Tell us a few things about your new song “Peace=Madness”. What is the main idea behind it?
This song was written very fast , I basically got the idea for it one morning and we pretty much knocked it out within a couple hours . This song is a ballad that really captured my mental state at the time of writing the song . “Peace = madness , and joy = sadness” it’s about how duality lives in everything and how when everyone leaves you’re just stuck with yourself . I can tend to look outside myself for the perfect life to live, but at the end of the day , I’m always still just me .
Which is your most personal and honest lyric?
I feel like the second half of my verse most genuinely represents what I’ve been going through right now. “my heart’s been in a daze, my sorrow’s getting praise, been facing my reflection, it’s personal dissection, there’s thing i wanna change, got me so feeling so estranged, my soul’s aboutta’ cave in, it’s time to que the ravens, I feel lost and tortured, just looking for a shoulder, that i can rest my head on. Where the fuck have you gone?”
Artists and people who have influenced and inspired you?
Amy Winehouse and Tupac
What would be your dream performance venue?
The forum for sure.
In which state of mind do you imagine people might listen to your music?
Most people listen to my music when they’re in need of some healing.
What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
lmaooo this is funny, this is a good question too. I remember this one time when I was 15, I was tagging in a mcdonald’s restroom. Someone called the cops on me and I legit ran away from the cops on foot , like cutting through houses for blocks until I was away from 12. That was pretty wild.
Tell us a few things about your new song ” Don’t Lie”. What is the main idea behind it?
“Don’t Lie” is loosely based on personal experience and those of friends. Most times, people never say what they mean in relationships and this can cause a lot of problems down the line. My motto is say what you mean and mean what you say. The truth always finds a way to surface so just be honest from the get go.
What is your creative process like?
It usually involves a glass of wine. No, but I usually marinate with the instrumental first to determine what kind of vibe I should go for. From that point, I usually freestyle and evolve from there.
For which lyric you are most proud of?
And I don’t like it when you talking sideways / Saying one thing, back peddling / Switching flipping, twistin’ turning / You know my mama didn’t raise no fool / And I can peep ya true feelings / No hoodoo voodoo when perceiving
Favourite album of the past year?
I have two. 1) Mood Valiant 2) Planet Her.
What would you change in the music industry?
Abolish 360 deals and shady contracts
What was the best film you have watched during the quarantine?
It’s not necessarily a film rather an anime series, but Inuyasha! I watched a few episodes here and there as a kid but never watched it chronologically until now.
What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
I plead the 5th. Lol, but I really don’t tend to get myself caught up in situations like that. I just keep cool and mind my business.
“OUT PAST CURFEW” is the outcome of the exclusive collaboration of the two MCs and performers Youthstar & Miscellaneous (Chill Bump) in a unique opus. Taking advantage of unexpected free time, they turned 2020 into the perfect year to develop the project and make it happen. It’s hard to overlook the eclecticism, the richness of the subjects covered, the completely crazy flows and the head banging loops of this album whose creation process was the fastest of their respective careers.
Last straight line before the release of the album “OUT PAST CURFEW” from the combo Youthstar & Miscellaneous (Chill Bump) on October 29th with the edgy single KITSUNEGARI between Grime, Bass Music and UK HipHop produced by Mr Frenchwax from the group Supachill. The track drops with a musicvideo in the image of this crazy song and prepares the ground for the title DROPPING LIKE FLIES which will accompany the release of the album at the end of October.
CLASSIC is a true tribute to the 90’s boombap and to all the great MCs who made Hip-Hop. Youthstar & Miscellaneous, surrounded by Cheeko (french rapper from the band Phases Cachées), Skillz & Vex, 2 hyped DJs & scratchers, on a super efficient and sampled production by the beatmaker Degiheugi. One by one, the 3 Mcs express all their consideration for their elders, from Rakim to Jay-Z, from The Roots to the Wu Tang, and even from Doc Gyneco to Mc Solar… they admit frankly that they wouldn’t be here today without them ! “If it weren’t for all of y’all there wouldn’t be none of us… The magic 90’s brought us all to this rap shit!”
“2 shots no chaser” is the first single from the joint album “Out Past Curfew” by Youthstar & Miscellaneous (Chill Bump). No different from these two entertainers, the track diffuses the same vibrant energy that the MCs deliver on stage. Between two shots of vodka, this colorful music video, shot in the streets of Barcelona, perfectly reflects the different shades they intentionally painted in this opus. It’s the first taste of their explosive upcoming album!
MY SONGS MAINLY COME TO ME IN DREAMS. I usually sing an idea into my phone when I am half asleep or half awake. Sometimes a lyric, sometimes just a melody. I have more than a hundred of these kicking around. Every now and then I go through them and see which ones excite me at that moment. Sometimes I need a section for a song and trawl through for ideas. I usually write at the piano, sometimes on the guitar. With MALA I woke in the middle of the night after hearing Spike Lee on TV. He said “you don’t want to make America great again you need to make it LOVE Again”
Tell us a few things about this new club remix.
I decided to create this on the back of the success of our previous club track Listen to the Beat and the success of the original MALA track video in winning more than twelve film festivals including the Cannes World Film festival. The hardest thing was deciding how much of the original vocal to use for a club track. We cut it right down in the Club Mix.and to almost nothing in the “Deep” mix. The club mix was one of my quickest ever, I knew exactly what I wanted, a balance between a catchy tune – keeping the message and an insistent beat. When I think a mix is finished I always compare it to my previous work and to a few tunes which I admire, to make sure we have not got lost in the creative process and that sonically we are up to scratch.
Do you like the idea of collaborating? Is songwriting a lonely process?
I could collaborate and have in the past – but it’s not lonely – When songwriting I communicate with the different parts of my personality and allow them to express themselves and have a dialogue. For me I have something important to say in each song (see below for MALA lyrics). This may be personal or political. I rarely decide to “sit down” and write from scratch, I get excited by something that has bubbled up and go with the feeling. I am able to edit my work as if I was an outsider – that is probably the toughtest bit. Songwriting is a deeply personal process, you are exposing your deepest self to the world, that can be scary.
Favourite album of the past decade?
Black Mirror
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an artist so far?
To keep going and believe in myself when things are not going well. To be sure I have something to say that is worth hearing and listening to. My strong belief that I occupy my own tiny but unique place in the musical universe. I have too many ideas and lyrics, choosing the next one to work on can be hard…It was a challenge to give up playing the saxophone, I decided to focus on less instruments – guitar, piano/keys.
In which state of mind do you imagine people might listen to your music?
A state of deep aliveness, connection with themselves and an urge to be part of something bigger. People who love a great tune with a hypnotic beat and at the same time want to express an important message. Thus people can hook into my tracks on a number of levels, any is ok with me.
When was the last time you danced?
Two weeks ago, I dance a lot and get many ideas when I am on the dance floor…get carried away sometimes.
Tell us a few things about your new song “Freewill”. What is the story behind it?
“Freewill” is the first single from “Sensed”, which is a concept album about the evolution of the universe from the point of view of a Being of Light, a story based on ancient Sumerian, Egyptian, Greek, Indian and Japanese scriptures. The work is of Death/Post Metal mold, with a very important use of harmonic singing, ergo of Mongolian, Indian and Japanese chants; a peculiarity that makes the album also meditative, as well as merely aggressive. The rhythms derive from and are inspired by the Indian Konnakol, the oldest musical language of man. “Sensed” is written, performed (vocals and guitars), produced, recorded, programmed (synth, bass and drums) mixed and mastered by Riccardo Moccia, through Altamira Multimedia.
What first got you into music?
I don’t remember exactly. A sensed voice, I guess…
What do you enjoy most? Writing music or performing your music live?
Writing music is a very important part of my life and routine. Performing my music instead is the moment of truth (my truth), where I actually can disappear from this world and get connected with the true essence of my sound: beyond and through my flesh and thoughts.
How Important are political statements by music artists? Can music have an impact on politics?
That depends only by the will of the artist in my opinion. We all do politics by the way, but for doing good things we have to think far beyond our needs and dreams, even beyond the humanity itself.
When not writing music, how do you spend your time?
That’s a weird question… Everyone knows that time doesn’t exist.
Tell us a few things about your new song “Love In Montana”. What is the story behind it?
“Love in Montana” loosely depicts an amazing trip I had to Missoula, Montana where I had the time of my life for a few short days! The vibe of that town is so chill and the people really have a thirst for life. I highly recommend visiting if you can. You’ll have the time of your life!
How would you describe your musical progress over time?
I just started releasing music in 2020 and over this short amount of time my music has changed a lot. I started doing more experimental and avant garde tracks and lately I’ve dabbled in slightly more commercial sounds. I truly love it all and I’m excited to continue this journey.
What first got you into music?
I got into music because I needed an outlet to grow as an artist but also share my experiences with the world. In the past, my creative practice was mostly focused on the visual and performing arts. Music gives me a platform to express myself in ways that I find cathartic but also uplifting. My goal is to share these feelings and discoveries with my audience and hopefully inspire them.
Favourite album of the past decade?
That’s a tough question. There are so many amazing albums that I still have on repeat. But if I had to pick one, I’m going with Frank Ocean “Channel Orange.” The album is damn near perfect and each song has an emotional core that transports you to another world. Frank seems to be able to craft entire movies with his songwriting and I’m just in awe of his talent and overall creativity.
Is Spotify the music industry’s new Gatekeepers?
Short answer, NO. I think the people are the new gatekeepers. It’s interesting to note, if you compare an artist’s catalog between streaming platforms, you’ll notice that the most popular songs of any particular artist are often much different on each platform. You can make a lot of conclusions from that info but for me it just means artists shouldn’t take the data from any of these platforms at face value. Just like you shouldn’t believe a song or live performance will always hit in different parts of the world.
When not writing music, how do you spend your time?
Right now, I’ve been watching a lot of NFL. I’m a part of this Fantasy Football League and it’s a lot of fun and takes my mind off of things. Other than that, I like to go out and check out local LA bands.
What would you say is your biggest vice?
Lately my biggest vice has been social media. It’s a necessity for me to be on these apps trying to grow my following and engaging with the people that like my music but oftentimes it doesn’t leave a lot of room for just living and spending time with my thoughts. I’ve been trying to find a balance but it’s rough, especially when I know how important these apps are to furthering my music career. I take it day-by-day though. That being said, follow me @JovikyJames on Instagram and Twitter. 😉
Tell us a few things about your new song “Pink For My Money”. What is the main idea behind it?
The main idea behind the song “Pink for My Money” is to take the listener through my journey growing up as a woman. Through the confusion, the anger and lack of self worth in the face of society’s mixed messages. Which comes across very vividly when speaking about the PINK TAX.
Which is your most personal and honest lyric?
My most personal and honest lyric is “But what about the time I’ve spent?And what about the tears? Ain’t that pretty?”
Favourite album of the past decade?
My Favourite album of the past decade would have to be “INSIDE” by Bo Bornham.
What would be your dream performance venue?
My dream performance venue is Red Rocks, Morrison, Colorado.
Which book should we read while listening to your music?
Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom By Dr. Christiane Northrup.
What is the one habit/thing you cannot live without?
The one habit/thing that I cannot live without would be questioning everything and investigating whatever I find interesting.
Tell us a few things about your new song ” Quarter After Midnight” . What is the story behind it?
We had written the foundations of the song before we officially started the band. The Khaki Fever live band members had a massive input on this song, especially our beautiful keyboard player Joe Moore. When we started arranging the song, the dynamics, lyrics and energy were all already there. We then rearranged it slightly to turn it more from a band jam to a track. One of the key aspects of the track is its dynamics so creating vocal performances that compliment these changes in volume and energy while delivering our own character was key. One of the other aspects we experimented with was the horns at the end. We ended up choosing trumpets because they really cut through the mix.
Our current sound is characterized by a funky groove with digital elements. The bass was written to bring out that groove that the drums and percussion were already delivering. We wanted the track to lead on nicely from our first single “I Got This Feeling” and to do so we needed similar timbres and textures. So we spent a lot of time adjusting the synths in the choruses to compliment the track but also link back to our first release “I Got This Feeling”. Contingency is important to us with our plan for this EP.
What is the main topic of your lyrics?
The first three singles will form our first EP and we really just want to introduce people to Khaki Fever and let them know we’re up for a good time. The lyrics of all three singles are uplifting and feel good.. We have a lot of other songs with more meaning behind them, but for now we just want people to have some Fever fun!
The lyrics behind Quarter After Midnight in particular are about a cheeky night out full of flirting, fun and of course – the funk. The lyrics take you to a warm summer evening – those nights that are never planned but always bring a smile when you’re reminded of them.
What do you enjoy most? Writing music or performing your music live?
Being music producers and engineers as well, our home is in the studio writing and producing our tracks. We spend much more time in there than on stage. But there’s nothing like playing your music to a crowd of people who want to have a big night man. We’re always happy to oblige.
What would be your dream performance venue?
While our sound is mostly characterised by being quite epic and large, we would love to play a tiny desk concert. It’s so intimate and gives artists the opportunity to show so much personality as well as play a great gig! It feels so authentic.
When not writing music, how do you spend your time?
We like a good night out for sure. Halloween this year was a pretty big one – nothing quite like roaming the streets of Soho in a prisoner outfit, barely stringing sentences together. We managed to sneak into a private event and looked so out of place in these outfits, all eyes were on us – and that’s exactly how we like it.
What would you say is your biggest vice?
“Best not ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to, Mum”. We asked our good friend and saxophonist this question and his answer was “We’re both fucking idiots” to which we wholeheartedly agree. “Annoying but breathtakingly handsome” was the answer from Gio’s girlfriend (or something like that) and we can’t say we disagree. In all seriousness though I think we put a lot of things on our plate and we often feel a little thinly stretched. As well as the writing, recording, mixing, producing, sourcing musicians, promo, running ads, submitting music to amazing blogs and playlists like yourselves, and all the other tasks behind Khaki Fever; we host a music podcast called Radio Fever (which can be found on Spotify Podcasts).
Tell us a few things about your new song “Downfall”. What is the story behind it?
I recently watched “The Social Dilemma” on Netflix and the whole documentary was essentially discussing how social media platforms are designed specifically to be as addictive as possible. After this was actively pointed out to me I really started noticing (in myself and in my friends) just how dependant we are on it; I’ll stay up just to scroll when I actively want to go to sleep and the first thing I do every day is compulsively check my phone. I have no doubt a lot of other people are the same… Realising this made me really uncomfortable so I wanted to write a song where I really treated it like a drug addiction. Other kinds of addiction have such negative stigma towards them, but no-one thinks twice about how addicted to the internet we all are. People very close to me have struggled with various forms of addiction, and from my personal experiences losing yourself in the internet can be just as harmful as losing yourself to a substance.
Which is your most personal and honest lyric?
From this song I’d say the most honest lyric is “seeping in, creeping in like diffusing- spreading underneath my skin like it’s bruising” as I wrote it not thinking but just feeling and describing the sensation. It’s about that itching feeling of when you’re trying to go to sleep but your mind keeps jumping back to wanting that hit and while you try to ignore it it just sinks in that little bit deeper. Giving into that feeling isn’t that immediate harm either, you realise the damage later so to me it acts like a bruise.
Your dream collaboration?
There are so many amazing artists I would love to work with but dreaming big I would love to work with Billie Eilish and Finneas some day. I’d love to have a studio session with them both and I think that their soft and clean sound could work really nicely on dark, minimal, dance-y pop track.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced as an artist so far?
I’d say the hardest thing I’ve found so far is getting used to rejection. In creative industries everything is very subjective so it’s one of those things where you just have to learn not to take it personally and that’s so much harder than it sounds… especially when you’ve poured your heart into a project.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I would tell my younger self to stop stressing so much about things that I have no control over. You can’t control how other people think of you or what they’ll say about you so the best thing you can do is be nice to everyone you meet and just do whatever makes you happy in the moment.
When was the last time you danced?
The last I properly danced in a class (with actual technique) was pre-pandemic so probably back in December of 2019. But I had a lot of fun just dancing around in the music video for this track which I only filmed a couple of months ago.
Tell us a few things about your new work “Our Universe, Our Galaxy”.
Our Universe, Our Galaxy is my new single from my upcoming project ‘Unspoken Dreams,’ which speaks of dreams, desires, words, wishes that have been hidden so far, but see the light because love is involved. Love is the natural force will create a safe place for our emotions to run free when given freedom of engagement. Our Universe, Our Galaxy takes us into this world of hidden emotions. It’s a world made for people who are madly in love and feel different from society. They feel different because they are riding a different wave of emotions. Therefore, the single takes listeners into a hidden world of desires that are on the brink of becoming fully realized.
For which lyric you are most proud of?
Rest your soul as you lay On my chest all night Do that thing again Go back to my dream
It’s an invitation to detach from reality for a small instance and dive into the world of dreams, where our emotions are safe to find a tangible expression.
Artists and people who have influenced and inspired you?
There are so many musicians and artists that have influenced my upbringing and my music since my childhood. From classical to pop, from jazz to soul music, here are a few names that have and still inspire me: Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Jazmine Sullivan, Prince and Justin Timberlake.
What would be your dream performance venue?
Madison Square Garden in New York.
In which state of mind do you imagine people might listen to your music?
When people are deeply in love with someone, an entity, or even something like an idea, a vision, or just a concept. That someone can also be yourself. I feel that we as musicians and artists need to create a safe place for people to express themselves in all kinds of forms, colors, shape, sounds and emotions. I personally feel obliged to do so. My music tries to create a safe place where you can express yourself however you want. I also love to include strong visuals that break common sense, or provoke and leave space for imagination and creativity.
When was the last time you danced?
Just before. I dance every day. Dance is part of who I am. It goes along with my music, my creativity. The body is one, and can’t be detached from movement. Dance is part of who we are. When we are children, we dance because we don’t care who is watching. It should stay that way as we grow older.
HipHop Paranoia 