For Curtis Millen, music is not simply performing on a stage, listening to a recorded studio session, or applauding when the lights go out; it is an exhilarating adventure packed with rhythm, energy, and soul that every listener finds themselves immersed in. Born in Belfast, Ireland, Curtis has spent the past couple of years making a name for himself within the European funk and jazz scene and has now relocated to Rotterdam.
Drawing upon inspiration from artists such as Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Tom Jones active in different eras, Curtis has blended these influences and come up with a contemporary soul and funk style that is characteristic of him and his fans who appreciate that sound.
Now, Curtis Millen is ready to share the stage along with the release of his debut single “Driver’s Seat”. This one, however, is an assertive, dynamic, and funky pop extravaganza created with the help of an award winning guitarist Niels Onstenk. A traditional rhythm established by icons such as James Brown is successfully synthesized with Vulfpeck type of sound present in this single. “Driver’s Seat” serves as a canvas for Curtis’ showmanship and raw talent at its best.
In this candid interview Curtis speaks about the ups and downs of making ‘Driver’s Seat’, his inspirations and how the tune encapsulates his personality on stage. Curtis details the making of this song explaining why it is the first of many interesting achievements in his growing career in music – from thinking about what the song would be like or what are it’s lyrics.
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Congratulations on the release of “Driver’s Seat”! Can you tell us what inspired this song and its concept?
The inspiration for this song came from a burning desire to create a funk song that encapsulates the high energy style of song that are often seen in my performances. We listened to a lot of Old Skool Funk in James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Chuck Brown and then took a trip into the New Skool Funk game to check out some Vulfpeck and Cory Henry to see how we could find a blend of the two.
What was the songwriting process like for “Driver’s Seat”? Did the lyrics or the melody come first?
After listening to condensed list of treasured songs I was sitting in the studio with my neighbour, Gianni Noten, an expert ion all things funky when out of nowhere, Niels Onstenk, the song’s producer came bolting out of the shower still soaked with his towel round him to grab his phone from the studio desk and record a voice note of the idea for the song that just came to him in his shower time epiphany. For context we have a studio in the living room of our apartment.
The title “Driver’s Seat” suggests themes of control and direction—how does this relate to your personal experiences or the message of the song?
Well, it’s all about taking control in the bedroom and having your romantic partner reassured that they’re in for a good time if you just let me do my thing!
Can you walk us through the production process? Who did you collaborate with to bring this single to life?
This project was solely a collaboration between Niels Onstenk aka Niké Laos and myself. Occasionally tapping on the shoulders of close friends regarding the mix or the feel and contacting people like artist and DJ Winnie Ama for advice on the vocal performance.
Are there any specific sounds, instruments, or influences that helped shape the mood and energy of “Driver’s Seat”?
The bridge really made it for me! I left the studio to go the the gym with the song only having tis chorus and prechorus at that stage. When I came back Niels played the bridge to me and I lost my mind and the hook came to me in aninstant,”Don’t mind the time, Just Enjoy the Ride!”
How does “Driver’s Seat” fit into the overall story or theme of your music career so far? Does it represent a shift in direction or sound for you?
A huge shift for me personally as it captures how I feel I sound in a live setting when I’m my peak during a funk performance. It’s the song to pave a way forward for my sound as an energetic funk and soul singer.
The vocal delivery in “Driver’s Seat” is powerful—how did you approach capturing the right emotion and energy in the studio?
It took a lot of work. Initially the song was in Bb before Niels played it in a friends car and decided it needed to be higher for bigger energy so he transposed it to D and brought the vocals along up with it. Tried it a few times but the pre-chorus was tricky in the new key so I took it to two different vocal coaches, Meg Davis and Jimmy Adelina to work on belting with a fuller sound and in a way that’s safe for the vocal cords.
The day we did the final vocal take I Had it in my head that I needed to get this nailed. I needed to have it the way I hear it in my head and I didn’t leave the mic alone until I did. Not until I had myself convinced of what I was saying and how I was saying it.
Is there a particular lyric or moment in the song that holds special significance to you?
There’s a special part in the middle of the song where I sing along with the horn line but it’s masked with a phaser effect on the vocals but when we listened to that back dry in the studio I fell to the floor laughing at the sound of it. That and the car horn in the middle of that part catch me off guard when I hear it back on big speakers.
What was the most challenging aspect of creating this single, and how did you overcome it?
Settling on the mix and the vocal performance. After hammering down the vocal performance it took a lot of back on forth on deciding which sound would be the one that would be released. So after driving around Rotterdam listening to it back and comparing it to the likes of Vulfpeck and PJ Morton we found where to take the sound to and settled on the direction forward,.
How have your fans responded to “Driver’s Seat” so far? Has there been any feedback that really stood out to you?
The best feedback so far has been that it sounds like its been taken directly out of the 70s and for me that’s what I envisioned when performing it
What message or feeling do you hope listeners walk away with after hearing “Driver’s Seat”?
Confidence in being the one who can take the lead. It has an uplifting energy and a lot of testosterone and that’s something to be shared.
How do you balance the storytelling elements with the musical elements when writing a song like “Driver’s Seat”?
In a similar approach as from one of my biggest inspirations, Michael Jackson, get your point across and make your voice clear and percussive so that it blends in nicely with the music
Who or what are some of your biggest influences in music, and did any of them shape the sound of this single?
Prince, Tom Jones, James Brown, Vulfpeck, Michael Jackson, Charlie Wilson/The GAP Band, Stevie Wonder and Cory Henry. I can honestly say all of them shaped the sound of this single both musically and vocally
Looking ahead, do you have any other projects or releases on the horizon that you’re excited about?
After this one we’re releasing a foot-stomping funk song, ‘Break Out the Cutters’ which is coming out in October. Release date currently TBC.
How does “Driver’s Seat” fit into the broader vision of your artistic journey?
It’s the first step in a narrative where I am truly myself. It’s the beginning of a musical journey that starts with me being able to say I’m at peace with myself and this is now visible in my self-expression
If you had to sum up “Driver’s Seat” in one sentence, how would you describe it?
High-octane funk about taking your lover by the hand and taking them for the ride of their life!
