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Johnnie "Smurf" Smith |
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What are your most recent projects and what do you think people are responding to the most?
The most recent project that I've worked on is T-Pain's latest release, Thr33 Ringz, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts. I think people are responding the most to the melodic sounds over hardcore beats. OnMyRadio by Musiq Soulchild is the next album to be released that I've worked on and I feel that there will be a great response to the sweet melodies that will speak to all audiences and assure them that this will be a timeless album.
What and where are you planning to work on next?
I am currently in the studio with Grammy-nominated artist Raheem DeVaughn. We are working on his third album out of Philadelphia, PA. I also have plans to start working on a new project with R&B artist Toni Braxton.
Where are you from originally and where do you live now?
I am originally from Hammond, IN where I spent most of my adolescent and teenage years. Now I reside in the southern New Jersey area.
What was your first project as a musician that you really felt was important?
As a musician, the first project that I can say really had major importance has to be Soulstar by Musiq Soulchild released in 2003. That album was really special because it was an outlet that allowed me to really present classic music in album form, and that element coupled with great lyrical content made Soulstar an album that would forever display a sound that would last for generations to come.
Who do you look to as a mentor in your career, and what have they helped you to learn?
First and foremost, Jesus Christ gets all the honor, because that is where all my inspiration is birthed. Throughout my career, I have been mentored by ASCAP award-winning production team Carvin Haggins and Ivan Barias. Those guys first taught me how to put a song together and how to create timeless music. They taught me the importance of sound selection, lyrical content, and how to have an ear to listen to music more in-depth in order to pull out the key points that produce a great song.
