Meet John White | Artist & Record Label Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with John White and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, what matters most to you?
Integrity. The main reason why I started a label was because I worked at a major label prior to the pandemic and I got to see all of the hands that were a part of every artists’ career. Those hands decided what they couldn’t and couldn’t do, taking ownership out of their hands and into somebody else’s. I think if you’re an artist, the most important thing is to be able to keep your integrity and do what you really want. It’s an expression of who you are as a person and how you see the world. I also think a team is important, but I think the overall creative decisions should come down to you solely. The legacy of my label, White Noise Records, is to be a home for artists who want to create freely without worrying about other hands, opinions, or ideas trying to control their narrative.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I don’t think my art is any more different than anybody else’s, but what sets me apart is that I’m willing to take risks creatively that I haven’t heard anybody else take recently. Growing up on bands like Oasis and U2, it shaped what I focus my efforts on and what I value within music, which I think can be rare. I see music as a gateway to something bigger than yourself on both the creative side and the receiving end. Music has the ability to impact culture, bring people together, and allow you to both see a perspective different than your own and help you feel less alone within your own feelings. I think what I’m most proud of is sticking to the journey after 14 years or working on my music. Within the industry, we see people come and go, but that’s why it’s important to keep doing what you think is cool.

It hasn’t been an easy road. When you’re independent, everything is out of your own pocket and, with the way the industry is moving, everything is extremely content driven. Having to fund the music, the visuals, the rollouts yourself can be taxing and, sometimes, uninspiring. But what keeps me going is holding onto the idea that one day everything will balance out; that the energy and work that we already put in will come back in some shape or form of success. When you feel like you’re at the end and it’s time to give up, you’ve found the exact moment you should do the opposite. Keep going.

Lead with love.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If a friend were visiting me for the week, I’d do a combination of any of my favorite things: – Topanga Canyon for a sunset
– A drive on the PCH
– Dinner at the Reel Inn
– Drinks at WeHo Rocco’s
– Hang out at the Huntington Dog Beach

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The best part about my team is that they’re also some of my best friends; everything we do is additive to the overall goal that everyone has. Specifically my teams at White Noise Records, SPF Productions, and 24/5 Management– Daniel Espitia, Sahil Jindal, Iris lee, Nick O’Brien, Sela Pierce, Victor M. Rocha, and Valerie Vargas– who have been with me since the beginning of my first EP in 2021. When we work together, it doesn’t really feel like work, it feels like the freedom to just express ourselves. To be as vulnerable as possible with each-other knowing that whatever comes out of it is going to be great, no matter what.

Website: https://www.johnwhitesmusic.com/home

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnwhitesmusic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnwhitesmusic

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRZiHtWKjn9K-f_P7yX8Rvw

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1UVoyard7BA5KdbK6JdTPx?si=PwKuZGz7S2mVVRxhIZKJaw https://music.apple.com/us/artist/john-white/1476661227 https://soundcloud.com/johnwhitesmusic https://www.tiktok.com/@johnwhitesmusic

Image Credits
Sela Pierce