In this episode of Behind The Wall, I sit down with HARV — the Grammy-nominated producer, musical director, and creative force who's been shaping the sound of pop music for over a decade. From being Justin Bieber’s bassist and musical director for more than 15 years to producing massive hits like “Peaches,” HARV’s journey is the definition of hard work, dedication, and undeniable talent.But behind the scenes, the road wasn’t easy. From mastering every part of a band at a young age to earning his place alongside some of the biggest artists in the world, HARV opens up about what it really takes to make it in the music industry — and why staying true to yourself is the key to everything.🎵 In this conversation, we dive into:How he became Justin Bieber’s longtime musical director and collaboratorThe story behind producing “Peaches” and other global hitsHow patience and preparation led to his biggest breakthroughsAdvice for any artist, producer, or dreamer trying to carve their own pathHARV’s story isn’t just inspiring — it’s a reminder that greatness is built through relentless work, staying ready for your moment, and trusting your unique journey.Thank you HARV for going Behind The Wall with us and sharing your incredible story and wisdom. Your journey is a blueprint for every artist and creative chasing their dream.
Chapter 1: Who is HARV and what are his notable music credits?
um off the top um my very first placement that i um been blessed to be a part of was gucci man lemonade crazy uh shout out to bangladesh um i worked on that with bangladesh and that was like my first placement and um a lot of people you know because it was so long ago don't even know that you know i worked on that so that's one um justin bieber's um i'm gonna go on the justin run right quick yeah so just this christmas album fa la la featuring boys to men
The Believe album, Just Like Them, fairytale featuring Jaden Smith. Didn't work on purpose, kind of bummed that I didn't, but whatever. Changes, forever available, at least for now. And then of course, on Justice, I did Peaches.
Amazing. I'm really excited to get into everything that you just talked about. But first, I think it's important to go back to the beginning. How did this all start for you when it comes to music being a kid?
yeah so i come from a musical family my grandmother is a she was a classically trained opera singer and my mom is a pianist uh she's a the minister of music back home at the church that i grew up in like she still like does that today so music was always a thing in our family like my my brothers play my dad my uncles we all kind of like play instruments so the holidays we we have jam sessions or after church jam sessions and like
Chapter 2: How did HARV’s musical journey begin as a child?
Like it was always just a part of like growing up. It was sports, music, pianos around the house, like playing with toys. And then, oh, messing with the piano was like something I did growing up. So I want to say music kind of chose me more so than, you know, I chose to do music. And my first instrument was cello. I started playing the cello at nine years old, which was cool. I missed the cello.
What made you pick up the cello?
So my laziness. So I was nine years old in the fourth grade. And growing up in Kansas in the fourth grade, this is when you can get elective classes, right?
Yeah, same thing. Yeah.
So like you can either do band or orchestra. So like my laziness, like I was just like, I'm gonna take my time. Then go sign up for band. So I waited to the last minute. I get to the sheet. It's filled up. There's no more slots for band, right? Next to it is orchestra. It's like 20 slots open. Like no kid wanted to play orchestra growing up, right? So I was just like, I need to do something.
So whatever. I just put my name on. on the orchestra side. And like me and my, my best friend, Derek, um, we've been best friends since we were five. Like I saw his name over there too. So like, I cool. I guess I'll do orchestra. And, and I ended up falling in love with it. Like I was first chair, like all city seventh and eighth grade. Yeah. Yeah. I used to do like,
competitions and everything like on the cello yeah i actually missed the cello i'm glad i said that because i'm gonna go buy one yeah you should i i cello is is an instrument that like one of my favorite songs is secrets and that's such a big part of the song so yeah i want to i want to hear that and more right yeah our next interview you come in i was like 100% we'll make that happen. Yeah.
So you start out with cello, but you also, I honestly feel like you probably play almost every instrument, right?
Yeah, yeah.
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Chapter 3: What instruments does HARV play and which does he prefer?
And I wasn't getting success that way. I was just like, okay, until I started writing it myself. Like, oh, okay, like this is what I'm trying to say. So that made me sharpen my writing skills just because I just felt like the songs were better when I was more involved in the song, opposed to me just giving the songwriter a beat and be like, here, just you go write to it.
And I'm not being a part of the creative process.
Now you get your first placement with Bangladesh and Lemonade. Yep. How long of a time period was that when you started playing bass? Was the placement bass on Lemonade?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's bass and some of the piano stuff too on there. Yeah, the dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee. Yeah, yeah.
Were there songs in between that helped you become more confident enough to produce that song and be in the room in that sense? Was it a lot of work to get to that point?
Well, I was always producing and sharpening my skills. So I think I was preparing myself even when I was 16 to get to that place. I remember when... Fruity Loops first came out, like I grabbed that, you know, and I was learning that in high school and like producing like R&B hip hop songs for like all my friends that wanted to rap back then.
So like I think everything that I was doing from playing the cello at nine, you know, playing in orchestra or playing at church, like all of that like built me up to get to Lemonade. Like, you know what I'm saying? Just that the work that I put in in my teenage years, like when I got to Atlanta, I was already ready for whatever because I prepared myself, you know what I'm saying, in high school.
How many beats and songs did you say you made until you had Lemonade?
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Chapter 4: When and why did HARV start songwriting and producing?
probably a million like you know i mean yeah it's like i got a kajillion songs now like you never stop like the creator will always create like like i'm and you can't think like oh i made this one beat and this is going to be the one like definitely you got to make a million like you you know like i was just having a conversation earlier like right now i'm in a super high creative space to where i'm just creating creating creating creating and
you just you never know like one the last one that i make may be the next peaches or the next whatever you know what i'm saying you also do other stuff as well you're you're in marching band you do other pieces like that yeah i was actually the drum major in high school too that's crazy yeah at what point does the next part of the story become after lemonade
Yeah, so right after Lemonade, I was doing a lot of sessions in Atlanta. And where I found success was working with producers that are amazing at making the drums and the 808s. Because Atlanta, that's a heavy sound. So I found success in just coming in and putting a little melodic stuff on top and meshing with that. So I did that after Lemonade. I kind of bounced around, did that.
After probably like six months or so, I got a call to work with this Canadian kid, you know? And they're like, you know, this guy, Scooter Braun, you know, these are all new names at the time, you know?
Okay.
uh well not new but like not like huge as they are now so this guy Scooter Braun signed this artist named Justin he's bringing him to Atlanta uh they want to put a band around him some young guys um are you available to come and do like a soft audition I just want to you know meet you and uh
came to the audition justin walks in justin walks in and plays every instrument like off the back like he dapped you up and this is justin with the swoop remember he used to do the swoop back of the day so he comes there right jumps on the piano jumps on the drums bangs out on the drums for like 10 minutes grabs a guitar bangs out on a guitar And we're just jamming.
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Chapter 5: How did HARV get his first big placement with 'Lemonade'?
This is the first time I meet Justin. And we're jamming. And I just saw his musical talent. And they're like, cool, you're in the band now. And then that's how I just became the bass player at that time. This is the My World Tour, like 2010 or something.
Yeah.
So yeah, I just became the bass player.
Within a year, you write with him as well. What was the process like to go from an instrumentalist to songwriter and producer? Was that a hard transition to make?
Yeah, it is a hard transition because just because you are an amazing musician doesn't mean you're going to be an amazing producer. You still have to understand sonics. You still have to know that in producing, less is more. Being a musician, more is better. The better you can play, the bigger you are. If you're the best pianist, everybody's going to praise you.
If you're the best bassist, we love that. But in producing... those flat seven, minor diminished, augmented, like nine sevens, like that may not sound good. We just need the triads. And sometimes, you know, as a musician, you want to add all of those colorful chords and like 10 finger chords.
It's like every finger is dedicated to a note, but like, like in producing, you just may need two fingers or three finger chords. And like with the right patch, like it sounds crazy. So it's like,
transitioning from being a musician to a producer is one of those like you really got to kind of dumb yourself down just a baby hair just to make it make sense if that makes any sense simple yeah yeah simplify yourself a lot of instrumentalists i feel like try to go as like complex as possible yeah yeah yeah a lot of guitarists sometimes and like they always do these crazy guitar solos but the best guitarists to work with are the ones that just have like really awesome melodies
right right right that's a great point yeah because some musicians think that everybody thinks like a musician no that's you're like five percent of the population the other 95 doesn't understand everything you just played they just want to feel something so you know the thing is i always make somebody feel like even when i when i make music like i just want you know i'm saying the listener to feel happy sad angry whatever just feel anything you know
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Chapter 6: What was HARV’s path from bassist to working with Justin Bieber?
really at a good place so it's like to where we can sit down and like actually talk about the song talk about life talk about like you know he's like family you know what i'm saying like my brother so it's like we sit down and really like have like really good conversations and then that ends up turning into a song you guys both came up together yeah yeah yeah did you we're forever part of each other's story you know what i'm saying yeah we respect that and we we cherish that too
So you are his bassist in 2010. You work your way to become his producer and songwriter in 2011 on the Christmas album. And then next up is music director, right?
Yeah.
So how did that happen?
OK, so going from bassist to producer. So for me, the goal was always to be a producer. That was my goal since I was 14. I just didn't want to be a bass player or a musician. I wanted to be a producer. But, you know, in life sometimes, if you're smart, you have to understand that the way in may not be, you know what I'm saying?
Like, how do I be like, Oh, I'm not going to go play bass with him because I want to be a producer. Like I wouldn't have made that relationship that allowed me to be a producer later. And like some people and musicians and producers, they want the, the, they want the success now. Like it's still the understanding like, Oh, this is my end.
Let me go in as a bass player, piano player, whatever, and see what happens. So for me, it always, the end goal was to be a producer and, So even when I was playing bass with him, we'll be in rehearsal. I'll go off to the corner, put my headphones on and make a beat. Like I always kept my producer skills like or producer time equal with my live playing time.
Like I always split the difference, you know. So. After a while, you know, as you see, he was like, yo, what are you doing? Like he see me with headphones on like, yo, bro, what are you doing? Like, what are you listening to? Like, you know, I'm like, oh, I'm I'm a producer, too. Like, oh, really? You know, I let me hear something. So. I started learning, letting him hear beats.
And so that becomes, that became into like, after a show, we'll go back to his bus and start writing. And that led to the fa la la song, which is on his Christmas album under the mistletoe, which is our first song together that we did that, um, Our first record featuring Boyz II Men. Which is crazy, by the way. Yeah, thank you.
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Chapter 7: How did HARV transition from musician to producer and songwriter for Justin Bieber?
Did you work with Boyz II Men directly?
I wish. I wish. No. So me and a very talented writer named Adonis wrote that song. And yeah, Justin came in and cut it. And then next thing you know, Scooter's like, yeah, we're going to get Boyz II Men on it. Crazy. But I know I wish I was in the room with him.
Fa La La happens and more and more songs are created at that point. Then you become music director. What does music director mean?
So music director is a very important job. Basically... you arrange the live show and when i say arrange that means put like the extra hits in it the band intros outros um like orchestra hits like dance breaks anytime you see him go out and do a dance break like i had to like produce that and add that into the show like so let's say a song like peaches
I take the stems from the actual studio session, like the vocals, the music, the whole Pro2 session, and then I add certain things to enhance it. So when we present it in a live place, it just elevates the song just a little bit. And so that's one part.
And then the other part is hiring the musicians like the other band members, making sure the front of house guy is on point, the monitor guy, the techs, the crew. It's a very important kind of job, especially for artists of his magnitude, because there's so many moving parts. Like when we... When we tour, it's like just the band and people on stage alone is probably like 40 people.
Wow.
You know what I'm saying? That I kind of have to communicate with.
Were there a lot of people that came up with you guys as well that are still a part of the band?
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Chapter 8: What does being Justin Bieber’s music director entail?
Chapter 9: How has HARV’s relationship and work with Justin Bieber evolved over time?
But yeah, we've been there the longest. And we've created a band called We The Band. Out of Justin's band, we're actually working on an album right now. Amazing. Yeah, so it's like, yeah, I don't even want to spoil it, but it's fire.
I'm excited for it.
Yeah.
You started music director in 2015, is that right?
Yep, doing the Purpose album.
Which was one of the biggest albums ever. Yeah. Was it a difficult process to go from live performing as bassist to doing music director?
um it wasn't a difficult process it was just like when you're the music director like so the other tours like all i cared about was like when it came to the live space all i cared about was playing bass and killing like every time i got a chance to like solo or do something like i'm taking it like you know what i'm saying because this is all i had to think about once i became you know what i'm saying the md is not about me anymore it's not about me playing bass it's about
the big picture. Like how is this drum field sounding? How's this guitar sound? Well, how's that delayed at reverb? Uh, I'll tell Jewels, find a different patch. I'll tell sticks. I like that field, but do something different. I'll tell O'Neal, like, don't put the orchestra hits here or change that voice in of that chord. Don't, you know what I'm saying?
Don't play the nine because the nine ain't in the chord of the song play, you know what I'm saying? So it's like, it's so many different, like, like variables that go in being a music director and, that transition is like, okay, now I finally get to play bass. Like after I do all of that, okay, dang, what am I gonna play now?
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Chapter 10: What other projects and collaborations has HARV pursued outside of Bieber?
he that was the fastest verse i've ever seen in my life so give rice the verse sends it to justin justin sent it to me i get i get gives vocals i throw it into my session so now i got a verse i mean i got a hook justin's verse and now give me on right so i'm like oh this is fire right so That's how the song was for probably like a week or so.
So it was just Justin, Kivion, and then I did the piano synth solo at the end. And that's how the song was going to be.
So then like... By the way, the synth solo, crazy.
Thank you. Thank you.
That was just like improvised, right?
Yeah, yeah. So like I grew up listening to like Earth, Wind & Fire. And like I grew up around like musicians who actually play and like... And they put that in music. You know what I'm saying? So if you notice, in a lot of songs that I do now, there's some sort of solo or something going on in the background. I don't know.
I just want to leave the charge of young musicians that want to play instruments and produce. And that inspired me at 16. So I just want to inspire when somebody hears that at 16. Like, dang, he really took a piano solo at the end of this big old Billboard number one song. You know what I'm saying? I soloed all the way out.
so um yeah so that was the song for like a week and then justin facetimes me again he really a and r'd this song justin did he doesn't get credit for for it but he really a and r'd peaches i was just there to kind of like help see him help see the idea through but um Yeah, he called me like, yo, I want to get Daniel. I've always wanted to work with Daniel Caesar.
He was like, I always want to work with him. And I think he'll be fire on it. Like a third verse. I said, bro, it's your world.
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Chapter 11: How difficult is it to get song placements on major artists like Justin Bieber?
And, and, and, and the jam, like, you know, like everybody gets around and jam and they, they came up with it. And so then Justin, when he did the Instagram thing, I didn't know he had came from a previous jam. So I just took it and made a whole song that sounds totally different from the jam that they had.
So their goal wasn't even to make this into a hit song. They just made that. Justin decided, hey, I'm going to record this. They're like, wait, this is so much better than an Instagram video.
I don't even think Justin was going to record it. I just think it was a jam. And it was something that they all kind of jammed and created. And then Justin was just on Instagram playing it. And I was like, no, fuck that. This is a song. So I took it. Excuse me. Sorry. But I took that and made it a song.
Amazing. Yeah. Technology sounds like it transformed that did. Now, just to be sure here, Bieber sent that to Give Young. Yeah. They weren't in the same room. No. He just responds back with a verse. Yeah. A week later, Daniel Caesar pops on it.
Yeah. So I had to send open verses like I'll send it and then like open verse and then they'll just send it back.
Was it pretty much like the first people he thought of, that's who got on it? Or were there any other people? No, that was it. That's crazy.
Yeah. At least that's how he told me. It was Gideon and Daniel Caesar, like always.
When you heard that song, did you know it was going to be a smash?
Um...
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