I hope people see how much I love doing this. Music is, above all, so much fun for me”
This brilliant and multi-talented artist Simon De Wit of Music by Blanks is currently taking the online world by storm. The singer, songwriter, producer, and a few more surprising things we will discover, has built quite a promising resumé at such a young age. And it seemed like 2018 is finally his year, thanks to many of his creative works finally gaining that proper and much deserved attention. His sensational 80’s versions of Post Malone’s “Better Now” and Drake’s “In My Feelings” have earned him a massive online following of fans across the world who can’t get enough of him. From his humble beginnings, it was only a matter of time before Simon’s unique talents would start to flourish in the spotlight. Learn some interesting facts that may help you understand why Simon De Wit is built (and is our new bet) for stardom.
MNL Online News caught up with Simon and talked to him about music, future plans, Harry Potter, Charlie Puth, and of course, Drake.
Your In My Feelings 80s version is currently making a killing online. You must be over the moon by the reception.
Man, it’s insane! I never expected it to go off like this, but it is so cool to see that so many people like it! [Smiles.]
Watch his latest 80’s cover of Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey’s “In The Middle” here:
You also released a new song “What I Want”. What would you say it sounds like in your own words and can you talk a bit about the inspiration behind it?
I’d say it sounds like a lonely, sweet summer night. If you’d listen to just the music it could be nice, but the lyrics really convey a strong message in my opinion. The song is about missing a person in your life that grounds you, makes you feel safe, lets you be who you want to be. I’d like to keep things a bit mysterious, so I won’t talk about who I wrote this about… [Laughs.]
MY NEW SONG “WHAT I WANT” IS OUT NOW!
Spotify: https://t.co/9O1uIEljq5
iTunes: https://t.co/MZRQdfb1Iq pic.twitter.com/lbgGbzxEQv— Simon (@musicbyblanks) August 9, 2018
What kind of music did you hear the most when growing up? How does it differ from what you listen to now?
When I was young, I had no other way to find new music than my neighbor. So I went there once every few weeks and got USB’s full of weird music, and listened to that on repeat. When I got older, I just listened to everything! Pop, rock, hip-hop, EDM, I liked it all! Actually, I started with trying to produce EDM songs, but that’s a whole other story. Currently, I find myself listening to mostly pop and hip-hop.
Looking back on your career, are there two individuals who have impacted your life?
Yeah, definitely! So I have to start with LADBible, since they posted the video that catapulted me into international waters. And secondly, (this is way back) a Dutch YouTuber named Furtjuh was the first one who did a video collaboration with me which really helped my YouTube channel grow!
Share us five random facts about you that your new fans might be interested to learn about you.
- I’m a HUGE Harry Potter fan. And by huge I mean: I’m reading the series on repeat. [Laughs.] Not kidding, I think I’ve read the complete series more than 30 times.
- Besides making music and YouTube videos, I’m studying at the University in Groningen, The Netherlands. I’m currently finishing my master’s degree in Information Science!
- I like sports! I play tennis myself, and with a great group of friends, we train twice a week. [Smiles.]
- I write, record and produce everything I make myself. I’ve watched HOURS of YouTube tutorials and started playing around in Logic Pro. And at a certain point I was like: “Hey, this sounds pretty okay. Let’s put it out there!”
- I’m that friends that’s always happy. And I mean ALWAYS. I just don’t see why you would be mad or sad over something let it ruin your day. [Smiles.]
The key is to be present when you’re doing something…”
If you could collaborate with anyone right now who would you choose?
Ahhh, that’s a really tough question! [Laughs.] I have a top 3: Charlie Puth, Blackbear or Jeremy Zucker. I just love them and their music!
I feel that for a man whose passion is making music, you want to make a change for the better, but what is your ultimate direction for yourself?
I would love to be able to wake up every day and create music. If I could generate a living out of that, I would be very happy. Be creative, try out new things and have fun with others creating, that really speaks to me. [Smiles.]
In the long run: it would be amazing to start a company that can help people who are just starting out in the creative business (any creative business, not just music) finding their style, path and helping them become better and making a living doing what they love.
Be creative, try out new things and have fun with others creating, that really speaks to me”
What do you hope people take away from your music, videos and performances?
I really hope that people see how much I like doing this. Music is, above all, so much fun for me. I’d love to spent my evenings searching for that perfect sound or melody. I hope people see how much fun I have making my own music, see how I get super hyped making it, and realize that it’s okay to be hyped about what you make yourself. And besides that, it’s a great emotional outlet. If I’m feeling a strong emotion, it feels so good to put in into a song. It’s like I can save an emotion or feeling and relive it countless times.
Choose between money, power, love or fame, which one will you go for and why?
Definitely, love. [Smiles.] I don’t care about money, power or fame. I love my friends and family and I would definitely choose them.
What places or activities make you feel the most grounded in who you are today?
Eating with my friends or family. [Smiles.] I feel like sometimes I’m living in a bubble, where everything is about numbers, music, popularity, etc. When I’m with my friends, I can just have a good time, talk about anything, and kind of forget all the other stuff. And that is amazing.
What recommendations would you make for those of us who are trying to maintain a balance between work, family, writing performing, and personal time?
Prioritize! Know what you find most important, and schedule your week around that. Plan moments where you can work without being interrupted by anything or anyone, and plan moments where you can just be with friends or family. The key is to be present when you’re doing something, instead of being caught up in your thoughts. Once you have planned moments, you can let go and live in the moment. [Smiles.]
Is there anything else you would like to say or add?
Thanks for having me! I want to thank everyone for listening and checking my stuff, and I hope I get to see you guys in person real soon! [Smiles.]
Let go and live in the moment”
Photos by Isabel van der Vlugt
