INTERVIEW: Andy Grammer On 'Fresh Eyes' Music Video

Last week (on Oct. 19), Andy Grammer shared the official music video for his new single "Fresh Eyes," off of his upcoming third studio album. The touching visual, follows Andy while he spends the day at the Union Rescue Mission on Skid Row in Los Angeles, which is the west coast city's longest-running homeless shelter where 1,100 homeless people seek shelter at every night. The music video follows suit with Andy's campaign to donate all proceeds of his new song to the homeless shelter.

Andy recently opened up about his top 20 Adult Top 40 Billhoard hit, the making of his music video, and what homelessness means to him when he stopped by iHeartRadio HQ in New York for an exclusive interview. 

[Buy "Fresh Eyes" on iTunes]

Homelessness has been an issue that has been important to the 32-year-old singer/songwriter for a long time. In the beginning of his career, Andy spent a large amount of time as a street performer, and performed on the streets of Santa Monica where he would spend time with the homeless community there. And beyond that, he tells us he's even spent a few of his birthdays bringing extra clothes and home-made sandwiches down to homeless people on Skid Row with his friends."My parents raised me to believe that service is the way to happiness. Throughout street-performing, and also just being in L.A., I would, every once in a while on my birthday, I'd have all my friends come over, and we'd bring extra clothes, and make sandwiches, and bring them down to Skid Row. So it's something that I've been doing for a while."

[RELATED: Andy Grammer Shares Heartwarming 'Fresh Eyes' Visual (VIDEO)]

On the meaning behind the "Fresh Eyes" music video

"When we had the opportunity to do this 'Fresh Eyes' video, what an incredible way ... because it's about rediscovering love. So, rediscover love with people down on Skid Row." He added, "To go down there, and see how badly everybody needs [help], and then to be able to help, even in a small way. I know that we're not ending homelessness here, but we really impacted some people's lives, just in the way they saw themselves, and being able to give them some attention, and some love, and really big them up for a day was pretty awesome."

On the original meaning of the lyrics for "Fresh Eyes"

Despite the fact that the "Fresh Eyes" music video revolves around helping the homeless, the song was originally inspired by Andy's wife. He tells us, "I originally wrote the song because my wife had woken up from a nap, and she had her hair everywhere, and she started rapping Big Sean, and she's like, 'I don't f*** with you' [rapping the lyrics]. And I was like, 'Oh, how sweet, that I've been with you for a really long time, and I still don't know you! You doing that means that I didn't even know that you listened to Big Sean. That's amazing!'"

On his favorite part of the "Fresh Eyes" music video

"Throughout the process of making the video, we went and gave make-overs to homeless people. And, we had started giving make-overs while I went in to go talk to them, and hear their stories, and see where they slept, and really check out the Union Rescue Mission, down on Skid Row. And when I came back out, I was having a conversation with this gentleman who was clearly a part of the video crew, and we talked for about ten minutes, just about life. And then at the end, I was like, 'Hey, so, what do you do? Like, are you like a P.A.? Are you with catering? Like, what's your deal here?' And he's like, 'No, I'm just one of the guys you cleaned up.' And I was just thrown because I don't know why I had been speaking to him differently. So that was the craziest moment of the whole process for me, was like, 'Man! Just took a jacket and a haircut, and now I feel like I can have a conversation with you?'"

During the "Fresh Eyes" music video, before giving each individual a makeover and food, we see Andy sit down with several people in the Union Rescue Mission to talk to them and listen to their stories. And many of them told him how touched they were by Andy's efforts.

On the reactions of the homeless people he helped during the music video

"There was one guy who said, 'It's really sweet to just feel like somebody cares. We're down here, and not all of us are just drug addicts, or like I know that when you look at me, you think that I am a total screw-up, but some of us have just come on hard times, and we're still trying to get out.' And this is a place that helps people break the cycle of homelessness. And the fact that you just looked him in the eyes and said like, 'The fact that you're here means a lot to me!' and 'It's very inspiring, so thanks for being here,' every interaction there was so rich. We cleaned up one guy, and we [asked] 'How do you feel?' And he goes, 'I feel human!' and 'This is unbelievable, this whole process!' I was so emotionally spent by the time it was done. It was amazing."

One of the more emotional moments of the video itself is watching these people look at themselves with a pair of "Fresh Eyes," and Andy tells us that's the most powerful part of the visual. "I think that is the most powerful part of the video, is with the double mirror, and you can see them see themselves. So when they turn the chair, and they go, 'Oh, I haven't seen myself cleaned up in a while,' you know, who knows what possibilities start occurring in their head. That was so powerful."

You can help Andy and his mission to help the homeless, by visiting his official website, andygrammer.com.

Watch Andy Grammer's official "Fresh Eyes" music video below!

Photos: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio