA!

In my writing, I think I’m drawn to the truth and then telling that story as captivatingly as possible, using lyrics, rhythm and melody to create a world where the listener can be lost in.

As a listener, I love it when I can feel the authenticity oozing from the story and it feels so real that you’re almost pulled into the situation they're singing about with them. You’re feeling their feelings, and at times it can feel like a page out of your diary or mind.

Great examples of artists who I think write in this way are SiR, Danielle Ponder and Gabriels.



What were some of the artists and albums which inspired you early on purely on the strength of their lyrics? What moves you in the lyrics of other artists?

Donny Hathaway’s lyrics have always moved more than almost anyone else. They way he can pull you into a feeling is the most enveloping experience I’ve ever had with music.



I was also really moved by Sly Stone, Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, NAS, Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, just to name a few. I just love the sense of purpose and truth in lyrics. I’m also a sucker for anything that inspires perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity or explores the human experience in a novel way.



I have always considered many forms of music to be a form of poetry as well. Where do you personally see similarities? What can music express which may be out of reach for poetry?

I see similarities in the two mediums as they’re both vessels of expression through language.

But I do, however, think that music has another level of substance to draw us in. Literally frequencies, that we connect on in a primal and almost innate way, which can enhance the messages in the lyrics when crafted with the right amount of purpose and intention.

The relationship between words and music has always intrigued me. How do you see it?

I’ll refer to this again. I think the marriage of melody and language enhances the effect of translation, which is a huge part of why I fell in love with the songwriting and production processes.

I think words are incredibly powerful but when accompanied by the right music, it can multiply that power tenfold.

What kind of musical settings and situations do you think are ideal for your lyrics?

I think people who are lovers of music with a message and purpose are ideal listeners for me, but also people who love a good groove. Performance-wise, I love playing to rooms full of captivated listeners who are engaged in the performance and appreciate the lyrics.

When I’m making music, I like to be around like-minded creators if I’m collaborating, and if alone, I just like to be in the comfort of my home studio so I can explore all the possible ways an idea can take shape and come together.


Johnny Burgos Interview Image by Sarah KC Photo

When working on music, when do the lyrics enter the picture? Where do they come from? Do lyrics need to grow together with the music or can they emerge from a place of their own?

It really depends. My process can be all over the place but lately I’ve been starting a lot of ideas with lyrics first, even a working song name and concept, then building it out from there.

But that’s just where I am right now. Songs come to me from everything in life though. I’m often in conversation and someone says something that sparks a lyric or sounds like a good song title or subject and I’ll either write it down or go straight to voice notes if my brain already associates a melody or cadence to the words.

I think I’ve been doing this so long that it’s just part of my being to see the world through the lens of anything being the potential for a good song idea. Usually, I’ll have a few ideas on the top of the list that I’ll start to develop by making demos and then refining the elements until I have something that feels like a song.

No rhyme or reason as to what comes first though, lyrics or music.

Do you feel like the music triggers specific words inside you? Or is more of a feeling or a memory? Would you say there is instantly an entire idea in front of you or does the story grow as you keep listening to the music?

This depends, too. Sometimes the music will absolutely speak to me in a way that directs my energy to a certain emotion or vibe of the song, which then sparks lyrical concepts and I go from there.

Usually pulling from real-life experience, either current or from memories, and I’ll try to pull the story out by setting up a few sequences of events to explore in the lyrics. Other times the reverse occurs, where the lyrics will direct the production and we build around that and refine both parts as we go.

There are a few rare occasions where songs have seemed to materialize right before my eyes and I just saw the whole concept, lyrically, musically and production-wise in one thought.


Johnny Burgos Interview Image by Sarah KC Photo

More generally, in how far can music take you to places with your writing you would possibly not have visited without it?

In the past, pretty far. Only because I lacked the articulation and tools that I have recently acquired through therapy, self-help books and just growing in emotional awareness.

But of course, as someone who’s creative process is very cathartic, some songs definitely allow a little more space to approach and explore certain feelings that can seem too big for real life at times.

Music is a special place where I’ve learned to process my emotions and allow vulnerability to flourish.

When you’re writing song lyrics, do you sense or see a connection between your voice and the text? Does it need to feel and sound “good” or “right” to sing certain words? What’s your perspective in this regard of singing someone else’s songs versus your own?

Yes, I’m always aware of how I can enhance the lyrics with my performance or the composition. I love the relationship between lyrics and melody the most within this context. I’m not so obsessed with something sounding good or right as much as I am about it enhancing the feeling in that moment or how it’s serving the song. Song is KING in my book, so if it doesn’t serve the big picture of what the song is trying to capture, it needs to go.

I love singing other people's songs with my own interpretation because it’s a newfound connection to their words which I believe brings out a new context of expression.

My favorite covers are the ones where people put their own twist on them, so I try to do the same when approaching covers. I sing it how the lyrics mean to me.


Johnny Burgos Interview Image by Sarah KC Photo

In how far are you consciously aware of the meaning of the lyrics you're writing during the creative process? Do you need to have a concrete concept or can the words take the lead?

Honestly, I can be both. I fluctuate based on whatever is compelling me to serve the idea at the moment. Sometimes I find that when I’m too conscious of the lyrics and they’re meaning I stifle my ability to be creative.

Then sometimes I have a concrete idea that I’m trying to serve the best way possible, so I give myself some parameters to work within and sketch out the idea that way.

What is the value of song lyrics or hip hop bars outside of the music? How do you see the relationship between harmony, rhythm and melody? Do you feel that honing your sense of rhythm and groove has an effect on your lyrics-writing skills?

I’m not sure about the value of bars outside of the music. But I do hink that rhythm and groove have a HUGE effect on your writing skillset becaus they enable so many different cadences and allow for a more diverse presentation of your ideas.

I have ideas that would only work well within a hip-hop-styled context, and when I have those ideas, I can almost know immediately whether they’re for BARS or a more melodic rap-like cadence. I love the exploration of these approaches and how they let me dive into my deep roots in hip-hop.

Creativity can reach many different corners of our lives. Do you feel as though writing or performing a piece of poetry is inherently different from something like making a great cup of coffee? What do you express through music that you couldn’t or wouldn’t in more mundane tasks?

Wow, good question!

I think it is and it isn’t depending on your relationship to the work. My relationship with music is a very intimate one, which encompasses a huge portion of my life physically, emotionally and spiritually. However, for someone who isn’t as embedded in a life of artistic expression on a professional level, I think it can absolutely be a more mundane task within their day.

I’ve even experienced moments in life where music did become that for me but it was at a time when I was making more music for clients than I was for myself and it just felt like another task on my desk to complete. Specifically music for sync placements, which is generally making music to specifications provided by the client on their brief. I felt very much boxed in by it and although I had many satisfied clients, I realized it wasn’t for me.

I do, however, try to make a habit of creating even a little bit, every single day. Especially in the times when I’m very admin or promo-focused, and making dedicated studio time is difficult.