Sterling Fox

With a Facebook post from December 2014 boasting "I wrote and produced the #1 song on iTunes right now," Sterling Fox should be a familiar name. However, it's more likely that you've instead just heard songs for which he was the mastermind and his name was left behind. After coproducing and co-writing "Stereo Hearts" by Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine, Fox (born Brandon Lowry), coproduced Lana Del Rey's breakout hit "Video Game." From there, he quickly ascended, writing songs for Madonna, Charli XCX, Niia, Avicii, Benny Blanco, and more. Aside from ghost writing, though, Sterling Fox took on a life of his own last year, and here we are pleased to premiere his latest single, "Freak Caroline," out via the label that he founded, Silver Scream Records.

"‘Freak Caroline' is loosely based on people I've worked with or written for," the New York-based musician explains. "The lead character is a trustafarian who blows a lot of Adderall and hangs out at the SoHo House. She pretends to take meetings about a nebulous fashion line and posts selfies to prove to the world that she exists," he continues. "I think we all have a friend like her."





With lyrics like, "she soaks in champagne...the night is young and so are you...straight to high when she drop it low...slave to the night," what Fox says is true. We all know a Caroline, be it from afar or up close and personal. Although, rather than being vindictive, the underlying instrumentation and Fox's vocal tone seem to simply be stating the facts: these types of people exist and they always will.

"The song is a narrative and Caroline is neither a protagonist nor antagonist, just a tragic character," he says. "My solo project is a reaction to [pop stars'] narcissism, which is quite inspiring artistically because it's so ridiculous. I feel less depressed about what I do for a living if I can use the bad moments as artistic fodder for my own work."

When not producing his own work, Fox continues creating songs for others, but regardless of the endeavor his end goal is clear: "I don't want my music for a car commercial. I don't want to contribute to mindless consumerism. I want to tell stories and distract people from self-absorption for a few moments of their day." - Interview Magazine

The singer-songwriter hits the studio for a live rendition of the single he co-wrote.

After working with Adam Lambert on cuts from his upcoming third album The Original High (June 12), singer-songwriter Sterling Fox hit the studio to record a live rendition of the LP’s lead single “Ghost Town,” which he co-wrote with the American Idol alum.



In the clip, Fox performs a stripped-down version of the uptempo number that resembles the demo version of the track, toggling between singing and whistling as he strums a guitar. “I always think it's interesting to hear songwriters reinterpret their own songs to kind of see what the raw idea sounded like before it was recorded,” says Fox, who originally wrote the demo with writer Tobias Karlsson before working on Lambert’s version with Max Martin and Ali Payami. “I've been playing the song live for some time at little gigs around New York. I [shot] a video for my version of the song to just give people a different take on it.”

Adam Lambert Teases New Tracks From 'The Original High'

Fox initially wrote the track with Karlsson after he became inspired during a drive through the Mojave Desert outside of Las Vegas. "I stumbled upon this old ghost town near Needles, Nevada, and the song idea kind of popped up from that,” he explains. “Parts of the song were also inspired by disillusionment with Hollywood and the kind of fame factory approach to music that exists there.”

In addition to co-writing “Ghost Town,” Fox worked with Lambert on two additional cuts from The Original High, “Another Lonely Night” and “Evil in the Night.” Previously, he’s worked with artists including Madonna, Lana Del Rey, Adam Levine and Charli XCX. As a solo artist, he’s contributed vocals to records by Avicii and recently released singles “Freak Caroline” and “Holy.” - Billboard Magazine

Sterling Fox’s newest single “Freak Caroline” lays on the charm with sugary sweet vocals and funky, foot-tapping grooves blended with a hint of old-school allure and appeal. Fox comes armed with a vocal sound comparable to Mark Foster of Foster the People, spiked with groovier undertones and gentle crescendos that will have listeners swooning. By blending heavy rhythm and blues vibes and driving emotional vocals, Fox cultivates a classy cut of soul music.

While his ghostwriting portfolio includes work with artists such as Lana Del Rey, Adam Levine, Avicii, Madonna, the single “Freak Caroline” pinpoints the celebrity musicians Fox’s career once encircled. Fox told Interview Magazine that “Freak Caroline” is “loosely based on people I’ve worked with or written for” and is “a reaction to their narcissism” and the inability to have “anything real or meaningful to say about the world.”

The video for “Freak Caroline” is visually enticing and chock-full of vibrant colors, psychedelic shots and hypnotic movements. You can stream “Freak Caroline” on Fox’s Soundcloud. Check out both the video and the track above and buy it here. - Wild Honey Pie