Indie-pop sensation JAWNY has made a identify for himself by penning catchy songs that mirror his down-to-earth but playfully eccentric character. Since scoring a take care of Interscope Records in 2020, JAWNY has not solely accomplished a number of headlining excursions however has additionally opened for main acts together with Oliver Tree and Beck. JAWNY has continued to launch a regular stream of extremely profitable EPs, together with For Abby in 2020, in addition to a number of impactful singles reminiscent of “strawberry chainsaw,” “adios” and “wide eyed,” the latter of which lately dropped and continues to construct upon an overarching story arc that he has been meticulously creating through the years. JAWNY has created a central narrative all through his newest music videos, that are exemplified superbly within the action-packed, cinematic one-take photographs in each “adios” and “wide eyed.” 2023 will undoubtedly be a busy yr for JAWNY, as he is set to embark on one more headlining tour with assist from bedroom-pop newcomer Wallice, which kicks off in February.
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In an interview with AP, JAWNY breaks down the story behind the creation of “wide eyed,” his narrative-driven music videos, touring with Wallice subsequent yr and the potential for him to launch a bigger physique of work someday within the new yr.
With “wide eyed,” it feels such as you had been capable of make each half of the track really feel like its personal hook. What was the method like placing collectively this track?
When I first moved to LA, the blinders had been taken off of me, and I started discovering the songwriter scene and this “secret society” I by no means knew about since I didn’t develop up in a main metropolis. I discovered that writing a pop track is gorgeous — it’s like a science. I used to be [recording] at Gold Diggers Studio in LA and knew in my story arc that I wanted to have a story like this, and I simply needed to make an indie model of one thing the Killers may do. It got here collectively naturally. I made one thing I favored and chased an concept that excited me.
The music video for “wide eyed” picks up the place the narrative left off together with your earlier video for “adios.” What was it like creating this narrative and forming the visuals across the music itself?
When I knew I used to be going to be releasing three singles this yr, I had the thought with my artistic director and noticed that inside my scene or ecosystem, now we have by no means seen a continuation piece [in music videos] earlier than the place you go from a one-take video to a different one-take video throughout two completely different set scenes. The videos have been fairly wild and loopy — we even had the stunt coordinator from Fast & Furious drive me round within the automobile doing loopy stuff. We then shut down the entire road to do the “wide eyed” video. It’s been a actually cool method to do a bunch of wild concepts that don’t have anything to do with the track’s lyrics or narratives, and while you hearken to the songs collectively, all of them inform this story of love and heartbreak, whereas the videos are their very own separate tales. We achieved precisely what we got down to do.
Next yr you are set to embark on a headlining tour with Wallice. Why did you determine to place collectively this touring bundle, and what are you wanting ahead to essentially the most about these upcoming reveals?
For each headlining tour I’ve ever executed, I by no means let my reserving brokers decide the openers. I at all times attempt to curate the present with people who find themselves genuinely my buddies or folks I hearken to myself. I’ve been tremendous infatuated with Wallice’s music for the previous two years or so, and I really like the songs that she has written and put out. I really like the universe that she is constructing, and I assumed that bringing a sturdy, superior girl who makes music could be a nice method to open up the present. With this tour, we get to undergo extra nooks and crannies that I have not gotten to play earlier than, and it’s the largest headliner tour I’ve executed myself. It feels good to be at this level now. It’s wild, and it’s this intimidating factor, however I’m able to slay it.
After opening for main acts reminiscent of Oliver Tree and Beck, did you acquire any knowledge from these artists that you have taken with you into your personal undertaking?
With Oliver Tree, I took essentially the most from our tour collectively. He actually cared about each single present and handled each single one prefer it was his final and gave it his all. I actually admired that even at that degree, he nonetheless gave it his all each evening and by no means something much less — in order that was a great point to remove. Touring with a legend like Beck and seeing how a lot he cares about how his set is perceived by the viewers is absolutely necessary. You go round good people who find themselves doing the identical factor as you, however simply a little additional forward, after which attempt to have a look at that subsequent goalpost that you’re making an attempt to get to. I’m actually right here due to hundreds of folks’s knowledge on touring and songwriting.
You have launched a regular stream of profitable singles and EPs. Do you’ve any intention of sooner or later placing out a bigger physique of work?
I’m a massive fan of placing collectively our bodies of work, and in 2020, I put out my first idea piece known as For Abby. I strung collectively a story from begin to end, and final yr, I ended up placing out one other idea EP in the identical approach however in a completely different style. After listening to those new singles and figuring out what else I’ve within the tank, it does seem to be I’m leaning towards placing one other factor collectively and wrapping it up with a good little bow. I’m hoping that possibly by the brand new yr, it’d all be executed, and I’ll be capable of step again and take a look at this cool portray that I made. I’m within the center of doing brush strokes with this factor and determining what it’s going to be.
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