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[0:00] Kevin Ferguson: Good evening, everyone. Welcome to the fabulous Feinstein's/54 Below. Before we get started this evening, just a polite reminder please take this moment to silence your cell phones and also there's no flash photography, please. Welcome to the Feinstein's/54 Below podcast. My name is Kevin Ferguson. I'm an assistant programming director here at the club, and I am your host for today's podcast. Our guest today is an award-winning songwriter. He is considered to be a Broadway pop crossover extraordinaire with his contemporary works. And on April 18th, he is coming to Feinstein's/54 Below with a whole crew of special guests for his show in the works with special guests. Everybody, please help me welcome our guest today, Mr. Joey Contreras.

[0:48] Joey Contreras: Hey. Hello. How are you doing today?

[0:53] Kevin Ferguson: I'm doing well. I have felt very productive this morning. Yes. Um I'm feeling good about that. I got to the gym. I filmed a TikTok. Like we are. Hello? I recorded something and got some music done already. So we're feeling good.

[1:09] Kevin Ferguson: Talk about productive. I mean, if I do a TikTok, that's my whole day. I get sore after doing one TikTok.

[1:14] Joey Contreras: Especially if it's one of them dancing ones.

[1:16] Kevin Ferguson: Were you dancing?

[1:17] Joey Contreras: No, I was just sliding into the frame and then doing a transition. You know, this was, I know, transitions. We're getting into advanced TikTok territory.

[1:25] Kevin Ferguson: That is advanced TikTok. Look at you. Songwriting Extraordinaire and TikTok Extraordinaire.

[1:33] Joey Contreras: She's trying. She's trying. She got multiple brands.

[1:36] Kevin Ferguson: Well, let's get into it. Let's talk about what we really came here to talk about. Not your TikTok brand, but your amazing songwriting skills and your show you're bringing to 54. Let's get right into it. Everybody, it's called Joey Contreras in the works with special guests.

[1:53] Joey Contreras: Okay. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yep. We are in the works and we are bringing a lot of people to show you those works.

[2:01] Kevin Ferguson: Yes. Um I feel like, you know, for people who, you know, don't know the songwriting process, maybe they don't know what in the works means. So maybe let's start there. What does the show title mean?

[2:14] Joey Contreras: Yeah. So, uh, I have done a lot of concerts in the city over the last 10 plus years. Um, and I've been at 54 a lot as a guest myself, you know, dropping in, playing a song or two and everything. But this is actually the first time that I am doing a full Joey Contreras show at 54 Below.

[2:38] Kevin Ferguson: Oh.

[2:38] Joey Contreras: And I'm super excited about that. And, um, and another thing that I've always done in my concerts is I've always kind of lived in a musical theater pop world. Um, and for a good four or five years, I was kind of just doing a lot of like my pop stuff, playing downtown, living that life, and not really necessarily doing like a musical theater concert. Um, and this time around, I have so many shows that I don't think people know that I've been working on and writing, especially over the last couple of years that are in a really great and exciting place. And so I wanted to, uh, kind of use this concert as an opportunity for everybody to see, you know, not only me as a kind of musical theater pop songwriter that they might know me as, but also as someone who's also really writing full shows.

[3:27] Kevin Ferguson: And um, and so these are our, uh, the evening's going to be me, uh, showing you, giving you a little tease, a little sampling of three shows that are in the works.

[3:39] Joey Contreras: Yes, three.

[3:41] Kevin Ferguson: Come on, Joey. Three shows in the works.

[3:44] Joey Contreras: Come on. I can't even keep up with one plot in my life, let alone three separate stories.

[3:51] Kevin Ferguson: That is so brilliant. It's not enough to do one these days. You gotta keep on throwing everything to the wall. Especially in Beyoncé's world, you gotta be able to do everything, okay?

[4:00] Joey Contreras: Yeah. But going back, talking about pop music, where was that influence? Because you said you're like a Broadway pop crossover extraordinaire. Uh, where did that pop influence start?

[4:14] Joey Contreras: Honestly, it started right from the beginning. My mom and my dad were in cover bands. Um, and they kept on going even when they were pregnant with me. So my mom was singing Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson, um, and, uh, while she was pregnant, and I was hearing that. And so I kind of just was like, instead of going, I wasn't like raised in the church or anything. I was raised in Mariah Carey and Janet and Michael and Madonna, um, in the car.

[4:47] Kevin Ferguson: Yeah, all right.

[4:48] Joey Contreras: And so, um, yes, there was a lot of that. And then I also was doing a lot of community theater. So it was like also doing Music Man and doing Fiddler on the Roof and that. So that's kind of where my musical vocabulary began. Uh, and then I'm also a TRL kid, you know. I'm from the, I would say when I was born. Listen, millennial, it sounds millennial.

[5:10] Kevin Ferguson: It sounds millennial-esque.

[5:10] Joey Contreras: It sounds like, yeah, it gives in the kids, it plays in the millennial pool.

[5:17] Kevin Ferguson: Um, I'm there with you. I'm there with you. It's all good. And yeah, so like 2000s, bubblegum pop, Britney is my queen. It's like that kind of, that kind of absolutely.

[5:27] Kevin Ferguson: So now is Britney your queen? Because I was gonna ask next, who's your pop diva? Is it Britney, you think or—

[5:31] Joey Contreras: Yes. It it's not, it's no question. It is Britney, and it has been, uh, quite a journey in the last couple of years.

[5:42] Kevin Ferguson: Quite for the Britney fandom and I know you're proud.

[5:47] Joey Contreras: Listen, we—

[5:49] Kevin Ferguson: Oh.

[5:49] Joey Contreras: Yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah, I am so proud. And I've, I've been the—Oh yeah, and believe me, my friends have heard TED talks I've given about the conservatorship for the last thirteen years. I literally will hijack a party to talk about Britney.

[6:02] Kevin Ferguson: Yes.

[6:03] Joey Contreras: All right. Listen, we're multifaceted, okay? Uh, Britney Spears enthusiast, songwriter, TikTok extraordinaire. You know what I mean?

[6:11] Kevin Ferguson: Oh my gosh. We're gonna add that to your business card.

[6:16] Joey Contreras: But I love that. I love that Britney's your pop influence. You know, but Broadway, let's do, uh, opposite. Who's your Broadway diva icon or, you know, idols that you admire in the Broadway world? They can be songwriters as well.

[6:28] Joey Contreras: Yeah, I mean, I, uh, as far as like songwriting goes, uh, people that blew my mind when I was, 'cause I went to college, uh, went to a BFA musical theater program for college. I was, you know, trained as an actor, and so, um, when I was in college, Jason Robert Brown was really huge, and, uh, that was a big, um, I don't know, it just really opened it, it blew my mind when I was hearing his music. Because I just, it was, it seemed like the kind of music that I was already sort of dabbling in, which was taking a lot of like really rhythmic and syncopated and, and kind of, you know, just, uh, to in my opinion, super catchy stuff, but layering it with such conversational storytelling. And so I just, I've been a big Jason Robert Brown fan forever. And then, you know, uh, Sondheim of course.

[7:25] Kevin Ferguson: Of course.

[7:26] Joey Contreras: Oh, just Sondheim, you know. He's done a couple of things.

[7:30] Kevin Ferguson: He's done a couple of things.

[7:32] Joey Contreras: But it is funny. It's like, you know, a lot of my songwriting influence. Um, oh, my light just went off. Did you see that?

[7:38] Kevin Ferguson: Oh yeah, little lighting shift.

[7:38] Joey Contreras: They didn't see it though. Well, they didn't see it just for the listeners at home. Um, I had some glam light, the glam light is not in the building anymore. Um, but yeah, for songwriting, you know, it's always been, uh, Jason Robert Brown and then, um, Max Martin who has written all of the music for, you know, the icons, the pop icons, Britney and Kelly Clarkson and NSYNC and all of that and continues to do so. I mean, has worked with Taylor Swift and, you know, his music now is being used for the Anne Juliet show that's happening on the West End and Sara Bareilles. Sara Bareilles is always, I've, I've been a huge fan of hers.

[8:14] Joey Contreras: As far as like, I'm gonna like, I'm blanking on Divas though. Like who's my musical theater queen? Um, I know I asked you too fast. It's one of those, it's like some, I, I love Patti.

[8:25] Kevin Ferguson: Of course you can't go wrong.

[8:26] Joey Contreras: You cannot go wrong with Patti LuPone.

[8:29] Kevin Ferguson: Patti LuPone.

[8:30] Joey Contreras: Yeah, not Patti LaBelle. Where are my background singers?

[8:37] Kevin Ferguson: My background singers.

[8:39] Joey Contreras: Yeah, so, uh, Patti LuPone and Laura Benanti was a huge one. There's, there's so many. I mean, I would love to work with Audra too.

[8:49] Kevin Ferguson: Yeah. Well, that was gonna be my next question. Is like, do you find yourself writing for your idols? Like, who are you most inspired to work with? Are you, you wanna, you know, put on the new unknown names, or are there like some idols that you would love to hear their voice on certain tracks of yours? How do you feel about that?

[9:09] Joey Contreras: I mean, there, the funny thing is that there's so many incredible, um, musical theater performers that I'm inspired by, but I haven't necessarily written music that fit their vocal type. Um, it kind of depends. I mean, there's definitely, I, uh, that's a kind of a broad statement to make, but, um, so much of my music is very, uh, contemporary and, and pretty belty and, and three octave ranges, you need to kind of be an alien voice. It's like I always say Kelly Clarkson ruined me because like I write for like a Kelly Clarkson voice, where it's like, you know, you start, you start pretty low, and then you're up the octave for the course, and then you go even higher in the bridge, and then you're back in the basement, and it's just like no mix, all belt, like strong.

[9:50] Kevin Ferguson: But Joey, I have seen your clips on YouTube with the singers that you have chosen and the sounds that you have them create, Joey, it's beautiful. You're doing it. I don't know how else to tell you you're doing it. You gotta show at 54 Below. You got three stories already in your head, but I am a fan of the work for sure, and the pop influence is definitely recognized, and it's kind of like refreshing in this Broadway world to hear, you know, something a little bit more contemporary and more pop-like. You know, I feel like Broadway's going that direction sometimes. Uh, with these three stories that you have, you know, pieces for one is In Pieces.

[10:31] Joey Contreras: Yeah. Can we talk about the difference between all three of them and the names? Because we got In Pieces, uh, Forget Me Not, and Heartbreakers in Hell. Can I, can we know anything about the plots?

[10:42] Joey Contreras: Absolutely, absolutely. If you're listening to this podcast, you're getting the tea. Oh yeah. I mean, honestly, another big thing about this concert for me was the variety and the diversity of these scores. People who might know my music might know a lot of the music from *In Pieces* already because I do have albums out, and a lot of the music from *In Pieces* took songs from my songbook. So there's a lot of familiar songs in that. But within *In Pieces*, there's a very contemporary musical theater pop voice to that one. It's about six people as they reflect back on love during their coming-of-age years in New York. It's sort of a memory play, so you kind of see them right at the beginning of where they are, and then they reflect back on all these turning points that brought them to where they are now, finding acceptance in the decisions they made in the past and the partners they chose.

You know, I think so many times it's bittersweet to reflect, but ultimately it's about finding the comfort to know that everything that made up this life was for a reason. So that's what *In Pieces* is about. And then *Forget Me Not*, the score of *Forget Me Not* is really lush and romantic and a little folky and a little mysterious, and it's a lot more sweeping than anything that people have heard from me before. My co-writer Kate Thomas and I began working on it a couple of years ago, and it's inspired by two things: the Long Island serial killer and the exploding whale that happened in Oregon. But it's really a meditation on identity and grief and white woman syndrome, missing white woman syndrome, and it's really an exciting piece that I'm looking forward to sharing with people because I don't think it's ready to be seen and experienced.

And then *Heartbreakers in Hell* is a modern-day adaptation of Dante's Inferno. Fierce! I'm working on that with my co-writer Benjamin Halstead, and this is more like a musical company meets a Lady Gaga concert. For anyone that knows Dante's Inferno, you know it's the different circles of hell, but it's reimagined as a dating landscape. Our protagonist Dante, as he goes through each circle of hell, experiences a new relationship and sees that sinner and explores that circle of sin, essentially. I think what's really exciting about that piece is that it examines who's the hero and who's the villain of each story. You know, I think we all have our times when we're the hero and our times when we're the villain in a relationship.

[13:45] Kevin Ferguson: Wow, Joey, oh, I am so excited! Those plots sound so different. Where do you—what kind of movies do you watch? What's your Netflix suggestions like? Because I would just love to know how you even come to ideas like a romance about Dante's Inferno and Dante's the hero. That is so brilliant.

[14:19] Joey Contreras: You're fierce. I mean, my friends and I have an ongoing joke that we love a good six percent on Rotten Tomatoes movie, so we will sometimes put way too much energy into seeing a really bad scary movie. I love scary movies, but I always watch them with like covering up my face with three fingers because I don't want to miss anything, but I'm also terrified. So I love scary movies. I love dark comedies, I love teen dramas. You know, *Euphoria* is like my jam. And oh yes, I don't know if anybody watches *Elite*, which is a good one.

[14:59] Kevin Ferguson: Oh yeah, *Elite* is really good.

[15:00] Joey Contreras: Yeah, I enjoy all of that. And then I'm also a big, you know, MCU boy. I love Spider-Man. So, you know, the imagination. I just love it. I think the stage is where we get to do everything and anything. So bringing the same story all the time is unnecessary. We get to tell stories on stage. So yeah, and one of the important things for me too is really telling queer storylines in a normalized way. I write love stories a lot of times, and a lot of those love stories tend to be with queer people. And that's because that's my story, and that's my journey. I think it's beautiful for the queer communities to see those storylines where the conflict isn't about coming out or anything that is about being gay as a problem. It's all about just connection with people, and that's complex enough, you know. And so I absorb a lot of queer stories, I read a lot of queer books, and it's important for me for that to always be a part of the shows that I write too.

[16:27] Kevin Ferguson: Yeah, yeah. I think that's so brilliant. I think we always have to stay current with what is important and what is closest to our heart, you know what I mean? They say, you know, write what you know. So, you know what I mean? You definitely gotta speak for the queer people. I feel the same kind of responsibility anytime I do art as well. I think it definitely sheds a light and it shows a younger generation inspiring stories. Speaking of younger generations, I know we have to pave the way for the next theater lovers. For the young kids, do you do any classes or do you teach or do you mentor anyone? How's that work for you?

[17:12] Joey Contreras: Yeah, I actually do a lot of songwriting mentorships and songwriting coaching for artists and songwriters who are looking to explore that as an outlet or as a career. I've done master classes at many universities. I love talking about music, and I love talking about it in a way that keeps songwriting in a safe space because sometimes it can be very vulnerable to share what you're working on. I love providing that safe space for sharing. I also work with a lot of young artists. A lot of my music tends to be sung a lot in high schools and colleges, so it's like they keep me young. Yeah, yes, yes. It's important for me to constantly connect with the younger generations of musical theater and be what I didn't have growing up.

Yes. I didn't—and I still honestly, I don't really have a lot of mentors, and I think mentors are important. Sometimes I wish that I had more mentors growing up, whether that be in the arts or something else, but yeah. Definitely, mentors can change and make a day brighter for a younger generation or someone who's just looking for a little guidance.

[18:46] Kevin Ferguson: Speaking of guidance, you really hit on a nice topic when you were talking about the vulnerability of showing new work. How did you get over that? Or do you still kind of struggle with sharing new work?

[18:58] Joey Contreras: I think I am more scared now sometimes. I was so fearless when I moved to the city. I came out of college and moved to New York, and then two months later was doing my first show, a full concert of material. Then two months later, I was recording my first album. Yeah. Reaching out to people, just doing blind asks. I think that is the way to do it. Honestly, I think being fearless is so important. As my career continued and more people were kind of listening and watching, I started getting a little more like, "Oh gosh, I don't want to say the wrong thing or play something that sucks or write something." You just start to—the inner critic, the self-saboteur definitely starts to come in, and you've got to daily silence that.

Because it's really counterproductive. Honestly, in a weird way, TikTok, going back to TikTok for a second, is sort of my new outlet of trying things out and trying to release ideas and have a no-judgment situation, you know. I think it can be vulnerable to share your stories, but I think we're also celebrating that a little bit more these days.

[20:31] Kevin Ferguson: Absolutely, absolutely. Everyone wants to hear everyone's stories, especially if it's like not the average straight white man kind of plot, you know what I mean? If it's a little something to it, it's really exciting these days, and we want more of that.

[20:48] Joey Contreras: Yeah, and the process is cool. I think a lot of people are just really curious about the process, you know, like hearing things as they're being developed. Writing a show takes a long process, so for people to hear songs as they're kind of being created, and then, you know, who knows if it's gonna make the final frozen show that's frozen on Broadway or whatever, but it's just an exciting thing to bring people on that ride.

[21:14] Kevin Ferguson: Yes. Speaking of bringing people on, you hit on a nice topic of just simply asking everybody. You asked everybody you knew, and I'm sure some people said no, but some people said yes. How did you overcome that fear of asking for help? I know sometimes it's harder for people, or is it not hard for you?

[21:33] Joey Contreras: You're like I need help I know I know to reach out you know I would be lying if I said it's not hard yeah for me. I am still pretty shy when it comes to reaching out to people I my husband is working on that for me he's always encouraging me and uh and so yeah I do get I do get shy uh which is funny because I always tell people to not to not worry about it. But um yeah but it's also honestly what I keep on telling myself is that if they say nothing they don't if they don't respond um okay and if uh and if they say no it's the same it's the same outcome so what does it hurt to reach out you know um and and if you don't reach out they're not gonna they're not gonna say anything so you know it's it's uh when it's honestly just important to kind of you know just throw a lot of feelers out there reach out to people that you want to work with and and see what happens. Because if you don't make that action then nothing's gonna happen. So it is important to take action.

[22:44] Kevin Ferguson: Yeah definitely because I mean, but the people that you're working with on your special guests, I mean, this they're from Disney's Aladdin, the waitress, Bridges of Madison County. Somehow you have found a way to ask some really cool people to be on some projects with you.

[23:02] Joey Contreras: So you found the somewhere. You know what I mean? And what is fun is that like as you continue working with people, you build your family, you know. And so a lot of people that are that are um doing this concert with me are people that have been with me with these shows for years now. They're like family, um, they are trusted collaborators, and um and that's and yeah, like they're they're friends, they're people that I love working with, they're people that I respect, they're people I admire that inspire me, you know, and um, and so yeah, you do sort of you find you find the people that you like to work with.

[23:37] Kevin Ferguson: Now, out of the three, because you have three shows going on right now, is there one that you're most excited about? Are you allowed to say that? How do you feel?

[23:49] Joey Contreras: Oh goodness, that is I feel like I should just um spin a wheel and see what it lands on. Listen, I mean, I I find fascinating. I I I'm I'm so ready for the world to experience all three of them in in their fully realized way. I think all three of them are are really exciting and cool and are something that I think would be uh exciting to add to the to the musical theater uh canon.

[24:26] Kevin Ferguson: Yeah, yes, totally. Listen, we need more. I mean, it's time for new works, it's, you know, like we need some original ideas. I mean, what you got going on sounds so fierce and cool. Um, my question though is when you start the story, is it one song or is it the story for? Like, do you have the story idea or do you have the song and then you build the story around? You know what I mean?

[24:54] Joey Contreras: Yeah, uh it ca it can go a couple different ways. Uh with forget me not, you know, it's an original story that's inspired by things. Um, but it's an original story. So essentially you kind of have to write the full uh outline of the show first to see where you're going. And then you kind of find the moments that sing. And uh once you kind of find those those moments that sing, you explore that. Uh and so we we that we had, you know, we knew where the show was going um with forget me not. And uh and then, you know, it depends on if you're if you're you know, because I I am a songwriter, I'm a composer lyricist. I write I can write my music together like that, or if I'm working with a um a lyricist, which prefer forget me not, I'm working with a lyricist.

Um, you know, there is a lot of conversation and usually the lyricist will draft a little bit of of a of a some lyric first and then I'll set a little bit of it to music and see what we like and then um then kind of continue baking it together. So that's kind of the process.

[26:03] Kevin Ferguson: Yeah. My question is, how much of the shitty love story songs are inspired by real life moments? Or I guess the the beautiful love songs. How much of the love songs that you have written are, you know, percentage-wise inspired by your own?

[26:21] Joey Contreras: It is harder to write a like love song than it is. Joey's like, I can't tell you that. I mean, it's hard. It's hard to write a love song. It's easier to write a like a heartbreak song. Um, it just is. Uh, I have maybe like five happy love songs. Um, and uh yeah, but um I I've I yeah, all my all of in pieces are are inspired by my relationships. So if my exes are watching, they if you think this song is a but whatever however that song goes, you know. Yes, yes, done of a gun, yes, Carly Simon. But I but I you know what I love too is is I always tell my my students too, you have to begin listening to to conversations with new ears. So I'm constantly being like in my phone writing song concept ideas, lyric fragments, voice memoing.

Um, and I'll be having conversations with people and they will say something in, and I'll immediately be like, that's that is something I need to write down. So, you know, you you start listening with new ears um all the time when you're when you're a songwriter.

[27:32] Kevin Ferguson: Wow. Okay, so we've talked about inspiring future generations, you know, not being afraid to ask for help and ask your friends to join on certain projects. I mean, you have this show coming in 54 below. What do you want the audience to take away? Like, do you ever think about like how you want to move the audience? I feel like every time I go to the theater, I definitely leave feeling moved by that writer.

[27:56] Joey Contreras: Yes, I uh I I am always aware of what I want the audience to feel, what my intention is with what I'm putting out there. I think that's really important to be uh mindful of. I want the audience to first and foremost uh be moved and entertained. Yes, I I love catchy, emotional, melodic music. Yeah. I love storytelling in that in that kind of uh vocabulary of music. So uh that is what I'm going to be providing, and I hope that people are able to take that and uh enjoy and just enjoy the music and the stories, and then on top of that, get a little bit more of an insight uh to into me as a as a as a songwriter, as um uh artist, and also get to take away this opportunity to hear three new scores being performed uh that that are ready to go and ready to be um, like I said, fully realized and on stage.

So I'm hoping that this will kind of give it some momentum, some traction out there and kind of putting it out there in the universe. And I'm excited for uh for the audience to also be uh exposed to such an incredible group of performers. You know, it's a it's a big show. There's 16 performers that are coming in this in this show that I'm so lucky to work with, and everyone there is just so insanely talented. And so um, yeah, I'm I'm ready for the audience to just experience some really exciting new musical theater.

[29:46] Kevin Ferguson: Yes. I mean, this is exciting stuff, y'all. Like when new musical theater writers present their works at these venues like the fabulous Fine Sight City Four Below, this is the beginning of what could lead to a much bigger stage on Broadway. So these are always very inspiring, really fun stories and shows to come and catch at 54 Below. So y'all are not gonna want to miss this out. Like this, he has three shows. You know what I mean? And y'all can follow these stories and just see how they grow, or the title might change into something else, or it's just I I find this part very exciting. And Joey, I will definitely be following you. And y'all all listening should be following Joey because he has a lot of fierce stuff coming. Joey, tell them where they can follow you, where they can find you online.

[30:33] Joey Contreras: Yes, find me on Instagram and TikTok at Joey Contreras, also on Twitter at Joey Contreras, and uh I'm also on Spotify and Apple Music and anywhere that you want to stream music, just search my name, Joey Contreras, it's there.

[30:47] Kevin Ferguson: Boom. Wow, Joey. This has been quite the call. I appreciate you so much for taking the time, okay? Because I know time is important these days. You got your show coming up April 18th, y'all. Do not miss out. Joey, do you want to say anything special to all the people before you go? Any mantras you live by.

[31:11] Joey Contreras: Uh, I just want to say thank you for uh listening. Thank you to 54 for having me. Thank you to you for having this conversation with me. And uh I look forward to seeing everybody hopefully on April 18th, 9 30 p.m. And uh yeah, just be kind to yourself and be kind to people.

[31:30] Kevin Ferguson: Yes. All right. Well, y'all here. I'm your host, Kevin Ferguson, telling you to go support Joey and go see a show. And go stream his music. And go follow him online. All right, and go follow me too. Go follow 54 Below. Go get stuck on your phone. Do some TikToks. Thank you, everybody. See you later.

[31:53] Announcer: You've been listening to the Find Science 54 Below podcast, part of the Broadway Podcast Network. Subscribe and rate us on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.