Each week we'll take you 'Behind the Beats' to learn more about the artists that play on our airwaves. This week: London Thor.
We featured London Thor in this year's Behind the BEATS magazine alongside three others who have found success beyond music. She shared with us her other passion: acting. You might recognize her from Amazon Prime's "Gen V" series, a spinoff of The Boys. Only a portion of our interview was included in our magazine, so please enjoy the entire interview below.
Allen Kepler: What similarities (if any) do you find between acting and singing?
London Thor: I feel like acting and singing both allow an artist to tell a story in their own unique voice regardless of the lyrics or script. Obviously writing my own songs allows me the ability to write what is essentially my own “ script “ but regardless of the words on the page, acting and singing are both mediums that allow so much freedom and expression in the subtext and silences.
AK: How does your process in writing a song differ from writing a film script?
LT: I feel like I have more freedom in writing a script but I can put more of myself into a song. Songwriting feels like an equation to me, I can move things around to fit and to make the most fluid song. But when I’m writing a script it’s so much more story based than formula based.
AK: How do you balance your focus between acting and songwriting / singing?
LT: I’ve never liked having to choose between prioritizing one passion over the other. In the end I want to be such a multi-hyphenate that I have to learn to balance everything that brings me joy. I’ve found that the spotlight tends to shine on either my music or my acting at the times that I need them most without me having to choose between the two. They also both tend to go hand in hand. If I'm feeling blocked in my music it helps me to focus on acting and the other way around.
AK: Has your recent success, both as a singer and an actor changed your longer term goals as an artist?
LT: It hasn’t necessarily changed my long term goals as much as it’s inspired me to do more and dream bigger. It’s ensured that I really feel like I’m capable of achieving whatever I put my mind to in terms of creativity as well as helping create change in the world around me.
AK: How does social media play a role in both careers? (one more than the other?)
LT: Social media is such a tricky tool. It helps me connect to fans and it does inspire me in some ways because I get to peek into how my work reaches people in a way I wouldn’t have been able to before. However, I do feel like it creates a lot of pressure to be someone I’m not. I try to keep my presence on social media very honest and my footprint pretty selective, knowing that you can’t make everyone happy.
AK: Can we expect a new tune coming to smooth jazz in 2024?
LT: Yes! I have a couple new songs that I am really excited to be releasing very very soon!
See more from London here.