jnr.

Where are you currently based?

I’m based in Eora (Sydney) and work out of my studio in Marrickville.

How did you first start playing music?

I started learning piano when I was around 8 and would sing and play old Billy Joel and Elton John songs. I picked up guitar a bit later and started playing in rock bands which really solidified the passion. I haven’t really stopped since.

What’s been happening recently?

Too much! I released my last single ‘A Friend’ at the end of September. Then I had to figure out how to do my live shows almost immediately after the release, and did my first two shows under the jnr. name. And all that time I was finishing off this next single and working with other artists. It’s been a pretty hectic end to the year.

What or who influenced the sound and songwriting for your latest single ‘Say (Light Me Up)’?

I wanted this one to be introspective but uplifting – I love that push and pull between emotions in music. I was listening to a lot of LANY at the time and I think that really shows in the track’s aesthetic. Thematically, I was in a really troubled place at the time and needed to get it out. It’s hard writing music about people you’re close with because they’re gonna know what it’s about as soon as they hear it. But it doesn’t feel authentic to write about topics that aren’t playing on my mind at the time. This feels like a snapshot of where I was at that time.

How did you go about writing Say (Light Me Up)?

It took a few drafts and structure changes to get to where it is. It’s all based around that pad in the intro, this weird blippy synth and big 80’s drums. The vocals went through a few melody drafts but once I found the right fit I knew instantly.

Where did you record/produce/master and who did you work with?

I started producing this one at home – I’ve got a little setup in the living room. And I just kept going between home and my studio space (Casa Studios) to finish off the prod. After I finished the production I had a few sessions at Studios 301 with Nico Mendoza (the king) to do the mix and master. He made this song exactly what it needed to be and I couldn’t be happier.

How did you approach the recording process?

I produce alone, so the recording process is very introspective and I get to get really deep into all the fine details with essentially no time restraints. I recorded this mainly in the box, and used Omnisphere for most of the synths.

This track has taken a new direction from your past releases, how did this come about?

I rarely ever write a straight-ahead ‘pop’ song – it’s always influenced by other weird things that I’m into at the time. But I wanted to challenge myself and do something completely within the genre. Because I love artists like joan, Nightly, Lauv, Conan Gray – they’re all just making really well-written and well-produced bangers. So I focussed a lot on the songwriting and making the production as clean as possible, while still keeping it authentic. It still sits in the same world as ‘A Friend’ even though I’m doing something a bit different.

Please tell us about the video, aesthetic of the jnr. brand and the people behind it:

It was really spur of the moment. Me and Zoë usually sit down and talk about what we see when we listen to the song and go from there. We wanted a vintage vibe because the song has kind of a nostalgic feel to it. So we roped in Myles Carroll who is a gun on the Super 8 Camera and got these beautiful shots at sunrise. There’s not really a story to it, we wanted it to look more like a home movie.

You work with your partner Zoë, how has this been?
It’s so easy. She gets my vision and always has ideas on top of mine that bring it to the next level. I’m a very visual person, but find it hard to explain what I see in my head (I do that better with sound). So I really trust her with the jnr. brand; my aesthetic is definitely a blend of both of us.

Please tell us about your relationship with the Sydney music scene and the artists that you love:

Sydney is coming up! There are so many underground artists and events happening that really excite me. Everytime I go out I see more and more people that are making incredible art and are contributing massively to the culture. I think it’s only up from here, there’s a lot to be excited about.

You work as a producer and topliner outside of jnr. what do you get up to?
I do a bit of everything. I love melody so much that when I’m producing I usually help out with the topline as well. But I’ve been working mainly with artists I meet online or through other people. Most recently, I co-produced and co-wrote Corrj’s latest single ‘Lie To Me’, which is a 00’s RnB-trap song (catch me on the ad libs as well). When there’s less pressure on me as a vocalist to perform in the studio I get to really dig into the production and experiment with new sounds that may not necessarily work for jnr.

How did you get into producing?

Accidentally! I was on a Zoom writing camp in lockdown as a topliner. The producer in the session asked if I produced as well and I said “Yeah, kinda.” So he left the call and let me drive the session. I had to learn on the fly and hope for the best haha. It was pretty daunting but I can’t thank him enough for it. The artist in that session became a really good friend of mine and we’re working on a single for next year!

What’s planned for the remainder of 2022 going into 2023?
The rest of the year is going to be finishing off songs that I want to put out next year, and working with more people outside of my circle. Lots to expect.

Who are you listening to at the moment?
Harry’s House and Being Funny In A Foreign Language have been on rotation.

Favourite food and place to hangout?

Klub Satellite in Newtown!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jnrfullstop/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jnrfullstop

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jnrfullstop

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jnrfullstop

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soundsbyjnr

Triple J Unearthed: www.abc.net.au/triplejunearthed/artist/jnrfullstop

Website: www.jnrfullstop.com

jnr.