CONVERSATIONS WITH JOHN ONDRASIK
BY MAE MAÑACAP-JOHNSON
Singer-songwriter John
Ondrasik—well known by his
stage name Five for Fighting—
broke into the music scene
when his Grammy-nominated
single “Superman (It’s Not
Easy)” became a global hit in
2001. His mother, a piano
teacher, instilled a love for
music in him at an early age.
“My mother was very wise.
She gave me the foundation at
the piano as a young child, then allowed me to quit when I was 13 years old. All of a sudden I started
writing songs because it was something I wanted to do, not something I had to do. We can support our
children and give them the tools but their passion must come from within,” Ondrasik says.
Aside from his love of music and sports (he borrowed his stage name from a penalty term used in
hockey), this year’s ISPA Alex Szekely Humanitarian Award recipient also has a soft spot for charity. In
this Conversations, he shares where he draws his creative sparks from as well as inspires us to make a
difference.
PULSE: Where do you draw inspiration from when
writing new songs?
John Ondrasik: I believe there is a great song in every room
and every aspect of life. Observation, listening and
questioning will help you tell your story, or the stories of
those who move you through words and melody.
P: When plagued with writer’s block, how do you
recharge your creative energy and spark inspiration?
O: Writer’s block is all in your mind. Work ethic and discipline is the key to any craft. Failing is part of the process. One
must accept that in the arts, we fail the majority of the time
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September 2016
to hopefully strike gold when we may least expect it. That
said, it helps to work on a variety of projects so you can
bounce back and forth and keep perspective on your material.
I always have more than a few songs going at one time, and
various projects and performances to keep things fresh.
P: Among the legends in the music world, who do you
consider to be your greatest musical inspiration?
O: Depends on the day! Certainly The Beatles, the great piano
songwriters like Elton John, Billy Joel, The Who, Joni Mitchell,
Stevie Wonder, Tom Waits…and singers Freddie Mercury,
Steve Perry, and many, many more.