How Grant Chernau won the Bomb Pop Middles contest with his summer banger

Grant Chernau, winner of the Bomb Pop Middles Summer Jams Contest.

Earlier this year SoundCloud and Bomb Pop Middles teamed up to bring you the Summer Ja m s Contest, a competition to see who could create the song of the summer. To select a winner, we combed through hundreds of high-quality tracks spanning all genres and styles. In the end Roswell, GA-based producer Grant Chernau stole the show with his bouncy ode to the warmest season, “Summer Sky” featuring Mali Lopez.

Grant and Mali’s creative use of the Bomb Pop Middles stems was the first thing to turn the judge’s heads. But, it was their Bomb Pop-themed lyrics and sincere delivery that cemented their track at the #1 spot. And the fact that the track, like the brand’s multi- layered and flavored products, was Not One Thing.

After notifying Grant of the good news we were lucky enough to connect with the rising music producer to ask him about his process, influences and future plans.

How’d you get started making music?

I got my first guitar when I was 6. Ever since then I’ve been expanding my musical knowledge with more instruments and new theory.

How did this song come together? What inspired it? What was your creative process?

At first, I wasn’t sure how I’d use the Bomb Pop Middles stems. But after some time of just adding different instruments, the song started coming together as a weird, almost Reggae-style pop beat. Once I knew what type of song it was going to be, I just finished the rest of it in about a day.

How did you come to collaborate with Mali Lopez on this project?

I needed vocals on “Summer Sky” but, unfortunately I don’t have a great voice. Mali Lopez is one of my best friends from school, and I knew that she has an amazing voice. So I invited her over and we figured out the lyrics and melody together. This song is not only my first song, but also hers as well.

What artists inspire you?

Jon Bellion and Blanks both put out videos of their creative processes of recording new music. I feel like my process takes from what I have seen in each of theirs. Besides them, The Beatles, Chance the Rapper and Bon Iver all really inspire me with the passion that goes into their music.

No one is just a music producer or artist. They are a mix of many passions and interests that make them unique. What are your passions and interests outside of music that make you Not One Thing?

I really enjoy restoring houses with my dad. I am passionate about maintaining the environment. And realistically, music is just such a huge part of my life and not even just the production aspect. I really enjoy playing instruments, listening to music live or recorded, and even the production of instruments is really interesting.

How do you celebrate being Not One Thing – never having to choose just one lane and following all your passions?

I never have to settle on any of my passions because I am Not One Thing. This allows me to pursue multiple interests and balance them well. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to explore my many different passions, and while music production definitely stands out the most, I enjoy many other things as well.

What’s next for you?

I am heading off the The University of Georgia (GO DAWGS!) in August where I will continue making music.

Think you’ve got the skills to bring home the (musical) gold? Stay tuned for more contests and events coming in the near future.

By winning the contest, Grant was able to take home $1,000 and a three-month subscription to Pro Unlimited. We’ll be rolling out more contests in the coming weeks so that you can get additional opportunities to be heard and the resources you need to create, share and grow your audience. Just keep checking your inbox and our Contests tab on the blog for the latest info.