Your Backstage Pass with JT Hillier

Photos by Kiera Franks

Just some behind-the-scenes questions for the artist on the rise. Read more from our interview here.

Artist you would grab a drink with, dead or alive?
Coffee and cigarettes with Tom Waits. I would let him talk and I would listen. I would try to absorb all the cool things he said. Hopefully at a diner.

What’s the best compliment you’ve gotten about your music?
“You’re actually really good.” That’s the most consistent.

Favorite song on the Billboard Hot 100 right now?
Khalid, “Talk.” I think that’s a great single. I really like it.

Craziest thing that happened at a show?
Hobo took my dolly at the O Patio. Nothing was in it, he just wanted the dolly really bad. Then I got towed at Ugly Tuna the same night.

Job you’d be doing if you weren’t committed to gigging?
Probably working in multimedia in some form. Maybe an advertising agency or a publication.

Someone you want to collab with given the chance?
John Mayer. He’s my true hero in terms of his accessibility—how he’s able to write great songs and also be an amazing guitar player at the same time. That’s a difficult thing to do, and he’s been able to do it his whole career. He was probably my first hero.

Someone famous you’d want to hear your music and critique your work? To come up with somebody different, I’d say Dave Grohl because he’s nice. He’d give me good criticism, but he’s nice and I could handle everything he said. If I gave it to a hero and they said it sucked, it would devastate me.

You can listen to his newest album, Elevate, on Spotify now.