Landon Barker sat down with Billboard News’ Tetris Kelly to talk about his track “Friends With Your Ex” and the fan reaction, working with girlfriend Charli D'Amelio, getting advice from his father Travis Barker, finding balance in his life and more!
Category
🎵
MusicTranscript
00:00 I'm gonna blow everybody's mind this next year.
00:02 I'm really, really excited to show everything that I have.
00:05 Hey, it's Landon Barker and this is Billboard News.
00:08 (upbeat music)
00:10 - Hey, it's Tetris with Billboard News
00:14 and I'm hanging out with Landon Barker.
00:16 ♪ I don't need to be a match ♪
00:17 ♪ I don't need a fuse ♪
00:18 ♪ Boom, painter baby you could be the new ♪
00:20 ♪ You got a toy or a car garage ♪
00:22 ♪ And you only got six cars ♪
00:24 ♪ But I know he's gonna kill me when he sees me with you ♪
00:27 - Let's talk about your debut single.
00:30 What was the inspiration about the song?
00:31 I feel like that title is real.
00:33 It's got some drama behind it.
00:34 (laughs)
00:35 Friends with your ex.
00:36 ♪ I was friends with your ex ♪
00:39 ♪ You were with him when we met ♪
00:42 - It's kind of about falling in love with somebody
00:44 you're not supposed to,
00:45 but still seeing things through and having a good outcome.
00:48 - This is your first debut single.
00:50 How was it to like kind of go from a personal experience
00:52 versus being like,
00:53 I don't want people in my business kind of a way?
00:55 - The story behind the song is I was in a session
00:57 and it was somebody that I work with often.
01:00 He was like, dude, I feel like you keep on writing songs
01:03 about the same thing.
01:04 Why don't we incorporate something
01:05 that's actually happening in your life?
01:08 Because I would always shoot to like a song
01:10 about heartbreak or a song about a girl
01:12 or a song about being sad or whatever it is.
01:14 Like just like very like repetitive topics.
01:17 He actually was like, let's dive in
01:18 and let's write something about your life right now.
01:21 And that's kind of how that came about.
01:23 ♪ I close my eyes and I see you ♪
01:26 ♪ There's so many who love you ♪
01:28 - And talking about mirroring your life,
01:30 your boo, Charlie, is in the music video.
01:32 So what's the reaction been like
01:34 to like the song and the music video
01:35 and you guys being together like that?
01:37 - It's honestly been pretty good.
01:38 I've been on like TikTok watching it.
01:41 There's like little clips going around.
01:42 People are like, what movie is this from?
01:44 So I'm like, damn.
01:46 So I'm excited about it.
01:48 - And she's doing music too.
01:48 Do you guys think you'll ever do music together?
01:51 - I don't know, honestly.
01:52 Maybe in the future.
01:53 - Well, it sounds like the fans online
01:54 would want to see you guys work together.
01:56 - Yeah.
01:57 - And how is it to start to carve your lane as an artist
01:58 and create your sound?
02:00 - Honestly, it's amazing.
02:02 And especially all the stuff that I have saved up
02:06 for everybody and like all the stuff in the vault.
02:09 - I love that you say all the stuff in the vault.
02:11 So you've been working at this a while.
02:13 - I'm glad I got this one out,
02:14 but I'm excited to share so much.
02:16 - And what's the creative process been like?
02:18 Like, is your dad involved?
02:19 I mean, obviously having a legendary rock icon as a father,
02:22 I'm sure he's got to give you some advice
02:23 on the music as well.
02:24 - I definitely shoot for his advice
02:26 whenever I can get it, you know?
02:28 And I trust it a lot and I admire his advice a lot.
02:32 - Has he worked on some of the tracks with you?
02:34 - Yeah, he co-produced "Friends of Your Ex."
02:36 ♪ You're a dream in my head ♪
02:39 ♪ Now I'm sleeping in your bed ♪
02:41 ♪ You'll be wishing I was dead ♪
02:44 - Do you feel like he's proud of this whole like transition
02:47 for you and music and being signed?
02:48 - Yeah, definitely.
02:50 Definitely.
02:51 I mean, I'd hope so.
02:52 - What's the dynamic like when you're being creative,
02:55 but also, you know, having fam,
02:57 like the dad dynamic is obviously different
02:59 than the creative dynamic.
03:00 So how do you kind of balance being creative
03:02 versus also being like, this is a family thing?
03:04 - If I was talking to somebody else
03:07 that was a part of my team and they didn't like the song,
03:09 they would let me down easy.
03:10 Like, I feel like he doesn't let me down easy.
03:12 It's good, I still appreciate it
03:14 because I love like authenticity
03:16 and I love the transparency
03:18 and he's always transparent with me and supportive.
03:20 So honestly, it works.
03:23 It works very well.
03:24 - What would your goals be moving forward?
03:26 Like, are you ready to drop the full album?
03:28 Are we gonna see a tour from you?
03:29 What's coming next for Landon?
03:31 - I don't know yet.
03:32 We'll have to see, but a lot, definitely a lot.
03:36 - And do you feel like you have pressure
03:38 or are you just taking it as it goes?
03:40 - I'm kind of taking it as it goes
03:42 'cause I might look back at this music five years from now
03:45 and hate what I did now.
03:46 You know what I mean?
03:47 So I'm not like putting too much pressure on myself
03:49 and I'm letting myself grow as a musician naturally,
03:52 just how anybody else would,
03:54 even though I have a lot of eyes on me.
03:56 - I mean, you do have a lot of eyes on you
03:58 and you've kind of lived a lot of your life
03:59 in front of a camera.
04:01 So what's that process like?
04:03 Even Charli, she's had reality shows, you,
04:05 and then Kourtney, obviously about to have a baby brother.
04:08 So what's that gonna be like in living out your music
04:12 and your personal life in front of cameras?
04:14 - I feel like it's all about balance, you know what I mean?
04:16 The times that I appreciate most
04:18 with my family and friends and loved ones
04:20 are most of the time the ones that are
04:23 when the camera's not around, you know?
04:25 So a little bit of balance of both.
04:27 And it's also awesome and such a cool opportunity
04:30 to be in front of cameras.
04:31 Really, yeah, just balance.
04:33 - Are you ready for big bro duties?
04:35 He's like, "I got enough on my plate."
04:38 - Yeah.
04:39 I feel like I'm not responsible enough for kids yet,
04:42 but they're for love and support.
04:44 - Listen, you need the loving and supporting family.
04:47 They don't always have to do the babysitting.
04:49 But what do you want people to know about you as an artist
04:51 before we get out of here?
04:52 What should people expect from Landon?
04:55 - I'm gonna blow everybody's mind this next year.
04:57 I'm really, really excited to show everything that I have.
05:01 - Well, we're excited to see your journey,
05:03 and thanks for starting it here at Billboard.
05:05 - Thank you.
05:05 (upbeat music)
05:08 (upbeat music)