Hit Music Producer Jon Levine Visits Play It Back Experience
On Thursday, October 23rd, we had a wonderful Play It Back Experience event! We were so fortunate to be joined by a very special guest, Jon Levine, an incredible producer, songwriter, and musician who has produced music for Dua Lipa, Alessia Cara, Rachel Platten (“Fight Song”), and so many more.
Jon gave our Play It Back young people a behind-the-scenes look his production of Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song” (which is such an anthem of strength and resilience- truly such a perfect song for our young people to take a deep dive into for the session). It was so fun hearing all of the layers that built the final track – from hidden acoustic guitars and bass to subtle vocal textures and even a distinctive “Ha!” sound by Rachel that brought so much richness to the final mix. Safe to say, we’ll probably never hear “Fight Song” the same way again!
We had a captive audience, the entire group was fully engaged, heads bopping, smiles everywhere, and lots of great questions throughout. Jon shared insights into his songwriting process, explaining that inspiration often starts with “chords that inspire,” but emphasized there’s no single formula for writing a song. He gave a special shout out to artists he personally loves working with because of their focus in the studio, work ethic, talent which makes the process of knocking out a song so much smoother/ easier.
“It was so cool that Jon was able to meet with all of us. We even got to see how he created some of his most famous songs,” shared Sara Carreras, cancer survivor and Play It Back musician. Sara also mentioned how much she loved the Q&A session with Jon, especially hearing his personal experiences receiving feedback and notes from label executives. “It’s hard to get feedback on a song you feel so passionate about,” she said. “But it was inspiring to learn from Jon that being open to feedback can make all the difference… it can be what turns a good song into a truly great one.”
Jon also opened up his Pro Tools session for Dua Lipa’s “Blow Your Mind,” offering even more fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpses into his creative process and what went into producing such a fun hit song, but we ran out of time before diving even deeper.
All in all it was an inspiring, high-energy session that left everyone feeling motivated and connected.
We’re grateful to Jon for so generously sharing his time and talent with our Play It Back community.
If you’re a music professional interested in giving back perhaps by mentoring, leading a creative session, or offering a behind-the-scenes look at your work like Jon, we’d love to connect. Please contact jamie@teencanceramerica.org to learn more about how you can get involved.