Hiya TJ, thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today. Grab a brew and take a seat.
Thanks for joining us today… Tell us bit about where you are from and how you got into music?
I’m reaching out from Mobile, Alabama. Music has been the background noise of my life since I was a kid sitting in the backseat of my parents’ car. I used to be obsessed with the spectacle of award shows, just watching how a performance could shift the energy of a room.
I’m a fairly quiet person in my day-to-day life, but when I write, I find I have a lot to say. I started practicing the craft around 11 years old, and it has evolved from early pop experiments into the “Cinematic Grit” sound I’m building today.
What’s the live music scene like in Mobile right now?
Mobile has a very specific energy. It’s a deep mixture of Southern Rock tradition and Alternative energy. We aren’t a “big city” scene, which I actually prefer.
There is an atmospheric loneliness to the landscape here—empty highways and porch lights—and that definitely bleeds into the music being made in this part of the country.
Anyone we should be looking out for (bar you, of course)?
There is so much talent in the South that often gets overlooked because we don’t have the Nashville studio budgets. I’m always keeping an eye on artists who are bridging that gap between the grit of the dirt road and the polish of modern rock.
Do you think its easy to become a victim of our surroundings sometimes?
Absolutely. But I think for an artist, your surroundings are your greatest asset if you know how to use them. For a long time, I tried to make “city” music, but I eventually realized that the most honest stories I could tell were the ones about the highway and the small-town heartbreaks I grew up with.
That realization is what led to “The Pivot.” I’m not a victim of my surroundings anymore; I’m a documentarian of them.
What are your ambitions for the project?
The goal for Eye of TJ has always been to build an “Archive” of real-life stories. Right now, my ambition is to lead the charge in this new “Cinematic Country-Rock” space.
I just shattered the 50,000 stream landmark on Spotify and hit 100,000 streams combined with all streaming services. The ambition is to keep that momentum rolling into my new 5-song EP, ‘Knowing the Risk,’ which drops on June 12th.
Whats your favourite social media platform to use and why?
TikTok and YouTube have been huge for me. I love TikTok because I get to see people use my music as the soundtrack to their own stories.
There’s nothing better than seeing someone take a song like “Letting Go of You” and use it to process their own life. It makes the “Empty Highway” feel a lot less lonely.
We believe its essential to have a presence on Facebook, Instagram and X to introduce yourself to all the different types of audiences out there, what’s your thoughts on that?
I completely agree. Each platform is a different room in the Archive. You have to meet people where they are, and every audience connects with a story in a different way.
You use AI in your songs to bring these handwritten songs out. Can you talk more about how you use AI?
I view AI as a 21st-century instrument. I use it as my “session band” and a visual engine for my music videos.
As an independent artist without a massive budget, AI allows me to achieve a cinematic, stadium-level scale while keeping my songwriting 100% human and honest. I used to be hesitant to talk about it, but now I’m proud of the innovation. The numbers show that the audience resonates with the emotion of the story, regardless of the tools used to build the atmosphere.
Whats the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?
I’ve learned that taking the risk is the only way to avoid failure. I was afraid to pivot into Country-Rock because I didn’t want to lose my Alt-Rock fans. But I realized that if I’m not being honest about my roots, I’m failing the project anyway.
Authenticity is the only thing that actually scales.
What’s currently in your ears and on rotation at the moment?
I’m currently diving deep into artists who can rock while keeping that country soul. Chris Daughtry and Brantley Gilbert are always in the rotation.
I’m also heavily influenced by the raw storytelling of guys like Zach Bryan. It’s all about that mixture of power and narrative.
Life in the studio can be intense—any memorable moments from the building of the new EP?
The most memorable moments are always those quiet hours between 5 PM and 9 PM, right after I the day is almost done. There’s a specific kind of mental “switch” that happens when you go all day and then have time to unwind some. Tracking the vocals for “Headlights in the Drive” during one of those sessions felt like a homecoming.
The “Empty Highway” is a recurring theme for you—what does that road represent to the project?
The Empty Highway is the space between where you’ve been and where you’re going. It’s the place where we do our best thinking and our deepest grieving. Most of my songs are designed to be played on those long, late-night drives when you’re the only car on the road.
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
My new single “Headlights in the Drive” drops May 12th. It’s the official start of “The Pivot.”
It captures that feeling of trying to have a good time on a Friday night while still keeping one eye on the road, wishing for that certain person to pull into the drive.
What was the recording process like?
It was a process of “discipline in restraint.” I wanted the production to feel massive but the vocal to stay grounded and gritty.
Is this the new sound for Eye of TJ?
For now, but I have started writing for my full second album, due out next year. I can’t say to much, but I can say that it will be back in the alt rock category.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the world?
Just a huge thank you to everyone who has joined this empty highway. “Headlights in the Drive” is yours on May 12th, and the ‘Knowing the Risk’ EP arrives June 12th. The highway is open, and there’s plenty of room for everyone.
FOLLOW HIM HERE
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