Where are you currently based?
I live in Sydney, Australia
How did you first start playing music?
I started piano lessons when I was 7 or 8. I first realised I could sing in year 6 of primary school when I auditioned for the school musical and got a lead role. I wrote my first songs on piano and self-taught guitar when I was 13 (I recorded me playing them on my webcam at the time- humorous content which I may leak someday)
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?
Recently I’ve been doing a residency program at Church Street Studios and have been busy creating music there. I’m also working on songwriting and producing collaborations with a few international artists which I’m excited about!
I found myself making the most of quarantine- I wrote songs (I’ve got a quarantine-themed track called ‘All My Friends Have Boyfriends’), I became a better producer, I drank wine, and had plenty of time with my family and my dogs (one is sitting on my lap as I write this).
Your new single ‘Catastrophe’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
I was listening to a lot of contemporary rnb around the time I made Catastrophe, artists like Snoh Aalegra, Lolo Zouai, H.E.R. I can definitely hear a combination of the genres of music that I love: pop, indie, rnb. I think my production style of including lots of vocal harmony is a defining factor to my music. I have a degree in classical composition which has influenced the way that I arrange vocal harmony in all my tracks, and especially in catastrophe.
How did Catastrophe come about?
Catastrophe was an assortment of different ideas that came together. I first had the ‘ah’ melody (which is heard behind the verse melody at the start of the song, and in the ‘breakdown’ sections).
I developed the main melody off of a few samples – I’ve never done production before melody before but that’s kind of how it turned out. I had the words ‘lean on me’ but I quickly realised the song was destined for a different meaning and it became ‘catastrophe’. The rest of the lyrics rolled out after that.
I’ve spoken a lot about the creation process on my Instagram (@jofimusic) if you’re interested to know more.
What does the single mean to you?
It was pretty cathartic to write about my character flaws and lay them all on the table for me to reflect on (and for everybody who hears it, whoops). Making the track was healing, to reflect on the times I did things I regret, learn from it and move forward with the hope of not being much of a catastrophe in the future.
Where and when did you record/produce/master and who did you work with?
Most of it I recorded and produced at home. I had mixing done by Jerome Blazé and a final mix + tightening of production ideas with David Muratore. The track was mastered by Becki Whitton (Aphir). I worked with Robbie Walcott on producing the retro-90s music video which you can find on my YouTube channel.
How did you approach the recording process and what programs/equipment did you use?
I lay down all the vocals at home, and I had the opportunity to redo some using a great mic at Noodle Music Studio. I originally took a can opening sample off the internet, but David and I recorded it live by opening a beer can next to a mic in the studio. Everything else heard in the track is midi! The DAW I use is Logic Pro X.
Please tell us about any new music on the way:
Catastrophe is the first single from an EP of tracks I made last year! Very excited to get more music out this year.
What do you like to do away from music?
Listen to true crime podcasts, read, go running.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
Becky and the Birds, Kelsey Lu, Sevdaliza.
What’s planned for 2021?
I’m currently working on a live show so definitely some shows plus more music!
Favourite food and place to hang out?
I’m too indecisive a person to know what my favourite food is. Favourite place to hang out is wherever live music is happening.
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