Gus Jeffers talks about opening for Nick Carter on his ‘Who I Am’ Tour

Gus Jeffers. Photo Credit: Ivan Shoots.

Young singer-songwriter Gus Jeffers spoke about opening for Nick Carter on his 2024 “Who I Am” Tour.

Nick Carter solo tour

On opening for Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys on his solo tour, Jeffers said, “It was amazing and I will always remember it.”

“Even though I have been fortunate enough to play a lot of shows by now, I was really nervous and excited for this opportunity. Nick and Zoux were extremely kind and welcoming and the venue team at The Admiral Theater were amazing as well,” he said.

Jeffers on Nick Carter

Jeffers complimented Nick Carter for his distinct sound. “Nick has such a unique sound, and he has been where you want to go, being able to live out his dreams as a musician for over 31 years. He started at age 12, similar to me beginning at 11,” he said.

Music and songwriting inspirations

On his music and songwriting inspirations, he said, “I have been working on my songwriting since I was 12 with two songwriting coaches and my two producers.”

“The inspiration for songs is truly a mix,” he admitted. “Some examples are sometimes the melody just popping into my head and I flesh it out on my guitar, to Ryan and Aaron, my two producers, throwing out an idea, to us writing about my journey so far in my original song ‘Big Dreams,’ to me starting with a beat I like and we write to it.”

Future plans

On his future plans, he shared, “I want to keep getting better and better at being an artist, meaning songwriting, performing, singing, playing instruments, and producing.”

“I have incredible mentors now for singing, songwriting and producing, but am hopeful for an artist mentor someday. I also really want to write and produce songs for other artists too, and ultimately, perform at the Super Bowl,” he added.

The digital age

On being a part of the digital age, Jeffers said, “I am so young I don’t know anything different, but love the freedom to create and promote on my own timeline and take my music and career the direction I want.”

Advice for young and aspiring artists

For young and emerging artists, Jeffers said, “I am a young and aspiring artist, so I will share what my experience has been so far.”

He continued, “Since I was 11, I had a map drawn out for me to make it in this business and I strive to better at each of these items every day: stay consistent, stay focused, become the whole package of an excellent songwriter, producer, musician, singer, dancer, be marketable, post on social media daily, engage with your fans, be humble, be kind, and thank everyone on your way.”

“Also, find someone that believes in you as much, if not more at times, than you do,” he said. “You are going to need that push of commitment and support when it gets hard.”

“Treat this career as a business, and learn as much as you can about the music industry, so you know how to succeed in this world (read all the books and listen to all the podcasts),” he noted.

“Finally, surround yourself with mentors and support that are better than you always — it allows you to skip the line,” he added.

Dream duet choice

Jeffers listed Justin Bieber as his dream duet choice in music.

Success

On his definition of the word success, Jeffers said, “I will never be fully successful, but always shooting for more. Similar mentality to Michael Jackson, one of my idols, as he kept wanting more, wanting to get better, wanting to wow more people. So every time I work on my music I am striving to get better.”