Sean Tillman — also known as Har Mar Superstar — has fun. Whether it’s in his lyrics, which cover everything from sex to Tall Boys, or his other ventures like his podcast, Nocturnal Emotions, Tillman is not one to hold back. He acts, he sings, he gets half-naked and most importantly, he has fun. WSN chatted with Tillman about his career and his bright future.

WSN: Now that you’ve created an outlandish persona for yourself, do you ever feel pressure to keep that up now that people have come to expect that from you?

Har Mar Superstar: I like to get weird on stage, but off-stage I’m pretty chill. It’s funny when people expect me to be wild around the clock, but I made my own bed, you know? I think as the records I make enter more personal or emotional territory people stray from the constructs of my earlier career which is nice.  We’re all growing up. I will always put on a sweaty, fun show though. That’s my whole deal.

WSN: How do you balance being a musician, having a podcast, being on TV or in films, etc? What do you consider your first priority?

HMS: I consider being a touring musician/songwriter my first priority. Playing live is my first love, but that leaves me a lot of time for other projects. I love acting and writing for TV and film too. It’s a whole other outlet from me to get weird.  

WSN: Would you say you’ve reached a point that you’re happy with in your musical career? Given the opportunity, is there anything else — music-related or not — that you want to try?

HMS: I am so happy with where I’m at in my career. Just the fact that I can make a living playing shows is the dream come true. I’ll always experiment though. I have many other musical projects that I’m working on right now. Hoping the side projects see the light of day in the next year or two. Screenwriting is one of my favorite pastimes too. I like to work with other writers and create.  

WSN: What is up next for you after the tour is over?

HMS: Hard to say what’s next. Probably more tours to be honest. Other than that, I’m going to get deep on my gardening skills because my backyard is screaming to be very cute this summer.

WSN: What is your favorite music-related memory?

HMS: Stevie Wonder played Songs In the Key of Life on tour this year. It’s my favorite record. He sounded amazing at the Barclay’s Center show I was at last year. My friends David, Mo and I bawled our eyes out multiple times because it was so good. I have to say that set the bar extremely high for me. I was so inspired that I added three more players to my band for the next tour.  

WSN: What’s the story behind the artwork for “Anybody’s Game?”

HMS: The genius Liz Hirsch does all of the artwork over at Cult Records. She sends me images all of the time that she’s working on. That one just popped for me immediately. There isn’t really a story beside the fact that I love how my face looks super warped in a cute version of Sloth from the Goonies way.

WSN: What do you hope people will take out of your live shows and your music?

HMS: I hope people take away a positive, life affirming vibe from the shows and music. I like to put it all out there. I also hope that I help people get laid.

WSN: Do you see problems with the way the music industry is run today? And if you could change something about it, what would it be?

HMS: I’m very lucky to be working with an indie label that cares a lot. There are fewer and fewer these days. I personally have no complaints about what’s going on out there. It’s easy to be snarky about the bigger labels and the systems they run, but I like to stay positive. It’s still possible to survive as an artist and it’s a constantly evolving machine.You just need to keep up with what’s happening and focus on the music.

Email Hannah Shulman at [email protected].