Jbax and Emma Peri Discuss Latest Track

"Congratulations on the success of 'Feels' and being featured on BBC Introducing. Can you share the story behind the collaboration between JBAX and Emma Peri for this track and how the concept of 'Feels' came to life?" 

‘FEELS’ started off as a bass line that I had in my head. From that I came up with a chord combination on piano that I felt suited the bass motif. After that, the rest of the track such as guitars and brass were built around that. Emma and I work together a lot and I was really struggling to come up with a melody that I liked. So, the track ‘sat on the shelf’ for about a year before she picked it up. Then as soon as she heard it she belted out the melody, it was amazing. 

"'Feels' is described as an upbeat electronic dance track with modern disco and pop elements. How did you approach blending these diverse musical styles, and what was the creative process like in crafting a track that takes listeners on a sonic journey through pulsating beats and euphoric melodies?" 

So when I first thought of the bass line, I was instantly taken to disco. I’m a big fan of Kool and The Gang, Chic, Bee Gees etc so this is where my mind went. I also love the history of disco; it originated in the late 1960s. People saw it as a way of escaping the rising issues of the era, both social and economic issues, such as war, political scandal, gang violence, unemployment, and soaring crime rates. The increasing race riots and homophobia of the 1960s led to unsafe spaces for people of colour and members of the gay community and so nightclubs playing disco were seen as a safe space for people. So knowing all this, I decided I wanted to incorporate elements of this beautiful genre, but elements of modern pop music. The key elements of disco music consist of; A four-on-the-floor beat, repetitive vocal hooks, a quaver note or semi-quaver hi-hat pattern with an open hi-hat on the offbeat, prominent syncopated electric bass lines, string sections and horns and electric rhythm guitars. So, I made sure to incorporate all these elements into the track but still keeping to the modern structure of pop music. 

"The theme of 'Feels' revolves around desire and a profound longing for someone or something. Can you delve deeper into the inspiration behind the lyrics and the emotions you aimed to convey in this high-energy track?"  

Whenever I try to write lyrics, I always do my best to leave it open to listener interpretation. This can be heard as well on my track ‘Tell Her’. In this case however, the first verse is basically an invitation, ‘Come knock on my door, you know that I, I’m craving some more’. This can refer to a person or a situation, maybe you’re someone who wants to win the lottery, and so you’re inviting that situation in, kind of like the law of attraction. ‘Feel it on my body’ can be seen as either inviting a lover, or ‘feel the vibrations on my body, feel my good energy’.  

"JBAX, your style is described as Dance/House/Pop with Spanish influence. How does your cultural background influence your music, and what can listeners expect from your fresh-faced, summery approach to dance and pop music?" 

Having grown up in Gibraltar, I have had a unique upbringing. Gibraltar’s culture consists of a perfect blend between Spain and the UK. For example, we have red buses and telephone boxes, but our architecture is Mediterranean and Moorish rather than British. This is also the case when it comes to music, food and even language. You can go for a Sunday roast at lunch and then go and have tapas with jamon serrano in the evening. Flamenco, Latin and even middle eastern music has a lot of the Phrygian mode incorporated. That’s how you get those sometimes-unsettling sounds. You can hear this mode in songs like ‘Set the controls for the heart of the sun’ by Pink Floyd, or Metallica’s ‘harvester of sorrow’. You can hear this in my track ‘All I need is her love’.  

"Emma, you're not only a singer but also a songwriter, vocalist, and actress. How do these different facets of your artistic expression complement each other, and how do they contribute to the unique blend of talent in your collaborations with JBAX and other artists?" 

I believe that these aspects mix extremely well with other artists, especially JBAX. My reasoning for this is since I was heavily involved in Musical Theatre training, this allows me to mix that sort of expression within my written and performed music. Regardless of the style of music, I will always be able to extract every ounce of intended emotion and execute it in my performance, it’s something that allows me to have a connection to the music. JBAX is an extremely talented producer and is excellent at tailoring mine, as well as our collaborated music, to a style that balances perfectly for both of us. We both are big fans of house music as well as popular music, so this blend of the two is perfect, obviously with a little hint from my musical theatre experience! Due to the nature of being creative people, we are both very emotional lyrically and melodically. This is our emotional outlet. 

 "Both JBAX and Emma, you are part of Happy Sounds Productions Ltd. Can you share how being part of this record label has influenced your musical journey, and what exciting projects or releases can your fans anticipate from both of you in the coming year?" 

One of our favourite aspects of belonging to a label, is the creative freedom to collaborate and ask for advice from other industry musicians, artists and professionals. Being a part of Happy Sounds has taught us a lot about ourselves and it has also helped us to grow as professionals. The music we make now sounds a lot better than the music we made even 5 years ago