Creative Conversations 056: William Black's Emotional Journey

Los Angeles-based producer, William Black is back with the release of his second studio album, Pieces. We caught up with the multi talented creative to delve into his music as a whole and discuss the intricacies of the album’s emotional journey.

Futuremag Music: Hey William, how're you doing? What's popping in your side of the world?

William Black: I’m doing great! Well I just put out my second album, I’m super stoked that it’s finally out. Currently just chilling with my dog Ava haha.

Futuremag Music: Congrats on the release of your second album, Pieces! Before we jump into it, could you give us a rundown of your relationship with music over the years and your journey to now?

William Black: Thank you so much! Music has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up listening to a lot of bands and I remember I would get a new album and just listen to it on repeat for days. I love getting lost in music. I went to a rave in 2010 and that was it for me. I knew I wanted to make music for the rest of my life.

Futuremag Music: Let's dive into Pieces, it's a delightful mix of Dance Pop! There's a few different sonics throughout, could you outline your production process and structuring of the body of work?

William Black: Yeah definitely! It all depends on the song. Some of the songs were first created in sessions with other writers. We would just vibe out in the studio and write about a topic that we all related to. I usually start tracks with a chord progression or melody. Sometimes it's piano or guitar or a synth. I knew I wanted the album to be about a range of different moments from my life. I wanted to be vulnerable and touch on my feelings through the songs.

Futuremag Music: There are a tonne of incredible collaborators on this album too. How did you loop up with each of them? What was the process like?

William Black: Right?! I’m so grateful that I got to work with a bunch of extremely talented artists on this. I’ve done tracks with RUNN, RØRY, Dia Frampton, AMIDY & Fairlane before. Having that history makes it so easy to work on music together. I’ve made a ton of new friends from this album as well. Working with Annie Schindel, Leslie Powell, Skeez, Forester, HALIENE, Nurko & Essenger was a dream come true. This album would definitely not be possible without all of them. Working on every song felt so natural. Because of covid, A lot of the writing took place in zoom sessions. Not being able to do as many in person sessions was different, but I got to work with artists all over the world because of it.

Futuremag Music: What is a piece of advice or something you wish you knew when starting out following a career in music?

William Black: I would say that you should focus on making music more than anything. Don’t worry about playing shows or getting a lot of followers at first. It takes years for your music to start sounding good. Also, try to stay conscious of having fun. I started making music because of how much fun it was. If music starts feeling like too much of a job, then what is the point?