PJ North Reminisces on the One That Got Away on “LA 2 Me”

Love is often a revolving door, and some relationships were never destined for longevity yet still stir up moments of reflection. On “LA 2 Me,” PJ North recalls those faded memories of the one that got away. Written from a place of experience, along with co-writers, Frank Legeay and Chris Ruediger, North says all lived through similar situations that helped shape the lyrics.

“‘LA 2 Me’ is a song about a girl who got away, not anyone in particular but just someone you had a relationship with, and it didn’t work out, and they left home,” says North. “We wanted something that made people think about someone that they hadn’t thought of in awhile,” says North. “We love the deeper meaning when writing songs like this.”

A follow up to North’s 2020 EP You Wouldn’t Get It, “LA 2 Me” was written and recorded during the pandemic. Prior to the quarantine, North was initially set to release a collection of singles but opted to release the tracks as the EP You Wouldn’t Get It and write newer songs throughout the year.

“It really worked out in my favor as I was able to write a ton during quarantine and get new songs for myself as well as songs that other artists cut and are releasing,” says North. “I tried to make the best out of a bad situation and I think we achieved that with ‘LA 2 Me’ being one of those songs.”

For North, who spends the other half of his time as a race car driver, sonically, “LA 2 Me” is an amalgamation of the music he loves. Always a fan of everything, and crossing multiple genres, North says it took some time to find the write partners in Nashville to help him reflect that in his music and eventually connected with his co-producers Legeay and Michael Mechling, in addition to a group of co-writers. Maneuvering through a backbone of R & B beats, “LA 2 Me” holds on to it’s country-pop root in the upbeat tale of love that was never meant to be.

“With ‘LA 2 Me,’ it’s really all that coming out,” shares North. “It’s got lyrics you wouldn’t necessarily hear in a country song mixed with songs you’d expect to hear in a country song, and it’s got a vibe sonically that meshes well with my more upbeat turn-it-up songs. It really just fits my personality well. I think it reflects my writing style perfectly.”

Citing racing as a huge driver in musical career, North, an Ohio native, first started hitting the tracks when when he was 10. As he moved deeper into his musical career and trying to expand his presence, it was a song about his other love—the race track—that did the trick. “I wrote a racing song that changed all of that,” says North. “I got as much notoriety as one can get for a song about drag racing, which was a life-changing experience. I got more sponsorships. I met my wife at a race track. I built up my fan base organically through something we all shared. I keep the two things pretty well intertwined, because they are such large pieces of my life.”

To this day, North says most people at the tracks have followed him since he was younger and throughout his career in Nashville. When North first moved to Nashville, around the release of his 2016 EP Part Time Cowboy, he says he still felt “green,” despite writing and recording for a decade or more.

“I ended up meeting Ryan Robinette who changed my life,” shares North. “He gave me my first Nashville cut as a songwriter. He taught me more about the art of writing a song than anyone had before. Now I approach the music way differently than I ever have. I get to write with a collection of different writers and artists. I get to work with two of my best friends producing the music… and I have more tools in the tool belt and that always helps.”

Now, North is trying to stay positive and hopes touring returns in 2021, but will continue to release more singles, videos, and another EP, in the meantime.

“I see 2021 as a big year for shows for me,” says North. “Performing live is my favorite thing and something I miss the most here in 2020. My band and I were really hitting our stride right before the pandemic, so I look forward to getting back to that as soon as they let us… I really am just getting started the way I look at it.”