Singer John Duff Answers the Socialite Seven

Singer/songwriter John Duff has lit up YouTube with memorable videos for his songs, including “High Heels,” “Hokie Pokie,” and “Girly” (the video for which features Drag Race alums Bianca Del Rio, Willam, and Mariah Paris Balenciaga). His latest video is the uber-catchy – and Elvis-inspired – “Forgotten How to F*ck.”

John began his professional career as an actor in New York and moved to LA to chase his music dreams. Since then, in addition to his own music, he has written music for artists including Willam and Sonique. We put this talented performer in the hot seat for the latest installment of the Socialite Seven. Get to know more about this incredible talent, and check out our recent interview with him here.

Who has had the biggest influence on your career and why?

My mom has probably had the biggest influence because if it wasn’t for her I would have already been a porn star.

What is your biggest pet peeve? 

You’ll like this because you’re a copywriter. There is a difference between “everyday” and “every day”. It drives me up a wall when I see the adjective “everyday” used in advertisements and copy to say every single day, as opposed to average. Like, they’re saying “average sales.” That drives me up a wall. Mundane sales. No, it’s there is a sale every single day. There’s a space.

Who would you like to collaborate with that you haven’t already?

My gosh.  My dream. I don’t know about a collab off the top of my head, but I would love for Kelly Clarkson to just sing one of my songs on her show. It would just be the highest honor to have the talent of Kelly Clarkson do anything.

Who would you want to portray you in the movie of your life?

Am I dead or alive?

You can be alive.  Wouldn’t you like to see it? 

Well, you know, they all always just write in the comments when I put out a new video or anything, they all just write, “Zac Efron”, “what is Zac Efron doing? Why is Zac Efron doing this?” Okay. And I don’t personally think I look like Zac Efron at all, but I’ll say Zac Efron just so we can address the speculation. Apparently, the audience cast that one.

What superpower or talent would you like to wake up with tomorrow?

I would love to just be able to wake up and be my best every single day. That would be phenomenal. Especially as a singer. I read a quote like, your best singing doesn’t matter, it’s what your average is. I sort of wish my average was my best.

What are three things you can’t live without? 

I’m a very simple person, actually. What can I live without? Oh, I never really thought about this. I feel like you could put me on an island and I would be fine because I just sit in my head all day in the first place. I love water. I love my Birkenstock sandals.  And I love spray tans.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given, hmm.  It’s a hard one. Do you know that parable about the two wolves? You know, the Cherokee parable, where it’s a battle between good and evil and which wolf wins.  And the parable says the one that you feed, but I was told by somebody else, no, you feed them both, because you are the shepherd of the good and the evil and you are both and you don’t deny yourself of the humanity of everything.

And so, I think to view myself as all of it. Not one thing, which probably answers why my music is all over the place. Cause I’m like, well, I am Elvis, but I’m also Mariah Carey, so it’s kind of an acceptance piece.

John Duff’s latest single “Forgotten How to Fuck” – and his other fabulous songs – are available on Apple Music, Spotify, and all digital platforms. Follow John Duff on Facebook and Instagram and check out his videos on YouTube.