Where are you currently based?
West Hollywood, California
How did you first start playing music?
When I was about 9 I wrote some really bad songs and made people watch as a friend and I performed them. REALLY bad! Good beats no structure and crap lyrics
What’s been happening recently?
Working on my EP and launching an NFT community
You’ve partnered with Peloton and R3hab, please tell us how this came about and what you’ve done together?
I was flown by Playboy Down to a party in Miami to launch Centerfold and the party was fun, Charlie XCX was dj’ing but nobody was dancing except this one really cool lady. So I went up and started dancing with her and exchanged numbers. Turns out she was the SVP of music and content partnerships for peloton, (Gwen Riley) I asked if they’d be interested to place product in my next video and she said let’s go bigger and do a Peloton edit of one of your songs and launch it for gay pride. I was thrilled obviously, we had spoken about who we’d get to do it and I had previously worked on a song with R3HAb and JOJO that wasn’t released but I loved what we did. By chance R3HAB’s manager had reached out in January to Gwen to find something to do with Peloton so it was meant to be.
At first Peloton’s DJ John Michael and I spoke about what would work in his room’s . He knows the Peloton following and what they needed to work best with the ride’s so that was interesting to hear how dynamic and functional the song needed to be. We tossed around reference’s and let R3HAB work his magic as he does. Was cool to see the song take on a new life in such a different way.
Please tell us about your other song writing placements with both international and local artists:
I got lucky , The first real producers I worked with were the Aussie DNA boys. Before they were multi platinum hit makers they are now. We were working on some songs for me and at the time, I was always like “how am I working with you guys …and you’re making music for h2o tv show about mermaids was there biggest ticket item at the time. They were so talented and still are ! … anyway, I used to go to this bar in woolomolloo where I met UK singer Brian McFadden after a recording session one day. We became friends and one day I asked his opinion on one of my songs. One in particular he liked was a song called “Chemical Rush” said he liked it and the next day I get a call out of the blue saying he had shown his A&R manager at Universal and wanted to release the song for himself , so I went back to DNA and told the boys , they were thrilled obviously and that went on to become my first commercial release and aof my first gold record that hit #2 and got nominated for APRA dance work of the year.
Later I went on to work with Delta Goodrem and working with international; artist JoJo was a career highlight. Her voice is on Mariah Carey’s level and she takes her craft so seriously. A perfectionist at its best. So cool to witness that angel sing and ask my take on how and where she should take the song vocally was insane.
Aussie artist Nat Dunn is another Highlight, similar stance on her. I always tell her it’s your duty to over-sing everything because you have a voice that only few people on the planet possess.. “so sing into the shell little mermaid “ !!! I always joke that’s how I’ll steal her voice.
How did your creative partnership with Playboy and Cardi B come about?
As it always seems to happen with random LA moments… I literally moved into a building and started hanging out with the marketing director, Holly Ruprecht and she had instagramed me on her story, her boss Reena had seen me and asked her if I’d be into becoming a founding creator of Centerfold. Just like that!
What did you create?
I was shot by photographer Maddie Cordoba who has shot for Selena Gomez, Kris Jenner, Jessica Alba etc so that was cool, paid a fair bit of cashola and started creating and planning out events to promote being content creators who could connect with fans and monetise their videos, photos, host podcasts, live stream and all that good stuff. I was flying blind as I suck at all that but I’m learning and thank god they’re teaching me as we go and are planning more partnerships as part of an ongoing relationship. Love my playboy peeps.
Who are you listening to the moment?
Earth wind and fire . Going old school.
What do you like to do away from music?
Working on a radio show at the moment here in LA that will be a weekly gig chatting starting in July.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2022 going into 2023?
Working on my EP and radio show. RIPYouth tour would be cool and I am hoping to get back to Australia.
Favourite food and place to hangout in LA?
Pace Restaurant in Laurel Canyon. Always a vibe, cool not pretentious place that you’d find the likes of Johnny Depp in a corner reading a book or someone smoking a Joint and drinking a glass of red whilst drawing on the walls or tables – that’s allowed, it’s a very creative space!
@weareripyouth @james_maas
