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Interview With Nashville Singer Songwriter Davis Mallory

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Today we have a special guest with us. Nashville singer-songwriter & MTV’s The Real World cast member Davis Mallory. Davis Mallory is a SESAC Songwriter and a DJ who trained at Dubspot School of Electronic Music while working for Astralwerks Records home to David Guetta, Swedish House Mafia, and Eric Prydz which Davis references in the lines: “Christmas is here, why won’t it stay. I wish that we could put it on replay.” Davis’s sister Garland Mallory is red-headed and was born several days after Christmas which Davis mentions in the lines: “your hair a glistening Garland.” “His goal in writing “Box It Up” was to spread a message of keeping the holiday spirit and the love you have for friends and family alive all year round” 

Box it Up Lyrics

Christmas is here why won’t it stay?
I wish that we could put it on replay
We’re so busy yeah all the year long,
You better not blink cause it’ll be gone

The smell of pine the golden star
My angel lies inside my arms
Feeling that fire warming our skin
Here in this moment hope it don’t end

Don’t wanna box it up, put it up on a shelf somewhere
Don’t wanna wrap it up, put an end to the spirit in the air
Don’t wanna lose the touch or watch the magic disappear
I wish the lights stayed bright forever, all through the year

Your eyes a pair of ornaments
Your hair a glistening Garland
Leaning in for our 25th kiss
Love and euphoria, absolute bliss

Don’t wanna box it up, put it up on a shelf somewhere
Don’t wanna wrap it up, put an end to the spirit in the air
Don’t wanna lose the touch or watch the magic disappear
I wish the lights stayed bright forever, all through the year
I wish it last forever

My love you complete it
From season to season
There’s no rhyme or reason
To hide it and keep it
Away somewhere
Somewhere we’re not there

Don’t wanna box it up, put it up on a shelf somewhere
Don’t wanna wrap it up, put an end to the spirit in the air
Don’t wanna lose the touch or watch the magic disappear
I wish the lights stayed bright forever, all through the year
All through the year!

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I was lucky enough to be able to interview Davis Mallory. I came up with some questions that I wanted to ask. You’ll see my questions and all his answers below!

Have you always loved to sing?
My mom has videos of me singing as a little kid – and in fact when I did a TED Talk in 2013 on my aspiration to be a singer – I started this off showing footage from one of these childhood videos. I still constantly sing to myself – covering my favorite songs – or finally I’m at a place where I get my own songs stuck in my head.
I sang in my church choir throughout my childhood and some of my fellow members at the time consist of Kristian Stanfill (Dove-Award winning artist), Ryan Horne (whose music has been on The Walking Dead), and Sean McConnell (an artist now signed to Rounder Records who has penned songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts to name a few), so watching my fellow choir members flourish always inspired me and encouraged me to continue to follow my own dreams of pursuing a career as a singer.

Do you have any family members that are musicians?
Most every member on my Father’s side of the family can play an instrument. My father, brother & sister all play guitar very well. My grandfather plays multiple instruments including the banjo and the mandolin. My father’s brother John Mallory is a songwriter who had a publishing deal when he was my age and his songs were recorded by Sixpence None the Richer and Wynona Judd. My father’s sister’s husband Chaz Corzine is an artist manager who has managed Amy Grant, Joy Williams of The Civil Wars, Christian recording artist Michael. W. Smith and Jordin Sparks.

Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?

Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith were childhood role models – I really like their music and the positive messages. Both Amy & Michael’s Christmas albums are also the first Christmas album I remember listening to.

On the mainstream side – I really love Katy Perry who began her career as a Christian recording artist before going pop. I worked at a Christian CD store in high school and own her first album, I like the trajectory she has taken with her career and aspire for a similar one.

I am also inspired by Elvis Presley, Prince, Freddy Mercury from Queen, – I like Rock N Roll as well flamboyant performers since I am gay.
What else do you do beside play music?
I am a DJ, year round I DJ events ranging from corporate events, nightclubs, frat parties, and even weddings. I occasionally act, having taken part in several independent movies in Nashville. I occasionally will film and direct music videos for other artists. I’m working on one right now for Matt Giraud from American Idol on a song called “Faded” which I co-wrote with Matt.

My hobbies consist of working out, I have a himalayan cat named Xena that I love to spend time with. Sometimes I paint – my mother is an artist and an art teacher and I have her creative interest with painting. I began a series of folk art pieces last year www.davismallory.com/art (one or 2 of them may be NSFW). And my mother is selling her own handmade Christmas ornaments this year. http://gretchen-neal.myshopify.com/

I see you were on The Real World. What was it like being on the show?
I was on the Real World:Denver back in 2006. I enjoyed my time on that show – I made a lot of friends, traveled the world (Thailand, New Zealand, South Africa, Costa Rica). When the Real World was over I talked to the producer of the show and I asked him what should I do now that the show is over and he told me to do whatever it was I had always dreamed of doing. For me that was music and so I set out to pursue that ever since.

We celebrated our 10 year Reunion for the Real World:Denver this year and reunited in Denver at a Bowlero Lane.

I see you have a holiday single out called Box It Up. Does that song mean anything to you?

I wanted to write a song about keeping the holiday spirit alive after Christmas ends. I am a DJ (as I mentioned) and so I wrote the lyrics “Christmas is here why won’t it stay – I wish that we could put it on replay.” My sister is named Garland and she is born 3 days after Christmas and she has red hair, so I wanted to make a special mention of her in the song by writing the lines “your hair a glistening garland.” I wrote the song with Clayton Jones who is the lead singer for The Madison Letter. Clayton has a great voice and his version of Box it Up is also beautiful, Clayton is a piano player and we wrote Box It Up in 2 separate writing days to make sure we had it perfectly penned. It was a slow one to write but those are usually the best ones when you spend your time on them!

What is a typical day/week like for you?
I try to write at least 1 song a week here in Nashville where I live. Some weeks it’s more like 5 songs! I am a SESAC songwriter and I schedule my week out writing with other artists, songwriters and producers whom I have worked with in an ongoing basis as well as write with new people referred to me. I also spend time in my week recording songs which I have already written. So far in 2016 I have written 75 songs, last year I wrote 50 songs. I work out at the YMCA in Nashville – I like group fitness classes. I go to live shows – especially if it is one of my co-writers or friends performing. I perform around Nashville in songwriter rounds and full band shows!

What do you like most and least about your career?
I get excited about performing – there’s a thrill about being on a stage. I have a full band show next week on 12/6 at a great venue in Nashville called Family Wash – and I have been putting together an hour long set that includes 3 covers and 6 originals. I am going for an Elvis Presley style Christmas Rock N Roll show with a band consisting of 3 horns players, guitar, bass, drums, keys, and 3 female back up singers. I’m excited about this and love the rehearsals and preparation for the show. I also love dreaming up music video ideas, and writing songs and listening back to the work that I’ve made.

The music industry is hard to make money. My mom wanted me to be a Doctor. People don’t buy Mp3s anymore and I find myself spending a lot of money on producers to make songs, videographers to film the videos, and promotional costs once both are complete – but not making much incoming money from the sale of the final product, so that is a frustrating aspect of a musician’s career. But I have faith that everything will even out in the end.

Which artists are you currently listening to? And is there anyone of these that you’d like to collaborate with?

I recently discovered and became obsessed with Jon Bellion. I have listened to every song I could find online and watched every YouTube video about his creative process. I would love to work with him and have been applying his creative process into some of my recent songwriting sessions. Right now I have been listening to Missy Elliot’s entire library and tweeted about this last night and she liked it – I would love to work with her (Missy if you’re reading this hit me up haha)!

Being in Nashville I also listen to country music from time to time and have really enjoyed the recent projects by Maren Morris & Kasey Musgraves

What advice would you give to someone wanting to become a singer/songwriter?
Collaborate! Work with as many people as you can – the more you work with other people the more you learn from other people. You can cross promote with both of your audiences when you release the song. Don’t give up – the road to becoming “successful” as an artist is not overnight and can take years – but continuing to learn new things and keep going after it will pay off.

Can you tell us about any new projects or ideas you will be working on in the near future?
I have a few songs coming out in 2017 where I am the singer by 2 DJ Producers on Armada Records (John Dahlback & Landis). In 2017 I will be releasing several new music videos starting in January, most likely one each month leading into a debut EP. These first 4 songs are “Bull Frog” written with Grammy-winning songwriter Scot Sax, “Under Your Spell” produced by KELLR (pop music producer who has official remixes out by Usher & Wyclef Jean), “LOUD” written with pop artist Mitchel Rose (the remix of LOUD is coming out on Armada Records by Landis), and “Not That Far Away”

Is there anything you’d like to say or add that I didn’t mention?

I feel good about all the questions here – thank you very much!

I want to thank Davis Mallory for doing the interview with me and answering all of my questions! If you have any questions for him, leave them below. You never know, he may just answer them!

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Comments

  8. Rozilyn Cool says

    Wonderful article. Love to see what an individual adds to music, everyone is different and is inspired by so many things. Wonder to catch up to a Real World cast member as well, great to see him following his dream

    Reply

  38. Elizabeth O. says

    I am not familiar with him but I love his energy! I think it’s awesome that you got to interview such a talented young artist!

    Reply

  42. karlyn cruz says

    You had a wonderful interview with Davis Mallory. He is one of the great song writer singer at this generation.

    Reply

  43. Heather says

    Ah what a nice song. It’s neat to see how people do their job, like song writing and where they get their start or what makes them change careers.

    Reply

  44. uprunforlife says

    That is so cool. I like the song that you shared. I wish him good luck, the music industry can be tough at times but go for your dreams.

    Reply

  55. Lisa Rios says

    I have watched Davis Mallory in MTV and it is good to hear more from him & more about him. The Christmas song – Box it Up Lyrics is quiet amazing and his answers are very much interesting as well.

    Reply

  59. Alfonzowords says

    Se manifique! Was great reading and being introduced to Davis Mallory. He sounds like a dedicated and passionate songwriter. I love his answer to What advice would you give to someone wanting to become a singer/songwriter?
    Collaborate!
    That’s so profound and true, many artists I know are becoming arrogant and only want to go it alone so i’, glad he’s promoting working with others. coz when we help each we ALL win.

    Reply

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