July 21, 2017
Ryan Tedder's contact list is arguably among the most impressive in the music industry. The members of U2, Maroon 5, Beyonce, Adele and Ariana Grande are all just a call away. The OneRepublic frontman has produced each of those superstar recording artists.
"I've been so fortunate," Tedder said while calling from Los Angeles. "I've had some incredible experience with some amazingly talented musicians."
The in-demand producer focused on his own band in 2016 and produced "Oh My My."
"It's so different than producing somebody else since I don't feel any pressure," Tedder said.
"When it's another artist, it's not my story, so it's not uber personal. When I produce somebody else, it's like a game with me. It's different when I go for goosebumps in songs with my own band."
Tedder, 38, is adept at creating ear candy for other recording artists as well as his own band. OneRepublic's last album, 2013's "Native" yielded six hit singles.
"It was a challenge making this follow-up," Tedder said. "'Native' did so well."
Tedder and his bandmates, which also includes multi-instrumentalists Zach Filkins and Drew Brown, bassist Brent Kutzle and drummer Eddie Fisher, were up to the challenge.
“Kids,” the infectious single from OneRepublic’s latest “Oh My My,” is arguably the catchiest song Tedder has written to date.
“I try to write songs that can catch fire,” Tedder said. “When I wrote 'Kids' I thought back to my days in my 20s when I was backpacking through Europe. But it's a song about moving forward. To me, there is nothing sadder than someone who says, 'I wish I was 20 again.'"
OneRepublic will showcase “Oh My My” Saturday, July 22 at the BB&T Pavilion.
“One of the great things about being back with the band is going on tour," Tedder said. " The most fun I have is when I get in front of an audience.”
Expect a healthy dose of "Oh My My" as well as such hits as "If I Lose Myself," "Counting Stars" and "Apologize" when OneRepublic hits the stage. Tedder and his band will occasionally deliver covers of artists he has produced such as Beyonce and Adele. OneRepublic enjoys rendering a version of the latter's smash "Rumor Has It," which was co-written by Tedder.
I had been working as a producer for 10 years and that never happened before and I told Adele, 'there’s nothing like nailing a great pop song.'”
"I can't tell you how much I admire Adele," Tedder said. "When I was working with Adele in 2010, I told some people about her and they didn’t know who she was since ‘21' wasn’t out yet. Can you believe that? The amazing thing is that she knocked out the song in 10 minutes. She was pitch perfect. She hit every note.
"I had been working as a producer for 10 years and that never happened before and I told Adele, 'there’s nothing like nailing a great pop song.'”
OneRepublic has nailed a few in their time.
“We have plenty to be proud of but we’re building on what we’re doing one album at a time,” Tedder said.
“I want to be around for a long time doing this. I’m lucky since I get to create with my band and I have time for other projects. It’s a great situation to be in.”
OneRepublic appears Saturday, July 22 at the BB&T Pavilion, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden. Fitz & the Tantrums and James Arthur will open. Tickets are $18.75, $35, $84.50 and $145. Show time is 7 p.m.
For more information, call 856-365-1300 or click here.
