The hitmaker behind Kendrick and Carpenter unveils the music that defines his life and studio ethos in a new interview.
In a deeply personal interview with Music Business Worldwide (MBW), Jack Antonoff, the Grammy-winning architect behind recent smashes for Kendrick Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter, has mapped the sonic journey that defines his celebrated career.
The interview offered a rare glimpse into the influences that forged Antonoff’s unique production philosophy, moving beyond the hits of today to the foundational tracks of his past.
Speaking from a studio in Portugal, Antonoff traced his artistic DNA from The Beatles’ ‘Happiness Is A Warm Gun,’ his first memory of being mesmerised by production, to the political punk rock opera of NOFX’s ‘The Decline,’ which cemented his respect for the intelligent listener.
He revealed how Air’s ‘La Femme D’Argent’ provided a lesson in emotional restraint during a period of profound grief following his sister’s death, teaching him that a single tambourine could “move mountains.”
Throughout the discussion, Antonoff returned to core themes of authenticity, vigorously dismissing AI’s role in art and the industry’s growing “marketing obsession.”
He pointed to figures like Fiona Apple and Tom Waits as inspirations, artists whose work proves that the core of music lies not in visibility, but in the undeniable power of the song itself.
