Johnny Marnell is, by day, a computer programmer, and, by night, a talented up and coming singer/songwriter. He is well-known for his role as a contestant on Bravo’s Platinum Hit, and his smooth, pop-folk singing style draws crowds at frequent New York performances. TheCelebrityCafe.com recently sat down to talk with Johnny about Platinum Hit, and what’s next for his music career.
TCC: What is it like to be a contestant on Platinum Hit?
Johnny: It was an amazing experience; it was all emotions at once: stress, elation, fun, fear, literally everything. First thing, they take your cell phone and your computer away. You are off the grid; all you know is the people you are competing with and the next challenge. The contestants are your enemy in a way, but living together you bond quickly-at least for me. …there are parts of [being on the show] that you can never really prepare for, like the really early mornings and really late nights; it was almost like boot camp!
TCC: What for you was the most challenging or difficult part of being on the show?
Johnny: I guess it was a blessing and a curse at the same time. The hardest part was creating on demand and always having to be “on.” It was basically do great, or go home, and it’s not like that in real life. It was also the cool part, because our days were filled with music…this is all you were doing; it was kind of like, “holy sh*t, I just wrote that song in four hours.” Another hard part was, in real life when you co-write, you are on the same team, but [on Platinum Hit] you have to be conscious of the fact that your teammate is also your opponent.
TCC: How much of the interpersonal relationships on the show are exaggerated and how much is the truth?
Johnny: The nature of reality TV is that everything is exaggerated . Every scene you see on TV-there’s a great chance that it is not true to life. It’s incredible how crazy the editing really is; we said everything we said, but the context is priceless….I’m okay with how I came off, even though there were a few “Johnny-is-freaking-out moments”, most of the time it was because of something small or completely unrelated. As for [my relationship with Jes] I have gotten a lot of “is it staged” or “is it real” stuff, and I’m sick of that. I would never fake something for the sake of the show….what we were was real-as real as it could be under those circumstances-we liked each other, and we still do …a lot of times it looks like we were hamming it up for the camera, but people need to realize it’s not a documentary, it’s a reality TV show.
TCC: Which song that you wrote or co-wrote on the show are you most proud of?
Johnny: Hands down, episode three’s “Going Where I Need To Be.” It was a magical experience-it’s a bummer because one of the problems is it’s not a dress or a food dish we have to present-they have to show the whole song even though it takes up so much time. With the focus on drama and “showmance,” you miss out on much of what happens with the challenges. It’s hands-down one of the best songs I’ve ever written, and I think Brian and Scotty [my co-writers] agree. It was so much fun; we worked well together, and we built on each other until we got the song to be the best it could be. The three of us bonded and we still write songs together.
TCC: How do you go from being a computer programmer to a singer and a contestant on a songwriting competition show?
Johnny: I’m definitely a musician at heart, but I love computers-I’m a nerdy Math guy. It’s a day job, but it’s a good day job. Being a computer programmer is challenging, but after the everyday 9-5 gig, that’s when your real work begins. In terms of doing anything besides music-this is rewarding and it’s a good pay check, but my true love is music. I want to write songs and play my music for a living. None of us [on the show] care much about being rich or famous; we just want to pay the bills doing what we love. When I opened on the Ingrid Michaelson “Everybody” tour, it was incredible. There were all these people there that loved my music, and that was just amazing.
TCC: Who are your musical influences and who do you most admire in the music world?
Johnny: My biggest influence and favorite band is Steely Dan. My dad played their records a lot when I was growing up…I realized later on that they were really cool-also I like Fleetwood Mac, and I’m big into Michael Jackson. He was an incredible force and an amazing performer. As a songwriter, your job is to be influenced by what’s trendy, so I listen to a lot of Top 40. I’m not above any kind of music or any kind of band; you can learn something from anyone….especially The Beatles. You can learn everything about songwriting from listening to them.
TCC:What is your favorite genre of music to write for and listen to, and why?
Johnny: Well, there’s what I primarily do, which is definitely pop with some soul/funk, and folk…Growing up with Steely Dan, I really like the funk stuff, which I think makes me unique from someone like Jack Johnson, who people are always comparing me to….I really like writing straight-up pop-it’s a lot of fun to write….Muse is definitely one of my favorite bands to listen to; they’re such great musicians and they write all of their own stuff too.
TCC: What is the songwriting process like for you; what does it entail?
Johnny: Whoever I am writing with at the moment, lately it’s been Brian, Scotty and I, we usually start brainstorming and thinking about who we can write for. We think about what a certain artist sounds like now, and where they can go with your sound. Also, someone can come into the room with a certain concept and we can start from there, or we can start from absolutely nothing-make a rudimentary track, or just pick up an instrument and see what happens. With songwriters, we are generally great with coming up with the notes and chords, but it’s the lyrics that take the most time…I feel like I’ve really grown in that department. It’s definitely the hardest piece of the puzzle.
TCC:Your bio mentions that you come from a musical family. To what extent did they influence your love of music?
Johnny:It’s great that you should ask that because when you asked for my musical influences, I immediately thought of my family-they’re an even bigger influence than any band I can name. I have a big family, and I love it. A lot of my aunts and uncles sing and play instruments-my grandfather started it all when he was a bugle boy in the armed forces. My dad is a great guitarist….I am always around music; it’s in my DNA. I’m lucky that I come from such a big, loud, loving family and we’re always making music. They never pushed it on me though; I saw my dad playing guitar so I said, that’s what I want to do with my life. I started taking guitar lessons, and I got into songwriting when I was a little older…. We all grew up on the same street in Kingston, and every 4th of July, we have a parade down Pine Street, with everyone playing music, and Poppy playing his bugle.
TCC:What are you working on right now, individual songs, or writing for other artists?
JohnnyI’m actually doing both. I love song writing, and I would be very happy just doing that. I used to think I didn’t want anyone else to sing my song, but that’s silly; it’s a beautiful thing, even if you’re not singing the song. I’m also writing for myself. I’m working on a new album right now that will be coming out in the fall. I have an album out on Itunes right now called Solo…my next album will be full studio.
TCC:Are you performing anywhere this summer?
Johnny:I play in and around New York all the time. I am booking a show soon, but it’s not definite yet. I will be doing shows in New York and LA. I would definitely love to do a tour-now’s the time to do that because of the popularity of the show.
Check out Johnny’s website or listen to his latest singles here. Remember to watch Platinum Hit, which airs every Friday night at 8 pm EDT.