The Pittsburgh-based pop artist Rocky Paterra is a long time friend of ours and continues to show how music can shine a little light no matter where there is darkness. Since he's released an EP, album, and countless singles, Rocky Paterra has made a conceptual impact on the nation and has a special place in our hearts. Keeping true to his inspirational self, Rocky Paterra is back at it again with his brand new single "Gonna Feel So Good."
"Gonna Feel So Good" instantly opens up with feel-good energy and vibes. It has an underlining rhythm that has our bodies moving - it's a fantastic experience when you take in how Rocky Paterra's lush vocals beautifully dance with the drums and bass to bring forth something that helps us forget about all of our problems.
With lyrics like "It's gonna feel so good, to make it out alive," we felt a shimmer of hope that speaks deeply to everyone who has not been feeling themselves since many current events. But have no fear, Rocky Paterra is here to show us all that everything is going to turn out alright and not to give up.
We are loving how hopeful “Gonna Feel So Good” was to listen to, how has this tune helped relieve any mental stress you may have and bounce back to feeling good?
Thank you so much! I’m pleased that the song has a hopeful tone. I wanted to put out a track that you can pump up in your car or blast in the shower, something with a hook in the chorus that allows you to feel powerful if you’re singing along. There’s certainly no shortage of mental stress in the world right now, myself included, and so it was important that the sound and the lyrics give off an optimistic vibe, with a feeling of there being light at the end of the tunnel.
We are loving the pop instrumentation you have for this one, what was the whole inspiration behind the instrumental aspect of the song? Being created in quarantine, what kind of challenges did you face?
I really wanted to have this song live in the more electronic pop world for its instrumentation - the energy that can come from that kind of sound is exciting to me, and I tried to lean into it in a way that I haven’t before. One of the main features is the strong synth bass line, which I wanted to feel like a constant driving force of the song, like an electric pulse.
The challenge of creating this track in quarantine was daunting at first, but as I worked with my amazing producer Michael Wuerth, we found the virtual sessions to be very successful and fun! Michael produced my 2019 holiday pop album, Naughty List, so we’ve been working together closely for quite some time now which made me feel confident going into our quarantine virtual sessions. Our biggest challenge was just an occasional unstable WiFi connection!
Speaking of the inspiration, what led you to begin to write this one? Is there any specific event or feeling that made you want to write “Gonna Feel So Good”?
I started writing “Gonna Feel So Good” during the spring of this year. My partner and I were quarantined in our tiny one-bedroom apartment in New York City, which was a very scary place to be at that time because Covid-19 was surging there.
That period of time created very strong feelings of hopelessness, and every day not leaving the apartment just led to more and more frustration and fear. There were few moments when I could get into a positive mental state and look towards the future with hope, and writing this song was therapeutic because it was the product of one of those fleeting feelings of hopefulness.
Ever since your first release “Thoughts from the A Train”, how do you feel you have grown as a songwriter and as an artist? Where do you see yourself going in future releases?
In the three years since my first release, I have learned so much about songwriting and the process of recording and collaborating! I have improved at crafting my demos to be a reflection of the final product that I’m seeking, and I am able to better communicate with musicians and producers to articulate my vision. I no longer go into sessions with fear - I go into them with excitement!
The production side of music is a language in and of itself, and working so closely with my producer Michael Wuerth on the holiday album and a few subsequent singles has allowed me the opportunity to better speak that language.
My ultimate dream as a songwriter is to be able to write for other artists. I really do find that with a lot of the music I write, I don’t necessarily see myself being the artist singing it. And I’m so inspired by the vastness of talent in New York City that I wish I could spend all day every day just sitting in a room writing music with all of these incredible voices in mind.
What has been keeping you inspired throughout 2020?
I am inspired by our health care professionals, like my good friend Emily. I am inspired by teachers, like my good friend Molly. I’m inspired by wearing masks to protect our fellow Americans who might be at risk. I’m inspired by the ways in which people around the country are standing up for social justice and necessary reform. I also want to emphasize that mental health is beyond essential at this time, and I think there can be a lot of intrusive pressure put onto people to feel like they need to be handling this year in a certain way. It’s okay to lean into your emotions right now, whatever they may be. That’s certainly where this new song came from. Checking in with yourself and your loved ones is so important, so I am inspired by the ways in which I have observed people coming together to show each other love. I think that’s a beautiful thing.