INTERVIEW: Jarrod Jeremiah releases vibrant electro-pop single 'Face The Light'
Ready to help bridge us over into the sunnier days of the year, 18-year-old Jarrod Jeremiah has released his newest single in the form of the electronic, bedroom-pop blend that is ‘Face The Light’. A young Perth talent with singer, songwriter and producer on his resume, Jarrod’s 2020 has consisted of rolling out tracks such as ‘Coffee’, ‘Ain’t No Other’ and ‘Blood’. He’s been focused on harnessing his robust production style whilst making feel-good music that fuses sounds he’s intrigued by. We spoke to Jarrod about his approach to music, his latest single and the goals he has for his bright future.
If you had to describe what you do to a stranger, how would you do it?
I make chilled electronic music, but I switch between other genres too. Electronic with the introduction of synths and stuff. I’d like to say I blend genres - it’s a really annoying thing sometimes when artists say we bend genres but that’s the best way I can put it.
You’ve proclaimed to be part of the bedroom producer movement since you were about 15 years old. Is being an autodidact (someone who learns mastery themselves) important to you?
Yes, super important actually. Having a vision is something I care about a lot. Being able to work by myself makes me feel in control of my sound and the elements of it. I work best by myself, in my bedroom. Obviously, it takes up a lot of time but I think being able to do it independently allows me to get across my message better. The whole independent artist movement has really changed the industry and we see artists standing up to labels and declining huge deals. It goes to show you can do it all yourself.
Who would you consider your musical influences?
Tom Misch, Jacob Collier and Tennyson. Further back in the day, I’d say Flume and Skrillex.
How did you come up with the idea to add the listeners that presaved your new single ‘Face The Light’ to the song credits?
Originally, I had people asking me for shoutouts on my Tik Tok account. It got me thinking and I questioned whether or not if people wanted something like that, if I could offer something better. Adding them to the credits of my song seemed more official and I could market it so that my followers could help me ‘break the rules’ and do something interesting. It came from wanting to come up with something viral and gimmicky, which stemmed from me spending time on Tik Tok.
Face The Light sounds like a track that’s very vulnerable and earnest – how does a track like that come together?
I’ve started running with the idea that melodies carry good songs. Bad production can be worked around – people reproduce songs, especially when the songwriting is great. I stuck with a melody that came to me and freestyled the lyrics. I don’t usually plan out my lyrics too much – it usually just comes to me. I usually use the lyrics as a mechanism to compliment the melody and I find the lyrics to go to it. I ask myself what kind of story I want to tell and it all just organically comes together that way.
Face The Light feels different to the other tracks you’ve released this year (Coffee, Blood). The production in particular is very experimental and floaty, and it sort of balances out the subject matter. What made you want to step out of the box with your production hat?
I wanted to be nerdy with the song. The sample actually came from a song I heard in one of my classes at University, where we’re studying classical music. I wanted to switch it up and make a track with an interesting time groove. After I was done making Face The Light, I sent it to my friends and said I would bet them $100 to see if they could correctly guess what time groove I used. None of them got it right.
Production is a way for me to do something cool and have fun with the groove. This groove was almost similar to a sing groove, and it’s a little difficult to sing along to too. But it feels very down to earth and has a Jacob Collier inspired sound at the same time – just with some nerdy production there too.
How has music helped you?
The most stressful periods of my life have resulted in me making my best music. I made 3 songs during my WACE exam period in Year 12. It probably wasn’t the best idea to be making songs when I had exams the next day, but my way of coping with stress was creating songs. It helps me chill out and relax. Instead of resorting to watching TV shows or playing games, music is my thing.
Do you have any plans for live shows in the upcoming future? Is that something you see on the horizon?
My goal for 2020 was to start playing live. But with everything that has happened with the pandemic, it hasn’t panned out that way so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for 202. I want to get into the gig scene in 2021, and especially in ways that I can use my instruments and focus on my production skills.
What’s been on your 2020 playlist?
I got into Jacob Collier’s music heavy this year – Djesse Volumes 1 through 3 I have on repeat. Some Tom Misch, I also started listening to Kid Laroi and really enjoy his music. A bit of Jorja Smith too.
Fill in the blank. The goal for 2021 for Jarrod Jeremiah is __
I spent my 2020 trying to build a stats-based year. It was about focusing on statistics and numbers to gain a bit of traction. Next year is about building real connections and networking. I plan to get into the gig scene but one thing I’m looking forward to doing is actually helping my followers out. I started doing production emails with tips this year, and in 2021 I’d love to tap into my production hat a bit more. Things like production streams on Twitch. I want to be able to give back and help educate so that when people follow me, they can learn things and I can provide more value to people than just songs.
