SMITH & MERTZLUFFT

Smith & Mertzlufft (Jacob Ryan Smith and Daniel Mertzlufft) are a New York City–based songwriting duo best known for their viral hit In My Head, performed by Andrew Barth Feldman and Joe Serafini, which was praised for its authentic and joyful portrayal of young queer love. The song’s success sparked follow-up collaborations including Reading Too Much Into You with Bradley Riches and Do You Remember with Lorna Courtney.

Most recently, the duo wrote the music and lyrics for The (Disaster) Marathon of 1904, a new musical comedy with a book by Tyler Joseph Ellis. They wrote music and lyrics for a musical adaptation of Grumpy Monkey, which enjoyed a sold-out run at Pasadena Playhouse.

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Outside of their work together, both artists pursue individual projects.

Jacob is known for his original musical Like Father; Painless: The Opioid Musical, a touring musical collaboration between The University of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services; and Shelter Me, a large scale chorale oratorio commissioned by the Dallas Street Choir.

Daniel is recognized for his work on The Thanksgiving Musical on The Late Late Show with James Corden, for launching the viral Ratatouille musical movement on TikTok, and for serving as Music Supervisor, composer, and arranger of Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical. He also wrote the music for Dot and the Kangaroo JR, commissioned by MTI Australasia and iTheatrics.