Feature: Anthony Quaid Decodes “Do I Scare You?”
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind "Do I Scare You?" and the story it tells?
Thanks so much for having me! Yes, the idea behind “Do I Scare You?” came to me while I was still living in the South, and was feeling a bit out of place there being gay. A lot times, I felt like I couldn’t really express myself without being harshly judged, and I struggled with accepting myself for my sexuality. I think the song ended up being kind of like therapy for me to write, and I see it now as a culmination of all the thoughts I never really got to share while growing up. Some of these thoughts I didn’t even know how to put into words at the time, so it’s also a reflection of how much I’ve grown internally over the years.
Was there any challenge that you encountered while making the track?
Most of the recording process went pretty smoothly, thanks to Max’s great skills as a producer and engineer! We did, however, encounter some challenges with the initial string parts. I composed an arrangement using MIDI at first, and we tried a bunch of different plugins to imitate the sound of real strings, but no matter what, we couldn’t quite get the right sound for them (particularly with the dramatic pitch bend leading into the first verse). Ultimately, we decided to just hire a string ensemble and record them playing each part live! We found an excellent group online from Ukraine, led by Oleh Mytrofanov, and their recordings fit the track perfectly. The live strings definitely elevated the whole production and captured the big, cinematic vibe I was imagining.
How did you work with the producer or engineers to bring your vision for "Do I Scare You?" to life?
After I came up with the initial idea for the song, I started creating a demo for it on my own in my DAW. Later on, after finishing writing the song and putting together the demo, I brought it to my producer in Los Angeles, Max Steger, and he expanded upon it a lot with his own production. We spent many hours in the studio together, bouncing ideas back and forth, tracking various instruments, and recording all the vocal parts. Max also mixed and mastered the song himself. It was a lot of fun, and in just a few sessions, we transformed the demo into the fully finished record you hear now! I’m also working with Max on a couple more songs for next year, so keep an eye out for some announcements coming soon. :)
Can you walk us through your creative process when writing and composing music?
Sure! I typically like to start my songwriting process with some kind of catchy phrase, or a melody that includes lyrics. This is my starting “hook” to build the rest of the song around (like, “tell me, do I scare you?”). Sometimes, I may just have a melody without lyrics, but I usually try to start with both. From there, the song’s melody almost always comes first for me. I love to write melodies that are fun to sing and easily memorable, then superimpose lyrics on top of them. I also love to write while playing the piano. Sometimes, if I get stuck while writing, I'll take a break for a day and come back to it when I'm refreshed, or just go for a long walk and listen to a lot of other music to cleanse my ear haha! Ultimately, my goal is always to create a catchy tune that strongly communicates the message or emotion I'm feeling.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced as a musician, and how did you overcome them?
I think one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced so far in my musical journey is also one I’ve faced in life in general, and that’s simply putting myself out there for others to get to know me and hear my voice. That includes sharing things on social media, performing live on stage, and even participating in interviews like this one today! Over time, I’ve come to learn that it’s okay to take up space, and each one of us has an equal right to be heard, no matter what your background is. Part of my music’s message is recognizing this right, and advocating for others to do the same while showing respect to everyone. I believe music has the power to open up people’s minds and hearts, and that’s why I’ll always keep making music, even when it pushes me outside my comfort zone.