5 takeaways from Petti Hendrix’s Artist Friendly interview
Petti Hendrix is the latest artist to stop by Joel Madden’s Artist Friendly podcast. If you aren’t familiar, the budding star mixes punk, rock, and hip-hop into his own indelible sound. Though only two singles deep, Hendrix’s music will inspire you to cut loose. During the new episode, the pair delve into an hour-long conversation about being influenced by a wide range of music at a young age, surviving hell, and choosing gratitude over everything.
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Before you start listening to the new episode, we rounded up takeaways from their conversation. Check them out below.
His father turned him onto great music
Your musical upbringing often turns into a significant part of your life, and Hendrix is no different. During the episode, he shares that his father shaped his taste. “My pops used to play every type of music. That’s how I got into any different type of music, other than rap. Rap was always around,” Hendrix says. He was also “scared to show” his love for a wide range of music because his friends listened to tougher groups. When looking back on his younger self, he has an important piece of advice: “I should have been fearless.”
At 19, he started to take music seriously
Though Hendrix was introduced to music at an early age, he didn’t start to consider it seriously as a career option until he was 19. Seeing posters of his cousin’s upcoming shows at a gas station stoked his interest, as well. From there, he put his first mixtape together and started doing tons of open mics, garnering a reputation for someone who was “known for energy more than the music.” But that’ll undoubtedly change soon, as Madden notes, “The music is now catching up to the energy.”
He’s always reaching for the next level
Though still young in his career, Hendrix is always trying to rise to the next level. “It’s up to me. I just gotta take a chance. Just go off the energy. You can’t go wrong if you just believe. That’s all I’ve been doing,” he asserts. After all, the burgeoning artist knows that finding the easy path isn’t an option — there’s only optimism and hard work. “What’s good ain’t gonna be easy,” he says.
Hendrix “went to hell and survived”
During the episode, Hendrix is candid about his time in jail, where he spent a year in the system, including five months in confinement. “I went to hell and survived. That made me a better person,” he shares. He also notes that his “jail experience was different” than his friends. “Because I’m not a hood guy, I was scared. Every time I get in trouble, it never be on my grounds, but I take full accountability. I always end up sticking my neck out to try to help. Even if I know it’s right or wrong,” Hendrix continues.
Gratitude is a strategy
Choosing to be grateful is a choice, and that appreciation breeds optimism in every corner of your life. Throughout the episode, it’s clear that Hendrix with brimming with that good energy in both his career and his day-to-day. “I try to take the good out of every situation, even bad [ones]. I try to learn because there’s people that can teach,” Hendrix explains. That mindset is shared by Madden, who notes that you have to choose to survive when it’s far too easy to quit.
