How would you describe your musical progress over the years?
From ‘loud, busy and slightly experimental’ to ‘softer, less busy but still slightly experimental’
Which song of the album reflects you the most?
I think song four, Devotion, which uses a vocal sample sung in an unknown Indian dialect. I think that it is relatable yet surprising. I like the idea of being relatable but surprising!
Do you have an artist that you would describe as a hidden gem that we should know about?
David Sylvian. He spoke of trying to “blow peoples hearts wide open” with his music and he has done that for me, many, many times
What would you change in the music industry?
It needs to embrace musical originality more. A lot of current music sounds too similar
Which book should we read while listening to your music?
“Reverence for Life: The Ethics of Albert Schweitzer for the Twenty-First Century”. For my musical project HAPPY GHOSTS, I based a whole album around his philosophy and called it REVERENCE FOR LIFE. An extraordinary human being
Tell us a few things about your new single “Yeah, No”
“Yeah, No” sonically illustrates the feeling of existential dread and the thoughts that are sometimes hard to forget when life keeps repeating itself and it seems like we are just powerless beings floating around in space. The entire song is written from 2 perspectives of thought and almost every lyric is a double or triple entendre. I intentionally recorded and mixed the vocals to sound as if they are my internal thoughts being transferred through the music.
Your music has an experimental tone. Should music as a form of art always challenge the listener?
I honestly think music should be and can be anything. There is space in the world for all types of music, for all types of occasions. I personally enjoy music that challenges me. I get excited when I hear something new that sounds innovative and unique, especially when it’s anchored in emotion or storytelling. I do realize my music is on the experimental side and I hope the listener can stretch their ear and take a moment to vibe with something different.
How many beats do you listen to before you end up using one? Who is your favorite producer?
I actually produce most of my own music so far. I’m an indie DIY artist and I really enjoy exploring vibes and creating music that has an artful and cinematic quality to it. Those are usually the type of beats that inspire me. That being said, I work with a couple other producers and when they send beats I often don’t spend that much time at all finding the right one. When I feel it, the vibe hits me right away and I immediately start writing.
My favorite producer of all time is probably Quincy Jones. I’m also a huge fan of Pharrell, Flying Lotus, Jon Brion and Trent Reznor.
What would you change in the music industry?
The music industry has its pros and cons and its ups and downs. I would probably change the concept that artists have to subscribe to industry standards to be relevant and successful. Just make music that you like and that comes from a real place.
What was the best film you have watched during the quarantine?
Oh man, that’s a tough one. I watched this movie at the beginning of quarantine titled “Luce” that stars Octavia Spencer and a great young actor, Kelvin Harrison Jr. The film is a powerful and timely story and it shows another side of race-relations in the United States, that I think a lot of people are unaware of. The movie touches on specific ideas of privilege and the model minority myth in America and how stereotypes can be extremely damaging to a person and a community if left unchecked.
Any future plans?
I have an EP dropping at the end of December. With this project, I’m exploring a lot of the same themes in “Yeah, No” I’m excited for people to hear my music in a broader context. This EP is a cinematic, 6-track journey through the mind of Jōviky.
HipHop Paranoia 