Spencer Sutherland’s childhood antics aren’t too different from those of many others’: Performing variety shows with siblings, recording themselves singing their favorite songs.
But Pickerington native Sutherland is one of a decidedly smaller group who turned long-held passions for performing into careers. He has opened for national performers including Ariana Grande and Zendaya and has played shows across the country in such locales as Kansas, Texas, Illinois and Georgia.
Photos courtesy of Tyler Case
The 23-year-old says the experience has been incredible. Opening for larger acts has also given him inspiration for his own performances.
“I learn something different from every person that I watch,” he says.
Sutherland says his sound has evolved since he released his first single, the dance-pop tune “Heartstrings,” in 2013. Last year saw the release of his first EP, Unveiled, a set of acoustic tracks. He describes his newest single, “Bad Influence,” released Dec. 1, as moving in more of an R&B direction.
“It’s definitely a pop song,” he says.
Sutherland is also featured in a new song by Cincinnati-based pop/rap group Round2Crew called “California Time” and has played a handful of shows with them, including one at Rumba Café in Columbus in March.
The genres Sutherland gravitates toward as an adult have their roots in the music he listened to as a child. His parents frequently listened to classic pop music and old R&B, including Elvis and Marvin Gaye.
Sutherland’s interest in music stayed with him as he grew older. At Pickerington High School North, he was involved in choir, plays and musicals, and was even part of a quartet. At 18, he decided to teach himself guitar.
“I didn’t have a way to perform live,” he says.
Playing every day for hours, Sutherland spent a year studying the instrument before he began getting the hang of it. He did the same with piano, though he admits guitar is his stronger suit.
Sutherland wrote his first song around the same time, channeling the emotions surrounding a relationship with a girlfriend he had at the time. Part of the journey of being an artist, he says, is looking back to “see how much you evolved.”
During the last couple of years of high school, Sutherland began performing in restaurants around Pickerington and Columbus for $20 per show or a free meal. It was a demanding schedule, playing seven nights a week. On school days, he would wake up at 6 a.m., attend class, then stay for rehearsal for a musical. From there, he would go perform at a restaurant, getting home at 10 p.m.
Still, Sutherland enjoyed himself despite the hectic lifestyle.
“I was loving every second of it,” he says.
His first concert outside of Ohio was a show in Raleigh, N.C.
“It was so incredible to me that I was hours away from home playing music for people,” he says.
While he gets the usual nerves before a performance, Sutherland loosens up by joking around with his band and crew backstage.
“I’ve found that relaxing right before leads to a better show,” he says.
Sutherland had been traveling back and forth between Pickerington and Los Angeles to work with producers. Eight months ago, he took the plunge and moved out west for good.
“It’s a lot less crazy than I thought,” he says.
Working with a handful of producers, Sutherland has approached composing songs in a variety of ways. Sometimes, he adds lyrics to an existing track a producer has made. Other times, he goes in with his own acoustic guitar songs. His favorite approach is simply starting from scratch.
“There are no parameters,” he says.
And Sutherland is still practicing his guitar. Just recently, he was learning how to do guitar solos.
“I don’t think you can ever stop learning,” he says.
This past winter, Sutherland visited Pickerington students at Diley Elementary School during a trip home, performing songs and talking to kids. As a central Ohio native, he appreciates how lucky he is.
“It helps you keep a very humble attitude,” he says.
Sarah Sole is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
RELATED READS
