Differing from the “predictable” indie-pop music which he explained that he made in his earlier works, Jack Warren ’22 released his new single “Blank Slate” with a more instrumental style. In his piece about moving on from Andover, Warren captures a new sound with more diverse instrumentation, creating a new sound.
Warren’s new single builds upon a song written during his freshman year, but adds a new flare. He voiced a readiness for new experiences in his life; this song serves as a new experience in music.
“There’s a lot of different instruments that normally don’t go together in this arrangement, but I think in the context of “Blank Slate,” I think they go really cohesively. There’s an EDM kick, Latin percussion sample, some synth pianos, bells, and obviously guitar, bass, drums,” said Warren.
In his song, Warren uses the contrast between, being asleep and awake alongside feeling trapped, and free as inspiration. With graduation in sight, Warren reflected on his time at Andover, paired with an eagerness to move on to the next chapter of his life, in part through the new single.
“One thing that I guess is kind of apparent in the lyrics is that I use the idea of sleep and being tired as a metaphor for being trapped and freedom. Awake is meant to represent freedom, and being tired or asleep is meant to represent feeling trapped and caged. In the chorus, it really represents that I’ve been half asleep for so long, I can barely even speak, but we keep on going because eventually we’ll get out and never be afraid to dream, ” said Warren.
Warren feels as though his older music was “predictable”; he explained that he often stayed in his comfort zone during the writing process. However, while writing “Blank Slate,” Warren felt more confident to combine elements like Latin percussion and synth piano. Josh Espinoza ’25, who met Warren in Music Production Club, commented on how Warren’s music developed over the years.
“I love the way it sounds, I love the vibe. I feel like it’s something that could go really far if it just gains enough traction. His signature could be the style he’s developed so far, and looking back through all the songs, it really shows how he’s developed over time as an artist,” said Espinoza.
As described in his song, Warren is ready for the next chapter of his music career; in the fall, Warren will attend music school in Miami, where he hopes to collaborate with other artists. In addition, he plans to continue his solo project, HeadRush, after high school.
“I’m going to be in Miami, I’m just gonna keep pushing ‘HeadRush,’ keep producing, when I get to college. I’m going to music school, so it couldn’t be a better place to collaborate with as many people as possible. Miami is a great place to gig in, so I’m gonna keep doing my thing,” said Warren.
