Playing with Magic: A BMI Speaker Session with Songwriter/Producer, Jason Evigan
This month, we’re thrilled to continue BMI’s Speaker Sessions, an online series that shares insights about the unique professions of songwriting, producing, performing, and other fields within the music industry. In this session--our second on Zoom--BMI's Executive Director, Jessa Gelt, speaks with hit-making songwriter/producer Jason Evigan, who discusses the importance of intuition and the power of love, friendship, music, and emotion. Full of insight and inspiration, this Speaker Session includes thought-provoking Evigan gems like, “We’re playing with magic every time we make music—what do we want to put out into the world?”
Jason Evigan is a GRAMMY-nominated and multi-platinum songwriter/producer known for penning global hits like Maroon 5's "Girls Like You" (featuring Cardi B) and "What Lovers Do" (featuring SZA), Jason Derulo's "Talk Dirty," Nick Jonas' "Chains," Demi Lovato's "Heart Attack," and David Guetta's "Dangerous," among many others. Since the start of his career, he has worked with a star-studded list of artists including Madonna, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Dan + Shay, Selena Gomez, Keith Urban, Illenium, Charlie Puth, Bebe Rexha, RUFUS DU SOL, Hobo Johnson, Kehlani, Chromeo, Dua Lipa, and Ellie Goulding. Evigan’s songs have charted 30 times across all Billboard charts, with eight of those peaking at #1 and 17 charting on the Hot 100 for multiple weeks. Beyond his chart success, he has won a total of 11 BMI Awards, and five of his tracks have earned BMI Million-Air status for one million or more radio spins. An artist himself, Evigan and his wife, Victoria, formed a world electronic collective called Elephant Heart in 2016 as a way to share their passion for international travel, world beats, and global culture. Elephant Heart's genre-bending music has led them to perform on stages at several festivals, and their latest project, Seasons, dropped in March.
As a philanthropist, Evigan and his wife founded the non-profit, Picture This, whose work and activism helps bring attention to countries impacted by economic or environmental hardships. Currently focused in La Jala, Philippines, Picture This helps cultivate international friendships through their pen pal program while also supporting village services like transportation, education, hygiene, environmental preservation, and habitat development.
Jason and Jessa invite you to enjoy this exclusive, enlightening Speaker Session!