Jack Antonoff says songwriting helps him confront grief and personal loss
Jack Antonoff says Bleachers gives him a way to write candidly about grief, relationships and his own life, while his work as a producer lets him help shape other artists’ records. He argues that both sides of his career matter equally, and that personal songwriting helps him face difficult experiences in public.
His latest album, *Everyone for Ten Minutes*, looks back at his teenage years touring with an emo band and the death of his younger sister, who died from a brain tumour aged 13. Antonoff first became widely known as a guitarist in Fun, then built Bleachers and a major production career, working on 11 Taylor Swift albums as well as records by artists including Kendrick Lamar, Lorde and Lana Del Rey. The interview also discusses survivor’s guilt, his marriage ending and his commitment to continuing to write about it.
In short
- Antonoff sees Bleachers and producing as equally important parts of his work.
- His latest album revisits teenage touring and family grief.
- He says he will keep writing about the end of his marriage.
Explained simply
Jack Antonoff is an American musician who first became widely known as a guitarist in the band Fun. He later formed Bleachers, where he writes and performs his own songs, and became a record producer, helping other artists shape their music.
His work draws on experiences including his younger sister’s death from a brain tumour when she was 13, and changes in his relationships. He has also produced many records for other musicians, including Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Lorde and Lana Del Rey. The two parts of his career show how he writes about his own life while also contributing to other artists’ work.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “‘I’d rather live through something publicly than escape it privately’: Jack Antonoff on survivor’s guilt, songwriting and his shock breakup”.