New York-based songwriting duo, Daniel Mertzlufft and Jacob Ryan Smith have recently come together to launch their professional partnership, beginning with a debut single, ‘ In My Head, ’ which is set to drop on all streaming platforms on September 23rd.
Smith & Mertzlufft’s debut song features a bright pop melody layered over a complex musical meter to evoke the anticipatory confusion of young love, and the age old question of “what if this is all just in my head?” The song features Andrew Barth Feldman, who is set to star opposite Jennifer Lawrence in the highly anticipated comedy, No Hard Feelings , as well as Joe Serafini who currently stars as Seb in the Disney+ original series, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Both Mertzlufft and Smith are excited to be working with the two singers/actors, as they bring ‘ In My Head’ to life.
“Writing music with Dan has been such a blast– we speak such a similar musical language so we end up finishing each other's melodies and ideas all the time. Now to get to work alongside Joe, who was my roommate in college, and Andrew, who’s become a beautiful new friend, makes the creative experience that much more fulfilling. I really can’t wait for people to hear it.” Said Smith.
“It’s a rare treat to be able to work with not only the sweetest of humans, but also the most talented. This song is an expression of pure love and joy, and I can’t wait to share it with the world!” Said Mertzlufft.
The songwriting duo have previously boasted numerous successes as individual artists, with Mertzlufft being the Executive Producer, Composer and Music Supervisor for the widely popular TikTok musical, For You, Paige. Mertzlufft’s other prior credits also include writing “ The Meaning Of Pride (Be True To You )” for Nickelodeon’s Pride 2021 collection, and launching the viral TikTok Ratatouille Musical movement, for which he went on to serve as Music Supervisor, Composer and Arranger for the official, Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, which raised over $2 million for The Actors Fund .
Smith also brings wide-ranging expertise and accomplishments to the partnership, having previously crafted the musical short film, Unprecedented, for which he wrote the screenplay, lyrics,, and composed the music. Smith also created the original ballet, 'Marley Was Dead to Begin With,’ a complex take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, which is performed yearly by Terminus Modern Ballet in Atlanta, GA . Most recently, you can hear Smith’s original music on Disney+ in Dan Povenmire's, Hamster & Gretel. With the initial teaser released, fans have already expressed their excitement for the debut, especially with the song being an example of positive LGBTQ+ representation in the media, focusing on the budding romance of two young men. Both Mertzlufft and Smith are looking forward to their growing partnership, and are ready for the future projects they have in the works.
In My Head ’ will be available on all major streaming platforms on September 23rd, 2022, and you can pre-save the song here.
About Daniel Mertzlufft & Jacob Ryan Smith : https://www.smithandmertzlufft.com/
Full Credits: Music and Lyrics by Smith and Mertzlufft Performed By Andrew Barth Feldman & Joe Serafini Music Production and Orchestrations By August Eriksmoen Videography and Editing by Rebecca Michelson