Ethan Fields says interest in link between "writing and production" is why he started TikTok mashups

Harvard student Ethan Fields has been bringing moments of happiness throughout lockdown via his TikTok account by recreating songs in another artist's style. He's done Post Malone's "Rockstar" in the style of alt-J, the Seinfeld theme tune in The 1975's I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It style, Harry Styles' "Watermelon Sugar" as if it was done by The Weeknd ("Blinding Lights" era), Coldplay's "Yellow" in the style of Placebo, and more.

The viral TikTok user took time to catch up with Best Fit last week to discuss his fun clips. Check out the Q+A below the TikTok videos.

@theethanfields

SEINFELD BUT IT’S THE 1975 (circa I like it when you sleep era) ##seinfeld ##the1975 ##funk

seinteen75 - Ethan Fields

@theethanfields

yellow but it’s placebo ##placebo ##coldplay ##alt

yellcebo - Ethan Fields

BEST FIT: You've been recreating songs in other artists' styles on TikTok for a while now, what inspired you to start doing these?

Ethan Fields: I’m really interested in the relationships between writing and production – it’s so cool how changing out the sonic palette of a song can suddenly breathe new life into it or add unexpected dimensions. Exploring these musical worlds has definitely helped my own craft as I get ready to drop more of my own music in 2021.

One that stood out was the fantastic Seinfeld x The 1975 mashup, how did you decide to mix those two together?

Omg thank you! I mean even on a conceptual level I think Seinfeld and The 1975 seem to revel in this sort of observational absurdity, and that’s reflected in the music of both – it’s funk through a more comical and artificial lens. I had done a prior 1975 video that was more geared towards their recent material and they’re definitely one of my favourite bands, so I saw this as a great opportunity to dive into another side of them.

Were there any other artists apart from The 1975 that you tried with Seinfeld but didn't work?

No, because I actually start with the artist first and then work backwards to find the song. So I’m kind of taking all the distinctive elements of the artist’s sound and then mapping them onto different cultural relics until I find the right fit. With my sample based videos though (eg Mario Kart as Panic! at the Disco or NBA Draft as Playboi Carti) I try to map the sample onto the band, and that’s where you can find some room to experiment.

I can see that you play multiple instruments - what can you play and how did you learn?

I mainly play guitar and piano, but I can make my way around on bass and drums too (although I will say I am significantly better at keyboard drumming than the real kit lol). I also dabble a little in ukulele which is great for road trips (except for while driving. Obviously. I'm afraid of fast roads though). I have a little bit of piano lesson experience from when I was seven, but my musicianship really blossomed in middle school after connecting with mentors who saw my interest in writing and pushed me to record and sing. I’m particularly grateful for a teacher I had for about five years, Brian Chodorcoff, who kind of planted the seed in my head that I could make a career out of my music if I wanted to. I think his genuine belief in my work is part of why I decided as early as age 12 that I was gonna try doing music for realsies like as a job.

Do you plan to carry on your TikTok videos when the coronavirus pandemic subsides?

Definitely. In the short term my goal for the page is to successfully intersect music, politics, and culture in a way that broadly resonates across Gen Z but still feels aesthetically consistent with my persona. I think I’m already doing that to an extent, but I want to expand and ideate upon it. When the pandemic does subside, that will open up lots of opportunities to work in new physical settings and characters that will take the page to the next level. I want to write comedy sketches and be weirder and eventually progress past the need to provide content – I admire people who can do "nothing" and have people fawn over them. I put nothing in quotes because there’s an art to existing in such a manner where people will still take interest in you doing the most mundane things. I just need to figure out how to exist. That’s where I want the page to go, because at that point it’s not Ethan Fields's content you’re watching, you’re simply watching Ethan Fields because you love him. And that’s an invaluable asset for my music career, which is ultimately where I wanna take all this.

Your TikTok has a huge range of different music, what artists are you actually into?

Most of what’s on the TikTok page are artists I grew up with and genuinely love in real life. Even the ones I only learned about after reading fan comments, for example 100 gecs, I’ve grown to love them by virtue of stepping into their sound for a week to make those videos. That's a phat question though. I mean, the classics, right? Michael Jackson, Prince, U2, and Radiohead immediately come to mind. More recently though I’ve been vibing with people like Remi Wolf, Dominic Fike, Billie Eilish, and Deaton Chris Anthony. Anyone who’s "innovating in the space", you know? I like everybody though tbh. I’m very easy to please. I think beabadoobee’s Fake it Flowers is the best record of the year, maybe even of recent years. I have a soft spot for shoegaze music and 90's nostalgia, and she intertwines it all with innovative mixes and direct heartfelt lyrics that inject a powerful vibrancy into that nostalgia.

Are there any unlikely collaborations that you'd love to do?

I would love to get a custom meal/beverage going at some place like Travis Scott or Charli did. Maybe a SweetGreen salad bowl that’s just nothing. "Can I order the Ethan Fields?" – it would be a commentary on how people pay ten dollars for lettuce. But then the bowl becomes like a merch item because you can like, wear it on your head with a strap. Then it becomes a commentary on mask wearing.