Spencer Sutherland returns with sophomore record ‘The Drama,’ beckoning you into his sparkling creative world where wondrous escapism meets glamorous storytelling.

Stream: ‘The Drama’ – Spencer Sutherland

The Drama is a story told in three acts.

It’s an immersive sensory experience, and it’s also a rock opera concept album. These are big statements to come about the same record, but that is who Spencer Sutherland is: He goes big, shoots far, and always over-delivers on his imaginations.

Returning with The Drama, Sutherland’s sophomore record shines in all its glam rock indulgence and eclectic escapism, and this is the version of his artistry that is truly him.

Inspired by Shakespearean narrative arcs, the record encompasses the exposition, rise, climax, fall and resolution of Sutherland’s story. Visually, it takes heed from ’50s glamor rock, and sonically, it holds elements of classic rock from the ’70s and ’80s. 14 tracks long and just under 35 minutes, The Drama is an ambitious record that breaks all the rules of mainstream form and musicianship. It’s a creative triumph in storytelling, imaginative output and universal appeal, and the magic of this album lies in that it just feels good.

Sutherland shares it’s been a long way in the making, and this record arrives as a culmination of his 10-year journey in the industry. Unapologetically leading with authenticity and liberation, The Drama is an ode to the latest turn in his artistry. Sutherland sat down with Atwood Magazine to discuss the conception of his creative vision, detailing how unapologetically basking in the glamor has been the best thing he’s ever done. He described the influence Elvis has had on his music and his visuals, his bold songwriting, and the intentional tracklisting that went behind the record. He also chats about the role of social media in contemporary music.

As Sutherland pioneers the return of the concept rock album, it’s clear he certainly is The Drama in all its glamor and glory.

— —

:: stream/purchase The Drama here ::

:: connect with Spencer Sutherland here ::

— —

Stream: “Drama” – Spencer Sutherland

A CONVERSATION WITH SPENCER SUTHERLAND

Spencer Sutherland: Firstly, thank you so much for having me and thanks for saying all that. I’ve had such a journey over the past 10 years, and it was only the last couple of years that it started to happen and connect. It’s been really, really exciting and I definitely credit time and social media and everything else. It’s just, it’s been wonderful.

This record feels like my life’s work so far, it feels like a piece of art that I made. I feel a couple ways about it coming out. One, I’m so excited, so glad, you know, relieved. On the other hand I feel a little bit scared and sad that I don’t have it in my arsenal anymore, it just had to come out. But that’s natural. Yeah, it’s like my baby and then it goes out into the world–it’s like my kid going away to university.

Spencer Sutherland: I only found out a couple days before and I almost went to New York just for that! I had been there a few days before, but I almost went right back to go see it. I kind of wish I did now, but it was so, so insane. Like that’s one of the pinnacles, right, having a music video in Times Square. Like that’s legendary.

Spencer Sutherland: My favorite records of all time are those ‘70s, ‘80s rock operas. I’ve always wanted to do that and when I wrote the song “Drama,” I was like, oh my god, that’s the album. It’s called The Drama. It’s a modern rock opera without all the eight minute interludes and stuff. So you know, like a palatable rock opera for Gen Z. It’s basically following the story arc of me in my journey and my life. And usually when you write a record, you write like a hundred songs, pick the best 12 or 14 or whatever. But for this record, pretty much every song we wrote for the record is the song on the record. I loved that. Because we were filling gaps in the story like, I need something sad here. I need a rock and roll, like, drunk Vegas song here, whatever it was. I want to keep doing that for the rest of my life. It felt so invigorating.

Spencer Sutherland: Yeah, it’s basically the three acts, like in Shakespeare. I thought it was just a cool play on it. There’s no intermission but I think it helps tell the story. The beginning of the album is “Welcome to the Show!” and it’s this big, grandiose, overconfident, gaudy feeling to the first part. And then halfway through, “A Tragedy!” is sort of the heartbreak, and the misstep, in that part of the record. It gets a little sad. And then near the end we start ramping up again and it gets a little more rock and roll. The last song is called “Place Like This” where it’s like I’ve gained my confidence back. I’ve gained my belief back in myself, but this time it’s from a grounded place.

My favorite lyric from that song is, “at the end of the day, I got to admit that heartbreak feels good in a place like this,” basically meaning every bad thing I went through, like, every heartbreak was so worth it because now we’re here. I believe in myself, but it comes from a different place now instead of just being overconfident and gaudy. But I also have that side to me too. Like when I’m on tour, it’s just cheers, cheers, cheers, we’re gonna kill it, darling. So it kind of encompasses all that.

Every bad thing I went through, like, every heartbreak was so worth it because now we’re here. I believe in myself, but it comes from a different place now.

Spencer Sutherland: I think it came together as we were writing it, because I knew I wanted it to be a concept album. Once I wrote “Drama” it was like the story started coming together. And after a few more songs, I was like, this needs to be listened to top to bottom. Like we’re not gonna follow the rules of the industry and do, you know, singles that just sound cool next to each other. I even changed the keys of certain songs so that they go into other songs better. And I think the average listener probably doesn’t know what that is but they still just know that it feels nice, it feels good. I think it just flows nicely, the track listing. This is like the ninth version of the track listing, the one that’s out. I feel like it really, really works.

Spencer Sutherland: I mean there were just slight differences. The one I almost went with was “God Save the Dream” last, because it’s kind of the same feeling as “Place Like This” where like, no one’s gonna break my stride. But “Place Like This” has this beautiful piano outro, and it just felt perfect for it. It does.

Spencer Sutherland: Yeah! I mean, it’s definitely like, you know, I come from a pop music background and this album felt so left field and polarizing. I felt like some people will like it and some people won’t, but at least it’s true to me, it’s all the way me. I mean, it’s crazy, right? I have key changes, a spoken monologue, I have no synths on the entire record, it’s just real instruments. It’s very throwback. It’s not following the footsteps of today’s pop, so I think all those reasons made it feel risky. Lyrically, it’s out there. And we’re basing this entire record off albums in the ’70s but also Shakespeare, so I felt like you’ve got to be quite a specific person to like it. But then I put it out and I’m like, oh everybody loves this. Fantastic. It broke all of my previous records by a far reach. It’s definitely been my breakthrough album so far, and it’s only been out for less than two weeks, which is so exciting. It speaks to girls that are 17 but also to my dad, you know. Like it speaks to all generations and it has something for everybody and I think that I like that personally.

What’s been fun was the last few shows in Europe this summer. You know, it’s mostly girls in the audience but then you look at the back of the room and there’s all these dads who start to like it as well. Because we have guitars, the crazy guitar solos, and I’m just trying to Mick Jagger it up and they’re like, oh, alright.

Spencer Sutherland: Right! It’s easy to say, and then it’s easier for someone to tell you, but until you realize that… I realized that with social media. I swear to god, it was like I just started really doing what I wanted and what I loved and it started connecting. I was like, oh, big surprise, if you’re yourself, things work out. I’ve said it before in interviews and I’ll say it again, fans can sniff out authenticity better than anybody ever. They just know when something doesn’t feel right, when something feels forced. I think that’s what held me back in the past, and it’s why it’s all worked out now – is because I’ve just been unapologetically authentic.

Fans can sniff out authenticity better than anybody ever. They just know when something doesn’t feel right, when something feels forced.

Spencer Sutherland: I’m so glad that you said a “world” because when I first started theorizing this idea, I wanted to create a world that this existed in. And I was like where do we shoot all this stuff? Like how do we create the branding that doesn’t feel like what everybody else has done in Los Angeles or New York or even London. My favorite artist ever, and the reason I got into music, is Elvis Presley. I started going to Graceland and I got close with the people there, and it was just like every time I went to Memphis, it just feeds my soul. Every single time. So as I was coming up with all these creative ideas, I was like, why don’t I just go shoot everything in Memphis? Like, I don’t think I know any other pop musicians who are doing that. The last person who did that was, you know, Elvis in the ’70s.

It felt different and it felt true to me, so I went there. I got the help of a couple of people, Angie and Alicia, and we picked all these locations all over Memphis and Graceland and everything. We shot the album cover, all those TikToks, the lyric videos, single covers, everything. The shoots and stuff were actually in Graceland. That’s just where my heart is, so it felt really true to the brand. And I love that you said “world” because I feel like we created this world where you’re like, I don’t know where this is or what year this is, but it’s something.

Spencer Sutherland: I literally go back all the time, not even for the shoots. I just stand in Elvis’ house and I look around and it just, like, recharges my soul. I don’t know how to describe it.

Spencer Sutherland: I don’t know, it’s just so inspiring. It’s like frozen in the year 1977. He was such an eclectic and wild man, that his house is so regal and extra and there’s like shag carpet on the ceilings and it’s gold everywhere. It just feels how I want my house to feel. It’s a crazy, crazy, crazy place and yeah, it just it’s very inspiring.

Spencer Sutherland: Yeah, like over the past like two years, doing those has really helped me grow a lot. Like every time I go to the grocery store or a coffee shop or whatever, I mean lately it’s been the album, but before it would be people coming up to me saying, I love your video. Which has been really cool, and yeah like you, it’s usually been a duet. How cool is that, that the internet really does work in that way?

Spencer Sutherland: So it’s funny because at first I fought TikTok, in like 2020. I was like, I don’t want to be a TikTok artist, I want to do real music. But I think it’s been one of the best things, not just TikToks but reels and everything in general. It’s been one of the best things that’s ever happened to artists because it’s given us a chance to be in front of people, and in a different way that people haven’t been able to do since, like, Vine. It’s changed my life. The last two years, it’s really, really changed my life. These duets, and now the original stuff, going viral. It’s unbelievable.

Like I was saying, I was at the airport yesterday in Las Vegas and someone came up to me and was like, I was literally just scrolling as I was sitting over there and then I turned and you’re here. And they showed me, it was “Drama” on their phone and I was like, no f*ing way. That’s crazy. But yeah, even like for that and people buying tickets, I’ve seen so many comments like, been a fan since I saw your video last month, I’m hooked and I just bought a ticket to Cologne. So it’s really changed my life and I think it’s changed a lot of people’s lives. If there are any negatives, I suppose it’s made people’s attention spans a little shorter. That’s kind of inevitable, but I see it as a big positive, for sure.

@spencermusic

#duet with @Teddy Swims I LOSE CONTROoOOoOL 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ #spencersutherland #teddyswims #losecontrol

♬ original sound – Spencer Sutherland

Spencer Sutherland: No, no, for real! Because I do want to do music like they did 50 years ago, where you put out a record and then you tour the record for six months, and you work on another record, put it out and tour. That’s how I want to do music. You can say, screw TikTok, screw reels, I don’t wanna do this. I’m gonna be a “real” artist, but genuinely, like as an artist, you’re just hurting yourself. There is no shame in posting every single day or posting twice a day. It’s so different than it was ten years ago. The idea of an artist needing to be mysterious only works if you’re The Weeknd or Bruno Mars or the top artists in the world. For everyone else, you’re just hurting yourself. You’re just getting yourself out there less. So I use that as a tool, but I can do it on my own terms. I want to do a tour, and that’s my main thing.

Spencer Sutherland: I really do. I love putting content out, especially when I’m on the road, like vlogs and stuff. One of my best friends is my videographer. He shoots them for me, but he pretty much sends them to me raw and I edit them all on my phone. Like all the texts, bit of the coloring, all that stuff I do because I’m so specific.

There is no shame in posting every single day or posting twice a day. It’s so different than it was ten years ago.

Spencer Sutherland: It’s so time consuming isn’t it! Every morning I edit a video or two, then before I go to bed I do it again. I spend like an hour editing every single day. And that’s like a slow day of editing. It’s nuts, but I’m just so precise and I know exactly what I want. You kind of have to get past it too, because you know, every one of 20 videos will do kind of well. So you’ll be spending time on stuff that’s not gonna pop off sometimes. But that’s just part of the game.

Spencer Sutherland: I think not necessarily, but when we would shoot certain things, I’d be like, alright, before we leave this location, let’s shoot a couple of TikToks. So I think choosing those locations and sets were more what I wanted to brand myself with, but social media was at the back of my mind. Like how can I fit this area into a TikTok.

Spencer Sutherland: I mean, I think the “Drama” video, I had such a blast. It was like a 12 hour day and it was so fun. It’s all my friends that are in the crowd, all my close friends. It was just hanging out with all my friends all day. And I wore a Shakespeare outfit, which was hilarious. It was kind of a ridiculous video. We even did a ‘Roast of Spencer’ that I’m gonna release next week. It’s like a real world confessional kind of thing. I’m excited to put that out. I edited that too.

Spencer Sutherland: I think, yeah, my influences for this record were the biggest artists that I’ve been listening to my whole life. They’re of course like the biggest rock stars. They’re all sparkly, like crazy outfits and that’s always been like the sort of artist that spoke to me. I remember seeing Prince for the first time and I was like wow. It was the same thing with Elton John, Freddie Mercury, The Temptations. I just wanted that, I was like this feels exciting and fun and worth it. I think for this album there was also some Billy Joel, David Bowie, Marvin Gaye, the list goes on. Dolly Parton.

Spencer Sutherland: I will say that this answer changes every day. Right now it’s probably “Motherf*er.”

Spencer Sutherland: Yeah! I think “Modern Heartbreak” is the best song on the album. My favorite right now is “Motherf*er” because it’s like my love letter to 50s rock and roll. It’s got that super blues-y three chord progression and I think it’s gonna go a crazy live. “Modern Heartbreak,” I just think we popped off on the writing. I think it just came so quick and so fast. And it really hit a chord with everybody who heard it, I just think it’s like a really perfectly crafted song. I think we really killed it. It’s not just writing, it’s like a heartbreak song, but it turns into an anthem, which is special. I really like it.

Spencer Sutherland: Yeah, how insane is that? I get to go all over the world and yeah, Europe is like 5% total from selling out the whole tour, which is just like beyond me. I can’t even believe it. And we keep adding shows. We’re adding a Dublin show. It’s just really nuts. But you can definitely expect the most theatrical dramatic show you’ve ever seen. It’s more than just me going on stage doing 15 songs. It’s almost a little bit immersive. It feels like we’re doing a live theater. The first show isn’t till January and we’re already deep working on it, like the set list and figuring out the stage show and everything. But it’s gonna be extra, which I think people will like.

Spencer Sutherland: I don’t know exactly. I kind of wanna let it speak for itself. It’s so crazy to say this, but I’m gonna start writing in the next couple weeks. I’m gonna be on tour from January to April, so I’m not gonna get a lot of downtime and I don’t do a lot of writing on the road. It’s just hard for me to focus on. I like to really immerse myself. Like if I’m in Paris, I’ll just be outside, and play the show and meet the fans, and just be there. But yeah, I’m going to do some writing here in October and November and I’m really excited. I want to write how I wrote the last record, like I want to write specifically for something. I want to further this glam rock, over the top vocals, and guitar, and keys and just have more fun with it.

Spencer Sutherland: There’s no time limit. It’ll be okay. It’s so funny because when I first started I was like 20, I was like, oh my god, I’m running out time. I have two more years left. I wish I could go back and just pat myself on the back and be like, hey, for a walk. Go to the park. You’re fine. Everything’s gonna be great. It’s gonna be fun. I would just tell myself to chill out, because I was pretty head down and in the wrong way. I was just so focused on the wrong stuff. But it’s all part of the journey, all part of learning, I just would tell myself to chill out. And also to learn how to play piano.

Spencer Sutherland: I couldn’t agree more. I’m glad that if nothing, I didn’t pop off when I was 19, 20 years old. I feel like I would have been there and gone. I want to tour till I’m like The Rolling Stones, like 78 years old with the background. So this is truly a marathon.

Spencer Sutherland: I feel like it’s truly me doing it on my own terms. That’s 100% how it feels. It also feels like I was able to totally flex my artistry all the way. It’s almost like a trophy on my shelf of like, hey, good job being a hundred percent artistically yourself. And then like we just talked about, I feel like this is kind of setting me up to go even grander and larger and more extra. My first album, In His Mania was me figuring out my sound. This is my first concept album. And I just see myself making more concept albums and more opera pop.

Spencer Sutherland: A Night At the Opera by Queen, or Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie. I think doing an alter ego could be really cool. But I don’t want to force it, it has to come naturally. Those are my all time favorite records. Like even The Who stuff, Elton John is less of a concept album, but those to me are big statement albums.

Spencer Sutherland: I wrote a lot of these songs with my collaborators, Keaton Stromberg and STORYBOARDS, and we’ve done stuff together for the last six years, but it feels like we’ve grown together through just doing a bunch of stuff together. And that’s been a really, really cool thing to see. and I also wrote with Will Jay and Sam Creighton and they do almost like theatrical, jazzy stuff. They bring that to the table and I bring this like rock and roll energy. So they’re stretching me in different ways and I’m stretching them in different ways. Like the chords are just so wild and diminished and I feel like, musically, we all grew together as a crew. Obviously with the writing, I really went for it with the metaphors.

Spencer Sutherland: I hope the audiences take whatever they want to, but I feel I want them to take away this escape from life, and this feeling of pretend. Escapism. I feel like this is almost like a play in audio form. So I want people to escape from their life, good or bad, like I want people to take that away and get lost in it. Especially the live show, I want them to get lost in it, because it’s gonna be a continuation of the actual record.

— —

:: stream/purchase The Drama here ::

:: connect with Spencer Sutherland here ::

— —

“Let Me Loose” – Spencer Sutherland

— — — —

Connect to Spencer Sutherland on
Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram

Discover new music on Atwood Magazine

 © Lexi Alley

The Drama

an album by Spencer Sutherland