Ones2Watch Home

Photo by Danika Magdelena

Too many times of late we’ve missed a caffeine check, let the mind stall and needed something to radiate pure energy. An easy, pleasurable fix has been playing an advance copy of Jazzy’s sophomore album Peace & Patience an absolute smash that delivers depth, espresso quality beats and a dopamine layered drums to curb any attitude deficit. Full of range, revealing and honest in ways most dance record never delve into, Peace & Patience is an instant classic, and will certainly be a trendy ROTY pick in the next few months. We were so spoiled to have the architect of this enthralling record into our garden patio to chop up the feels, the flows and proper life advice: 

OnesToWatch: Who are you? 


Jazzy: I'm Jazzy. 

How did you come up with a name like Jazzy? 

I can't say that I came up with it, to be honest. I used to go by Jazzy. I used to be the vocalist in an Irish hip hop band and my name was actually Yasmin, but the 2 lads that I was in the band with used to call me Jazzy Yaz as a reference to how I sounded when I'd done the vocals. It just stuck. All of our friends started calling me that and when I went solo, I just took the Yaz off the end of it. 

Love it. When did you start singing? 

I have been singing since I was a kid. I started doing it in school, growing up. I used to be really shy at home, but I loved doing karaokes in my room, and as I got older, I started coming out of my shell. 

Given what you do now, does that sort of history of experimenting with different types of music and vocalizations and cadences and hip hop – does that make you better at what you do now? 

I think so, yeah. I've tried quite a different mix of music from when I started. The first musical experience I had was with classical music, and that’s a long way away from what I'm doing now, but it's definitely given me an ear. I can read music and I played violin for a long time. Then I obviously did the bits in the hip hop band as well, which is quite different to what I do now. So I think all of those things combined definitely shaped me a little bit. 

How do you approach songwriting and producing?
Do you have an approach for every song or does it change? 

I feel like it's different every time for me. There are certain things that do happen, but again, it is always different. Sometimes I will have a big inspiration when I go to the studio, if I'm really in love with a certain song or sound on that day. But sometimes I'll go in and just vibe it out depending on the mood or what's playing in the room. 

What do you think is the most essential to start creating? 

I'm very melodically influenced, but I think one thing that I always notice about myself is if I really feel inspired by the production, I always get something really good out of it. I'm definitely a big fan of working on the production for a little bit until I feel like it's where I want it to be and then jumping into the vocals after. 

Beautiful. Let's get into your most recent work. How long a period of time does this project represent? 

The album has pretty much been in the works for the last 2 to 3 years. I had been working on other projects at that time, but you know, you do so many sessions and obviously make a lot of music. So, slowly but surely, I was picking out songs saying, “I love that one. I want to put that away. I'm going to keep that for the album.” I would say “My People” was one of the first tracks that was made.
That was 2 years ago, when I had a couple of sessions in London.

When you're writing, do you know where it's going to live right away or do you make songs independently and then put them together later? 

I'm not always thinking of what project it's going to live on. I just like to create and then after it can find a home. afterwards. 

So when you're putting an album together, how do you solve it? How do you curate to make an album? 


I let stuff happen organically, to be honest, it was like going through all these songs that I've made over the last couple of years and picking out the ones that meant the most to me. With the album as well, I wanted to try and be a little bit more of an open book. 

Wow. Was that hard? 


Yes. Of course, you want to express yourself with music, but I feel like me personally, I am a bit of a woman of not so many words. So I feel like with the album, I wanted people to be able to get to know me better and hear about more experiences that I've had over the last few years in my life. It’s an opening up experience for me. 


How did you surprise yourself, in terms of being revealing? 

The song, “Invisible,” I wouldn’t have previously thought I’d put a song like that out. Usually my songs have a naturally positive undertone, because I'm such a happy person. But, “Invisible” was about a negative experience I had and I don't usually write about those things. It just happened to be super fresh on the day that I went to the studio with Chris. It was so lovely to be able to twist that negative experience into a tune. 


If you have a personal ambition for the record, what is it? 


I want people to get to know me a little bit more and learn a little bit more about my experiences and opinions. The album has quite a lot of variety as well, which I think people will like and I surprise myself by. 

It's a beautiful record. Do you have an ambition for your audience, your listeners? Other than learning about you? 

I just want them to feel good listening to it. That's why I always try to put a positive message in everything I write. I think people need it. 


There is a deficit of good right now. If Live Nation made you a promoter with unlimited budget, who would play at your dream festival?

I'm gonna put a couple of Irish people on the line. One of my collaborators called Spritz. He makes progressive house, really cool. There's a producer called Tig at the moment, he's making some amazing house music. Definitely me. I'm going to say Peggy Gill as a headliner, I also really like Josh Baker. Let's do Chris Lorenzo as well. 

Imagine an average day at home. Your friends and mates come over and they have to eat right then. Can you open your fridge and pantry and whip up a meal? 

I would probably make some sort of vegetarian pasta. It's easy. I love an arabiata, a spicy tomato sauce.
Parmesan cheese, some garlic breads, add some mushroom, broccoli, onions. 

If I find you at your most relaxed. Where are you? What are you doing? 

I like a spa day. I’ll get a massage or like a medispa, just to wind down to be honest, because obviously tour life can be a lot. Even just the smells and the meals, it's so nice. But if I'm not there, I'm probably at home with my feet up on the couch with a cup of tea, chilling. 

What is the most vulnerable you've been as an artist and how did it make you better? 

I think back to when I first started my own sessions. I really had to build up on my confidence, especially to be comfortable sharing ideas with people in the room. Essentially you get put in for a week in London and every single day there’s someone you don't know, and you have to kind of put it all out in front of a stranger. That was a little bit vulnerable at the start. But as you go on you do find your people. 

Is there a dream venue anywhere in the world you haven't played that you'd love to play? 

DC 10 is definitely one I want to play at. The Sphere would be killer to play in. 

Last couple of questions. I'd love a non-music recommendation, something you'd put a friend on. 

It's not a new one, but it's a new experience that I've had. Swimming in cold water in the sea. Honestly, changed my life. We were in the UK somewhere really cold on the beach and they wanted me to get in the water and I was like, no, I don't want to get in. But I'm not joking,
I jumped in and it was like life was just beaming through my body, it was insane. It totally flipped my perception on people who go for sea swims. I love it now. 

I would love a music recommendation, too. 

Whipped Cream. She's a beautiful person. Her new record's amazing. There's also a girl called Abby Kulabali. She is an Irish R&B singer.
She's absolutely amazing. 

Lastly, anything you want to say, advice, anecdotes. 

I think just in general, I try not to be too deep into anything anymore, because we're literally on a floating rock, and our time could end at any minute of any day. But, being an artist, I feel like a lot of people are afraid to take steps out of nervousness or connect with people because they don't think they're good enough, you know? At the very start, I felt like that. But if I hadn't gone out of my comfort zone, it wouldn't have snowballed into everything else that I've gotten to do and built up the career that I have today. So I think just take the opportunities when they come to you, no matter how they make you feel. 

Listen to Peace & Patience below: