On
Gavin DeGraw's new album
SWEETER, the New York native experimented with new sounds, thanks, in part, to collaborating with a host of top-notch producers he'd wanted to work with for a while, including fellow groove-minded piano player
OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder (Beyonce,
Adele), Butch Walker (
Weezer,
Avril Lavigne), Eric Rosse (
Sara Bareilles,
Tori Amos), and Ron Aniello (
Barenaked Ladies, Matt Nathanson). "The creation of every song began with an interview to select the right producer," Gavin says. "It was like speed-dating. I'd play them the songs I was working on and ask which ones they liked the best, and then ask them to produce those they were most passionate about."