“Here’s something pretty for your playlist,” Tenroc sings on his major label debut with Sony/Provident. His offering: “playlist,” a reverent, 808-driven track about the restorative power of music.
For Tenroc, those lyrics aren’t just poetic sentiment, but lived truth. Raised in New York, he grew up immersed in sound, teaching himself piano, drums, and guitar by the age of seven before gravitating toward production as a teenager. That early devotion led him to rooms with some of the industry’s biggest names, from Rihanna and the Jonas Brothers to Julia Michaels and Reneé Rapp. In 2023, he earned a Grammy nomination for his work on Jon Batiste’s “World Music Radio,” cementing his reputation as a formidable behind-the-scenes force.
Now ushering in his solo chapter, the multi-hyphenate singer, musician, and producer is preparing to release his debut album, “God Is A Person,” out May 29. We caught up with Tenroc on the eve of his new single “mourning 2 dancing,” featuring Tori Kelly and Jon Keith to talk about the making of “playlist,” writing with his wife, and the lesson he’s taking into this new chapter.
(This interview has been edited for clarity)
JUICE BOX PRESS: You’ve spent years behind the scenes writing and producing for other artists. What made this song, and this moment, feel right for your own debut?
TENROC: It feels like my song “playlist” is the perfect intersection of Hope and Faith, all while still being a banger. It’s very important to me that the songs are bangers.
JUICE BOX PRESS: Can you walk us through the process of creating “playlist,” from initial inspiration to its release?
TENROC: “Playlist” was born out of me sitting down one night and freely creating without any other artists or projects in mind. I really just sought out to make something that was uplifting and ridiculously catchy— something that was fun to sing.
JUICE BOX PRESS: If you were curating a playlist around “playlist,” which songs or artists would you pair it with?
TENROC: I would definitely throw some Pink Pantheress in there, and maybe some 2014-era Bieber. It would have to be the perfect mix of energy and sauciness.
JUICE BOX PRESS: You co-wrote “playlist” alongside your wife, Sarah, and frequent collaborator Leeland. What was it like creating this song with people you’re so closely connected to, both personally and creatively?
TENROC: It was incredible. Leeland and my wife Sarah, played enormous roles in almost every record on the album. There’s a trust with them that I don’t have with many other people. Leeland is one of the most talented writers I’ve ever met in my life, and my wife is my creative director. I go to her for opinions on lyrics, melodies, and most other creative decisions. She knows culture.
JUICE BOX PRESS: You’re already at work on your debut album. How does “playlist” fit into the larger story or sound of the project?
TENROC: The main lyric of the song, “here’s something pretty for your playlist“ is my message to the audience. It’s a way of prefacing what I hope the album is going to be for people. Songs that are hopeful, clean, and most of all, bangers.
JUICE BOX PRESS: A great playlist can define a moment. If you could set the perfect scene for someone hearing “playlist” for the first time, what would it look and feel like?
TENROC:The scene would be wherever they felt the most whimsy in their lives. Whether that’s their childhood bedroom, or some candy store, the song is meant to evoke nostalgia and whimsy. That’s why the beginning of the music video begins in my childhood bedroom, where my sense of wonder and creative exploration started.
JUICE BOX PRESS: You’ve collaborated with so many incredible artists. What’s a lesson or takeaway from those experiences that you’re carrying into your solo career?
TENROC: Not to get in my own head. To create art I think is incredible and pray that people understand and are able to take the journey with me. My main takeaway is to never overthink the music and how people will receive it.
Featured Photo Credit : Cedric Jones Photography
Amelia Cordischi, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Juice Box Press, is an accomplished digital marketing professional with over a decade of experience in media and communications. Her work has been featured in notable publications, including The Boston Globe. A communications graduate of Simmons University in Boston, Amelia served as manager of Simmons College Radio (“The Shark”), where she also launched and co-hosted her radio show, The Find.
In addition to her editorial work, Amelia is an established freelance photographer, with bylines in Blended Magazine and CelebMix, capturing artists and cultural moments across the music and media landscape. Her career began at WCVB-TV’s Chronicle, the ABC affiliate in Boston, where she gained firsthand experience in broadcast journalism and storytelling.
When she’s not taking photos from the photo pit, interviewing emerging artists, or crafting the next Juice Box Press feature, Amelia can be found thrifting and exploring the world of sustainable fashion.