Jazzy on Dublin, the Album, and What Burnout Actually Feels Like

Transcript

Bobby: You're playing Tomorrowland soon, right?

Jazzy: I did play last year. It's so big — it was insane. You had to get a car and then two boats to the stage. I think a good tip for people living a life like this is to try not to say yes to everything, because you could end up hating what you do if you're pushing too much.

Bobby: What's good with the album? What does it mean to you?

Jazzy: I'm really proud of it. It's definitely, I think, my best body of work. Yeah.

Bobby: Jazzy, what's up?

Jazzy: Hello. How are you?

Bobby: Good, very good. So, what's going on? Welcome in, by the way — thank you for coming by.

Jazzy: No problem. Thank you for having me.

Bobby: We were just talking about this earlier — every time I see you, it's such a quick passing. Was Coachella the last time? When was the other time... Miami Music Week, I think.

Jazzy: I think it was Music Week.

Bobby: So quick.

Jazzy: I feel like every time I come to the US, it's like that as well — just kind of in and out.

Bobby: Yeah.

Jazzy: Yeah.

Bobby: How often do you come here?

Jazzy: I think the last two years I've come like twice a year.

Bobby: Yeah, twice a year. I mean, I've seen you twice this year — so were those the only two times?

Jazzy: Yeah — Miami Music Week and Coachella. So... actually, it's grown this year. This is my third time.

Bobby: Yeah, three. I mean, let's go, let's go. And where are you living at right now?

Jazzy: I'm living still in Dublin.

Bobby: Nice. Yeah — I actually studied abroad in Dublin when I was 19, so about 10 years ago. I went to UCD for a summer.

Jazzy: Wow. Sick.

Dublin Beginnings

Bobby: Yeah, crazy. Let's go. I mean, I didn't really do school much — I drank a lot at the bars, but man, that place rules. I love Dublin, I love the people of Ireland as well. So how did you get into music, and what influenced you to become an artist from Dublin?

Jazzy: It kind of all happened pretty organically, to be honest. My first ever experience with music would have been playing violin growing up. The school I went to had a program where every child got free tuition to learn a stringed instrument every week, and I just kind of jumped on that and went on to do all my grades. Yeah, I was kind of going in the direction of being a violin teacher.

Bobby: Wow.

Jazzy: Yeah, so that was like my original goal, I guess you could say.

Bobby: What?

Jazzy: Yeah — so the first proper little job I had was I went back to the school where I learned and was assistant violin teacher. I was there with the little three and four year olds trying to teach them. And I was just starting to go clubbing and stuff at that age, so I was coming in hungover and having to... yeah, it was tough. It was tough.

Bobby: That is so funny. That is so funny. What's interesting too — there's not a ton of violins in dance music. There's a lot of saxophones, trumpets. Is there a lot of violin?

Jazzy: No — I mean, if you listen to some of the '90s classics, you'll hear it. Like "Strings of Life."

Bobby: Yeah — like Tiësto. I used to love "Adagio for Strings" back in the day.

Jazzy: Legend.

Bobby: Yeah. What other artists out of Dublin might have influenced you to start creating a sound like this? Like, Kettama's from there, right? But he's from the west coast. Was there anyone else before you guys that got really big in dance music that might have influenced what you're doing?

Jazzy: I mean, Belters Only is a big one for me.

Bobby: Oh, true, true, true.

Jazzy: 'Cause before those two guys formed the duo, they were two of the biggest DJs in Dublin separately — Bissett and Robbie G. So yeah, I looked up to them, listened to their music, was a huge fan of them. That's why I was so buzzing when I got to do the tune with them.

Bobby: Yeah, yeah. Is it true you were working at a bakery like four years ago? What's it called?

Jazzy: Tesco's.

Bobby: That is crazy.

Jazzy: It's like what you'd call a grocery store.

Bobby: Oh, so it was a grocery store, but it's called a bakery there?

Jazzy: I worked in the bakery — that's what I did there. But yeah, crazy. Looking back, it's about five years now. It's just madness.

Bobby: When did you make the decision to take the leap and go all in on your artist career?

Jazzy: It probably wasn't too long after "Make Me Feel Good" came out and started to be successful, because I remember I was still working in the bakery — it went to number one in Ireland while I was there. I was literally in the bakery making pastries, and I got the phone call. It was like, "Yeah, it's gone to number one." And I was like, "What?" It was just... yeah, crazy. Crazy.

Bobby: Is it true that you produced "Make Me Feel Good" and "Giving Me" in the same day?

Jazzy: Oh, the Belters Only lads — I didn't do that. But yeah, they did it. They did it the same day.

Bobby: Okay — they did it the same day?

Jazzy: Yeah.

Bobby: Crazy.

Jazzy: Yeah. Me and the boys — I don't know what it is, sometimes you just have this really good vibe. I talk about this all the time: sometimes when you go into a session with new people, for me it's either a yes or a no on whether you're going to vibe, and that's fine. You don't have to get along with everyone you try to work with. But yeah, me and Belters Only are really good together.

Bobby: That's what's up. I mean, you've collabed with quite a few different artists, right? Like I told you, my dad listens to your track with D.O.D and Sonny Fodera all the time. Like MK — who are some other artists you really love collaborating with and making music with?

Jazzy: Sonny Fodera — I've been in the studio with him, I don't even know how many times now.

Bobby: Love him to bits. We love Sonny around here.

Jazzy: He's like my big brother now. We always have really good vibes in the studio, and we've got plenty of songs out together.

Bobby: Yes.

Jazzy: Yeah, so Sonny's a big one.

Tomorrowland Stages

Bobby: Nice. Yo — you're playing Tomorrowland soon, right?

Jazzy: Yes, I am.

Bobby: Atmosphere stage and Library stage again?

Jazzy: Yeah, I think so.

Bobby: I know the Atmosphere stage — I was there last year and I love that stage, I love the atmosphere.

Jazzy: Weirdly, I did play last year, but I can't remember the name of the stage — I didn't get to look at all the stages 'cause it's so big.

Bobby: It's crazy.

Jazzy: It was insane. That was my first time being there — I was like, "This is mad." We got there and had to get a car and then two boats, I think, to the stage.

Bobby: Oh, I know the stage you're talking about — you had to take a boat there. It's the crazy pointy one, the white one.

Jazzy: I think so — you took a boat there, right? Yeah, I think that's the one. I'm blanking on the name, but I know the stage you're talking about. I thought the artist liaison was joking with me — I was like, "Do I have time to get a drink? Can I get some food?" And he was like, "We have to get a car and then two boats."

Bobby: That, or it's the Crystal Garden stage, I think. Is that the one? It's got all the plants, right? Waterfalls in the back?

Jazzy: Oh, that rings a bell. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Such a nice vibe — straight up vibe, straight up vibe.

Bobby: It was really fun. What have been your favorite cities to play in America? We just talked about you coming here like two times a year — what cities do you vibe with here?

Jazzy: New York is definitely a big one for me — I did one of my first pop-up gigs there for Paddy's Day, so that was really fun, I'll always remember that one. And on the last tour I played this little rave cave in — I think it was Denver — which was a crazy one. I hadn't been there before, so I didn't know what the vibe was, I was just like, "Okay, just take it as it comes." And they were loving it, they were proper up for it. I was like, "Okay, let's go."

Bobby: I love that word, rave cave. By the way, they have a Rave Cave stage at Tomorrowland.

Jazzy: Do they?

Bobby: Yeah — I think it's like the smallest stage, and you literally walk into a walkway... it's a cave, dude.

Jazzy: Really?

Bobby: Yeah, it's a little cave you can pack maybe a hundred people into.

Jazzy: Maybe. Sick.

The Calvin Harris Collab

Bobby: Literally sick. Yo — so you just recently released a track with Calvin Harris.

Jazzy: Yes, I did.

Bobby: That's why we've got him right here — "18 Months" was actually the album that got me into dance music when I was younger.

Jazzy: Really?

Bobby: Mhm.

Jazzy: Wow — what an album to get you into dance music.

Bobby: Insane. Literally insane. What was that like, collaborating with him? How did you guys come up with the idea, by the way?

Jazzy: That was surreal for me, to be honest — it's just something out of dreams, you know, doing that with Calvin Harris. Absolute madness. But yeah, me and Calvin have a friend in common that we write with — a guy called Theo Hutchcraft. I write with him all the time, he's a lovely guy, really talented. He works with Calvin a lot, and he basically said, "Maybe we might be able to get you in one time." We were chatting to Calvin about it, and then last December he called me up and was like, "Calvin has this song, he'd love you to try something on it." We just got in the studio and cooked up a banger.

Bobby: Insane. I think he's the GOAT. Personally, I think he's the GOAT.

Jazzy: He is the GOAT. There's no one like him.

Bobby: Yeah — he's Calvin Harris. Can't compare him to anything else, he's just legendary.

Jazzy: No, no, for real.

Bobby: I did a video once and I tried to say his album "Motion" was his best one, and he told me no, it's that one — he literally hit me up and said, "No, Bobby, it's not," and named the other one. I was like, if he says it, then that's probably true. So — how do you balance being a singer-songwriter and a DJ?

Jazzy: It's obviously a lot of life on the road — my diary is basically my life, I just work from that. I need to make time to see friends and family and look after myself, so I just try to say no to things if they're not really important. I think a good tip for people living a life like this is to try not to say yes to everything — thinking about your mental health, your health in general. You could end up hating what you do if you're pushing too much. I'm doing a lot as it is, but I've built myself to the point where I can. When you get thrown in the deep end, trying to navigate how to be on the road all the time and have a normal schedule — which you don't, because—

Bobby: No, you have the most unnormal schedule in the world.

Jazzy: Exactly.

Bobby: You're working tonight at 3:00 a.m.

Jazzy: Yeah — me. Like, where are you today? Are you still in LA? No, I'm in Miami now. Or, I'm in Australia — do you know what I mean? You literally jump around like a crazy person. But yeah, I think just picking the things that are important to do, and blocking out space and time at home for rest, is something that's really important.

Bobby: Nice, I really like that. I don't have the same job as you, obviously, but I travel a lot for work too, and I try to balance that between mental, physical — getting in the gym, eating clean, you know. It's so hard. I admire what you do as a career, honestly it's [...] insane. People do recognize that, but they also don't understand it — I feel like they think it's just the rockstar lifestyle, right?

Jazzy: It's funny when people say that. Like, "Oh, you're living the life," and I'm like, I am, but I'm tired. I'm not getting any sleep. It's not as easy as it looks. I think people look at the job and think, "Oh yeah, that's just flying around to nice places and having holidays," but it's not — it's hotel rooms and sitting in the green room on your own sometimes. It is hard.

Bobby: Yeah — like extreme highs into silence, chill, and loneliness, right?

Jazzy: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then trying to go to sleep after a gig when you've got a flight in two hours after you finish a set. It is a crazy life. I'm super, super grateful to be happy.

Bobby: Yeah, for sure — obviously. But it is insane, and everyone looks at it like it's just rockstar stuff, which it is, at the same time. But also, you've got to take care of yourself. I feel like the traveling really gets you — just so many planes.

Jazzy: Yeah, that [...] gasses me out, honestly, big time.

Recent Releases

Bobby: Yo — so I don't know if you know this or not, but you were SoundCloud's most-streamed female electronic artist. Did you know that?

Jazzy: Yeah.

Bobby: Yo, I thought I was about to pull out a fact right now and you were about to be like, "No way, what the hell, that's insane."

Jazzy: It is insane. That's literally insane — it's a crazy title to have under my name. I don't even have the awards, really. It's insane.

Bobby: It's wild. Before Spotify, I feel like dance music was mainly controlled on SoundCloud, right? That's where artists would just release music, and there were fewer boundaries for things — it's such a legendary platform for music. So that's crazy. I thought I was about to get you there, but I did not get you.

Jazzy: God damn it.

Bobby: Yo, so you just released a track with Chris Lorenzo today.

Jazzy: Yes.

Bobby: How'd that happen? By the way, it's a tune — like I said, we were rinsing a bunch of your music before you walked in the door. It's a great song. How the hell — Chris is a legend, he's an absolute magician in the studio.

Jazzy: I love him, he's a legend. We got some sessions in last summer in LA — went over to his place and had a couple of days in the studio. It was really fun working with him, he's a super fun guy. And yeah, the tune itself is about an experience I had dealing with jealousy in the music industry — the situation was kind of fresh when I went to Chris's studio, and I basically just made it into a track.

Bobby: Yeah — so you really expressed through that track.

Jazzy: Yeah, it's a pretty personal one, to be honest.

Bobby: Powerful.

Jazzy: Yeah, it's powerful. It was nice to be able to turn a bad experience into a banger.

Bobby: Of course, right. I really like that — I feel like as an artist that's something you should do, express yourself through those moments. That's also what makes bangers, apparently. Hell yeah. Speaking of bangers, I know you have an album planned for release on October 23rd.

Jazzy: That's right, yeah.

Bobby: Let's go. What's good with the album — what does it mean to you?

Jazzy: So the album is called "Peace and Patience." It's basically a journey through where I started in my career to where I am now, the experiences I've had in that time, the people around me that keep me two feet on the ground, and basically how I take Dublin everywhere I go in the world.

Bobby: I love that. I love that so much — putting Dublin on your back, I love that.

Jazzy: I'm really proud of it. It's definitely, I think, my best body of work yet.

Bobby: I'm really excited to listen to it, and maybe off camera we can get you to play a few tracks so we can bop around. Maybe — we'll see, it's up to you.

Jazzy: Only for you.

Bobby: All right, all right, all right, hell yeah. Now, this is going to be a tough question — we can take some time to think about it. What would you say are your top five tracks you've ever released?

Jazzy: Top five?

Bobby: Mhm — should I start at five?

Jazzy: Start at five.

Bobby: I don't mean for you to pick your children right now, but—

Jazzy: Um—

Bobby: Let's do three.

Jazzy: Okay.

Bobby: What are your top three tracks you've ever released?

Jazzy: Okay, top three. I'm going to put "Invisible" at number one, because it's fresh out the bag and it means a lot to me — it's super personal.

Bobby: Whoa. Okay, all right.

Jazzy: I'm going to say number two is "Giving Me," because that song changed my life and I owe it everything. And number three, I'm going to say "Some Days," because it's such a banger — I've never gotten so many messages from people all around the world saying how much a song has helped them through a hard time, which is so lovely to hear. So yeah, that's my top three.

Bobby: Hell yeah, love it, absolutely love it. Well, Jazzy, thanks for coming in, by the way — much love, right?

Jazzy: Yeah, thank you, mate. Thank you.

Bobby: And crush it at Space tonight — she's going to crush it at Space tonight, let's go.

Jazzy: Much love, dude.

Bobby: Lovely.

Jazzy: Peace.