Eric Punzo is here to make his mark in the music industry!
A genuine musician to his core, Eric embodies what it means to be a successful and diverse singer by not putting himself in a box. Simply put, the idea of genres just doesn’t seem to apply to his music –– instead he enjoys utilizing all of his abilities to produce something original and intriguing to expose his soul.
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“My musical style isn’t necessarily a constant or expected sound, but I think the best way to describe it is an alternative vibe with foundations of singer/songwriter pop melodies and vocal tone,” said the talented singer in an exclusive interview with Celeb Secrets. “I’m truly just infatuated with writing good songs. I try my best to not morph a song into my style, and more so just let the song do what it naturally wants to do. Lyrically, I definitely think the alternative nature of the music is highlighted since I touch upon edgy subjects and vulnerable ideas. Think of it as a Shawn Mendes vocal sort of meets some darker atmosphere with a little more angst.”
Take a listen to Punzo’s recent single, “If I Told You That I Missed You” to hear the talent he exudes in his first love song and get hooked on the catchy chorus!
When asked how it was to produce such a strong love song, he replied “tapping into this area was pretty natural at the time, because I found myself thinking about the relationship that the song is about. When I find myself thinking about something constantly, it usually calls for writing a song about it,” shared the vocalist.
He continued, “I wasn’t feeling sad or upset about anything. I was mostly just feeling generally emotional and a little dark. So, I wanted to keep those emotions alive even though it is technically a “love song.”
It is safe to say it has been quite the journey so far for the up-and-coming artist. No doubt his artistry will expand his fan base globally in no time! After all he sold-out out his first headlining show at Toronto’s famed “Rivoli,” he hopes of selling-out another headlining show for this year.
With the combination of his ever-growing fanbase – from both his live shows and TikTok audience, Punzo proved to be destined for greatness. The singer-songwriter has raked in more than four million followers since making his mark on the powerful platform.
“I’m not a content creator, and I don’t think I want people to ever fall in love with my content, necessarily, rather than me as an artist or performer,” Punzo dissects about TikTok when asked if he thinks it has contributed to his musical career. “That being said, this is why I normally just casually perform an original or a cover song in the comfort of my home or a cool location live off the floor, just raw with my acoustic guitar.I really want people to understand that my love for music is so pure, and as much as cool content online can spark a career, I really want to stay true to myself as an old school songwriter and artist with a fresh sound.”
@ericpunzomusic Here we go 📝 #howto #learnontiktok #songwriter #tiktoktaughtme
Safe to say this artist enjoys pouring his heart out in every piece he writes and the music video for his latest single, “If I Told You That I Missed You.”
Be sure to connect with Eric Punzo on social media:
Celeb Secrets: Can you describe your musical style and a little bit about who you are as an artist for people who may not be familiar with you yet?
Eric Punzo: “My musical style isn’t necessarily a constant or expected sound, but I think the best way to describe it is an alternative vibe with foundations of singer/songwriter & pop melodies and vocal tone. I’m truly just infatuated with writing good songs, so I try my best to not morph a song into my style, and more so just let the song do what it naturally wants to do. Lyrically, I definitely think the alternative nature of the music is highlighted since I touch upon edgy subjects and vulnerable ideas. Think of it as a Shawn Mendes vocal sort of meets some darker atmosphere with a little more angst.”
CS: Your latest single “If I Told You That I Missed You” is the first love song you have ever written. What inspired you to tap into that area of music?
EP: “Tapping into this area was pretty natural at the time because I found myself thinking about the relationship that the song is about, and when I find myself thinking about something constantly, it usually calls for writing a song about it. I wasn’t feeling sad or upset about anything, I was mostly just feeling generally emotional and a little dark, so I wanted to keep those emotions alive even though it is technically a ‘love song.'”
CS: The music video for “If I Told You That I Missed You” was also recently released and was very artistic. Can you tell us a bit about the experience of filming it?
EP: “Filming this video was honestly super fun and inspirational. I’ve been a big fan of acting and taking on certain characters since I was a kid, so being able to bring this outlaw/western-type character to life for the whole day was a lot of fun. I also felt really cool wearing that outfit, walking around a vacant village for the whole day. The setting was spot-on for what we wanted to achieve, and the entire crew was just dialed in and super efficient.”
CS: Some may say “If I Told You That I Missed You” is the perfect example of the unique sound that’s earned you a rapidly growing following and over 4 million TikTok views. How do you think TikTok has contributed to your musical career?
EP: “Honestly, I don’t think TikTok has made any significant impact on my career (yet), but I do think it’s doing a good job setting up my image and vibe for people who stumble across my profile. I’m not a content creator, and I don’t think I want people to ever fall in love with my content, necessarily, rather than me as an artist or performer. That being said, this is why I normally just casually perform an original or a cover song in the comfort of my home or a cool location live off the floor, just raw with my acoustic guitar. I really want people to understand that my love for music is so pure, and as much as cool content online can spark a career, I really want to stay true to myself as an old school songwriter and artist with a fresh sound.”
CS: You recently sold out your first headlining show at Toronto’s famed Rivoli. How has this new profound attention and new wave of fans been for you?
EP: “I’ve made a bunch of new fans recently, and it’s definitely a really good feeling knowing that people are becoming fans organically by hearing me open for other artists or stumbling upon my music online, etc. This show was a lot of fun, and it was a heartwarming feeling knowing that I have a community of people who are actually interested in coming out and buying tickets to hear me sing songs that I write and love.”
CS: What inspired you to step out of your comfort zone and start posting singing videos on TikTok?
EP: “The power of the internet is both a beautiful and scary thing, but there’s no doubt that TikTok can be a helpful tool in growing somebody’s career. I think the benefits outweigh the risks in every aspect, so sharing my passions and talents on TikTok is a great method to make more fans and spread my music to places where it may be harder to reach without doing so.”
CS: When did you realize in general that singing was a passion of yours? Can you tell us a little bit about the day you decided to truly pursue a musical career?
EP: “Singing was the first musical passion that I experienced at a very young age. I grew up listening to all sorts of genres, ranging from old school Slim Shady, to Panic at the Disco, to Bon Jovi. I found my voice pretty early on around the age of 5-6 and sort of just kept singing and showing people until it grew into a passion for songs, leading me to learn guitar and write my own material around age 13. The day I made the executive decision to pursue music professionally was actually a little later on in life, around the time I was graduating from university. I was in the process of heading to law school far away from home and my gut kept telling me that something about this decision wasn’t the right one – not only for my future, but for my happiness. I decided to take a stab at the whole songwriting thing and play local open mics until I made some connections and started recording some songs professionally.”
CS: Who has been your biggest musical inspiration that has shaped you into the artist you are today?
EP: “I think my biggest inspiration is Dallas Green (City and Colour). I say this because his songs are what truly made me fall in love with the art of a good song. At the end of the day, I remain a songwriter because of how passionate I am about a good powerful song. Good songs always win.”
CS: Any dream collaborations you’d love to see play out in the near future?
EP: “A collaboration with Jon Bellion and Stephen Koz would be a dream for me, no doubt. Both have the musical genius within them to really take a song to the next level, and being a songwriter, this is what you always want.”
CS: Do you have any big goals for your musical career in 2023?
EP: “I think a big goal for this year would be to sell out another headliner, bigger than last years, and also to hop on a tour with an artist that I look up to. Ultimately, my main goal remains to release and write more songs that I am proud of, because this is the fuel to this journey for me. It’s always about the songs, and of course about getting to play them live to people.”
CS: Lastly, since we are Celeb Secrets, do you have any secrets about either yourself or your music that fans might not know?
EP: “I feel like I’ve always maintained this level of mystery that nobody can ever really shake out of me. I try not to reveal a lot of things about me unless it’s actually within a song, but I will say that I’m very good at beer pong and I can’t drink clear liquors for the life of me.”
