“Tell Him About Me”
Written by Preston LeMacks, John Strandell, and Jessica LeMacks
Interview by American Songwriter
Preston LeMacks is the American Songwriter Spring Breakup Song Contest Promotion winner with his song “Tell Him About Me.” American Songwriter caught up with LeMacks and his co-writer, John Strandell to get the story behind the song.
How long have you been songwriting?
Preston LeMacks: Ever since I could listen to music, I’ve been obsessed with it. As embarrassing as it sounds now, I used to listen to the early Kids Bop CDs on repeat for hours as a kid. As I grew older, this obsession with music never really faded. I think that the first song that I can remember experiencing a deep connection with was Phillip Phillip’s “Gone Gone Gone.” I don’t know exactly what it was about this song, but it opened my eyes to how music could impact a person for the rest of their life.
I’ve been writing songs, for what feels like, my whole life, but I started to really take it seriously in 2020. I realized the power that music and songwriting had when I was going through a pretty dark time in my own life. It became my therapy, and that’s when I thought to myself, “why wouldn’t I want to share that gift with others?”. Since then, I have dedicated myself to growing in all aspects of music, from singing/songwriting to production. At the risk of sounding cheesy, music has become my whole life.
John Strandell: I’ve been writing professionally for about 9 years.
Why did you enter American Songwriter’s Spring Breakup Promotion?
PL: I really have a lot of respect for the recognition that American Songwriter gives to songwriters. For that reason, I’ve had my eye on American Songwriter for a while now. I released “Tell Him About Me” in the Spring because I felt like it had that sense of a carefree, spring break attitude to it so when I heard about this competition, I thought it was the perfect time to finally submit some of my work and just see what happens.
JS: I’m supporting Preston LeMacks as we wrote this song for his artist project. Very proud of him and excited for his music!
What was the inspiration behind your song, “Tell Him About Me”?
PL: This question immediately brings a smile to my face. When writing this song, I wanted to highlight the scenario of another person playing games with their ex’s emotions. The person claims to have moved on but still does everything they can to get their ex’s attention. What better way to write about a breakup then to talk about the games that sometimes follow.
Another inspiration behind it is that up until this point, I had only really written “sad-boy” breakup songs. While there’s nothing wrong with those, I wanted to release a more upbeat song. While the song is still not about the greatest of situations, you can scream it at the top of your lungs with the window down and still smile. I wanted people to be able to find freedom when they sang this song. Freedom from the breakup.
JS: Relationships are very complicated. What’s even more complicated is when you break up. Seeing the person you were once in a relationship with dating another person can trigger a flood of emotions. This song is about those triggers and the emotions that follow.
Who are your all-time favorite songwriters and why?
PL: Well, I have to first give credit to my number one inspiration for starting music: the goat himself, Ryan Tedder. Anyone who knows anything about music knows the unbelievable impact that Ryan Tedder has had on the music industry. He is not only a fantastic artist but also a talented songwriter and producer for other artists.
You can’t discuss great songwriters without also mentioning Julia Michaels. Not just because of the impressive multitude of artists she has worked with but because she is the essence of what it means to be a true songwriter. She is an influential songwriter because she has a way of writing her songs so that it makes you feel every emotion that she is feeling.
JS: Jon Bellion is my favorite songwriter & producer. His whole goal is to serve the artist and I have adopted that mindset.
Are you planning to release any new music this year?
PL: Absolutely! While I cannot officially give too much information at the moment, I have a project that is in the works, so make sure to follow me on MySpace. But for real, this is just the beginning. I move to Nashville in the fall, and you can rest assure that big things are coming!
JS: Not at the moment. I have several songs in the pipeline, but I’m more set on working with other artists at the moment.
What would you tell other artists who are considering entering the contest?
PL: Just do it! If you believe in your music, why wouldn’t you want to share it with the world?
JS: Write a 100 songs this year. Submit the best one and shoot your shot. At the end of the day – the goal should be that you’re growing as a songwriter and artist. If you win a competition from it, congratulations! The fact that you’re writing is the ultimate win, in my humble opinion.
Check out the winning song below:
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