FEATURE:
Spotlight
Jaz Karis
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I am stepping up my Spotlight features…
as there are so many great artists to look out for next year. One that has been in my thoughts for a while is Jaz Karis. She has been making music for a while, but I feel 2023 is going to be a massive year for her. The Dear Jaz E.P. was released last week, and it shows what a tremendous talent she is – and why we should all keep an eye out for her next year. The South London BRIT School alum blends Soul, Jazz and Hip-Hop. With a voice that is smooth and luscious but also full of power and raw emotion, you fall for her so fast! Her debut E.P., Into the Wilderness, released on all female-run independent label Salute The Sun Records, featured collaborations with Sillkey, Blue Lab Beats, Mike Musiq, Tinyman and Zulu. Having released a spectacular E.P. that ranks alongside the best of this year, many new fans will flock the way of Jaz Karis. She is such a remarkable artist! I think one of the things is that there is so much choice out there. One can easily miss a wonderful musician. Karis has a big following, but she is one of Britain’s finest young artists, so I think many others should be aware of her wonderful music. Dear Jaz is a testament of her stunning talent. I wonder whether there is going to be an album next year. There are a few interviews that I want to bring in, so that we can find out more about Karis. At the time of writing this feature (18th November), I couldn’t see any reviews for Dear Jaz, but I know there has already been so much love for it on social media!
Earlier in the year, FL spoke with Jaz Karis about the music business, and where she gets her inspiration from. Having been a fan of her music for a while, I know about her start and background, though there are things in the interview that taught me more about the wonderful Karis:
“Raised on a mixture of ‘everything’ from gospel to funk, as well as ‘soca playing through the house’ when it was time for the weekend clean, Jaz Karis was always surrounded by music, but it was her piano lessons that first took her love as a listener to an interest as a creator.
‘I had piano lessons really early before I ever sang and I think that was really when I was like “oh I really love music’’. I like listening to music, because there was music always playing in my house… but piano lessons from young is what sparked my love for it’.
Pulling on her earliest memories elicits a youthful enthusiasm that dances in and out of the conversation, as she recalls the childhood gift that led to her first song. ‘My mum gave me this toy when I was younger; it had this CD block but it was a pink round disc and it had different loops on it. I remember that’s when I made my first ever song, I don’t know how old I was… I had my favourite loop and I wrote to that. That was my favourite thing.’
With an increased interest in singing, Jaz’s love for music deepened, taking part in church choir, school talent shows and later attending BRIT school – an experience that broadened her musical knowledge and taste, and built significant relationships.
‘The majority of my band when I perform live is from BRIT, so I made some really good friendships and connections there. It allowed me to try different things, to be ok not liking different things and then kind of find my voice a bit.’
Soul constantly presented itself within the different sounds Jaz experimented with, and it was only a matter of time before she found a home within the genre itself. It possessed a versatility that appealed to Jaz, allowing her to maintain her own distinctive style while adapting to other sounds – something she realised when recording Soweto Blues, which opened the ears of many who had not yet tapped into the sound that had taken over South Africa.
Soweto Blues unlocked the experience of hearing her own music in clubs, and provided access to ‘a different world’. Interlacing amapiano grooves with freestyled mellow vocals, the collaboration with Juls and Busiswa created a summer anthem, and one of the first amapiano-influenced songs to gain popularity across the UK.
From the likes of Soul II Soul and Sade to Floetry, the UK is no stranger to successful soul artists, but there has been lack of consistency in its reach and longevity, in comparison to other genres. Recognising the market and interest here for R&B/soul singers, audience appreciation doesn’t seem to be the main barrier, rather it’s the limited resources employed to nurture homegrown R&B/soul talent in the UK.
‘Massive R&B stars from America or any other international artist, they couldn’t come here and sell out the way they sell out if there was no interest’ says Jaz. ‘A lot of labels are not really willing to put in the risk or take that risk at the moment… as a business decision it doesn’t make sense to them‘.
Where social media now plays an integral role in the music industry and at times cuts out the middleman, soul music does not fit the fast paced culture of trends and viral videos that has taken over, and establishing its own place within the UK scene seems even harder.
Although optimistic for the future of soul music, Jaz acknowledges its current position. With the genre having started in America, it’s no surprise it receives more appreciation and support in the States.
Ella Mai is a prime example of finding success overseas, but she was not the first. West London’s Estelle, known for her hit single American Boy, spoke of having similar challenges solidifying her place as an R&B artist in the UK.
‘I’m going to America this year. I think they just have a lot more time and appreciation, and a lot more people that really take us seriously and respect what we do. [It’s] really sad that we have to go to another place other than our home to do that’”.
Before going on, I actually want to take things back a bit further to the 2020 E.P., All Eyes on U. Released during the pandemic, it is interesting charting the course form 2020 to now and how Karis’ music has changed and what her ambitions are now. I was intrigued by the F Word Mag interview. Introducing a simply incredible artist with so much talent, soul, heart and promise under her belt:
“Singer, songwriter, manager, you name it, Jaz Karis is the multifaceted creative that if you haven’t already, you should have on your radar. Jaz’s newly released EP, ‘All Eyes On U’ is a beautiful body of work. All written in her bedroom during lockdown, Jaz adopts a stripped back, no strings attached approach to creating music, where her raw, reminiscent and reflective song-writing takes centre stage.
Each track on the EP transports its listener on a unique journey and it is here that Jaz’s impeccable versatility as an artist shines through. Take the opening track ‘Garden Rain’, which favours some smooth saxophone, gentle guitar strums, and field recordings as a backdrop. Through to snappier R&B rooted tracks such as ‘Issues’ along with rich, free-flowing Reggae, as she brings back Afro Beats producer JULS for the finale ‘Let Me Down’.
A vocal artist, not only through her silky, soulful singing voice like butter but through providing a rich and real insight into some of the challenges she has faced being a black female in a predominantly male-dominated industry. F Word had the joy of chatting with Jaz about all of this, along with the making of the EP, performing live, musical typecasting and much more.
Maisie Daniels: Heya Jaz, how are you today, have you had a nice morning?
Jaz Karis: Yeah, it’s been very busy but I’m all good!
MD Are you enjoying the glorious sunshine?
JK: I’m sitting in it right now, it’s so nice!
MD: And are you coming to us from London?
JK: South London – Croydon.
MD: Nice, so first and foremost congratulations on the new EP! It’s a great body of work- your voice is like butter, super smooth! How does it feel to have released it into the world?
JK: Thank you! I think it’s the best release I’ve done so far, it’s wicked. I haven’t had anything but great responses.
MD: Amazing! How long have you been working on this?
JK: I started putting this together during lockdown. So not long at all!
MD: I guess you’ve had more time on your hands during lockdown?
JK: Yeah, exactly! There were other things to do but I don’t think we will ever go through a time like this again, so I wanted to put out whatever I made during this period to represent it.
MD: Absolutely, this will be a piece of history. How have you found your creativity has been affected during the pandemic, whilst creating this EP?
JK: My biggest hindrance was always working in my bedroom because having that same space to relax in, work in, and workout in, is too much in one space. And sometimes that made me feel really uninspired. Also, I’m the kind of person that never stays at home; I’m usually always out doing something.
MD: I guess with a lot of creatives you find inspiration from your surroundings. So if you’re just placed in one space, for a long time, that must be a struggle?
JK: Exactly! It has been hard.
MD: Your sound comes with a big smack of soul and emotion. When did you realise this was the musical route you’d like to go down, and how would you characterise your sound?
JK: I would consider myself more Soul than R&B. I’m often characterised as R&B but I have definitely grown up listening to a lot of Soul, R&B, old Motown, and Gospel. I knew initially I wanted to get involved when I joined the choir really young and played the piano. From there I went to the Brits school.
MD: Was the Brits school intense?
JK: Yeah but then it wasn’t as intense as I think people make out. It’s your own little bubble, which I really appreciated, and it’s scary leaving there and going into the big, wide world of music. It’s a good school, I wouldn’t know what I know now, or the people I know now, if I didn’t go there. I really credit them for that.
MD: Back to the EP, ‘All Eyes on U’ takes us on a journey of you exploring your emotions through your beautiful song writing. Am I right in guessing this is a very personal body of work to you?
JK: Definitely, I think it’s a very genuine project for me- I didn’t try to make it perfect- and it’s a bit rough around the edges. To me, this was the least scared I’ve been for a release and I think that’s because of how naturally it came. There was no big team behind it making sure it’s finished in a certain, perfect way. This time has been so questionable – we didn’t know what was around the corner – which is why I wanted to release this, and every song has a different vibe.
MD: Is there a narrative that ties it all together? I feel essences of heartbreak?
JK: You know what, I think this is the first project that isn’t overly emotional – laughs- but it is outwardly reflecting, so that might be why you think this. And as I felt a bit trapped, I was reminiscing a lot.
MD: By creating this during such a turbulent time in lockdown, and the element of reminiscing, has this been a release for you? A kind of musical therapy and self-care?
JK: 100%. Instead of bottling it all up, I needed to release something and this is what came out.
MD: I love how stripped back it is, you’ve gone with the flow, and that shines through.
JK: Yeah, no rules! And those are the tracks that I love the most. Even down to the artwork, I wanted it to reflect me sitting in my bedroom. That’s literally how it was!
MD: I love the artwork for the EP! I can spot a poster of Freda Kahlo in the background- is she an inspiration to you?
JK: Yeah definitely! I think that was a lovely touch. I don’t actually have the picture in my bedroom but I think with art, that’s what you can get away with, and just make the best room ever- laughs.
PHOTO CREDIT: Eddie Cheaba
MD: Who else inspires you?
JK: Beyoncé – obviously! I mean, I guess she’s an inspiration to everyone! Nelson Mandela – I do actually have a photo of him in my bedroom and my cat is called Nelson.
MD: Love it, and is that Nelson (the cat) who also features in the cover art as well?
JK: Yeah- he was a big part of my quarantine life! There are so many people that tie into who I am, and who I’ve grown up watching and listening, so that was a nice little touch that I wanted to put in there.
MD: And the aquatic scene throughout our bedroom window? I’m sensing some symbolism?
JK: When I was making a mood board for my artwork, I came across an image of a room under water, and I loved it so much and really wanted that in my bedroom. Water is a part of being free, which is why I wanted to put that in the project.
MD: And due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the music industry has been shaken up a lot, how have you had to adapt when releasing new music?
JK: I feel so happy to have released it but I also feel a lot of pressure. When I released the EP, pressure came away for a few days and then it came straight back. For me, I think it’s the pressure to produce at the rate I was producing, and because I’m not going to the studio physically, it doesn’t feel like I’m working as much. In fact the reality is that I’m maybe working a bit more.
PHOTO CREDIT: Eddie Cheaba
MD: And normally when you release an EP, I guess the next step is going out and performing that to people. How have you felt not being able to share your music this way?
JK: That is the worst part because I love performing live. I miss my band. My guitarist and I have done a few intimate recording performances – a teaser of an actual performance. I don’t know when things will start to allow us to perform live again properly but I can’t wait to dive back into it. It’s been the biggest thing I’ve missed! Instagram live is not the same!
MD: It isn’t, is it! And I think for a lot of musicians, performing live is the heart of the job. When we are finally allowed to go to gigs and festivals, how do you think people are going to respond?
JK: I think it’ll be great! Fingers crossed everyone will be so excited to see all this stuff again. Sometimes you don’t know how much you miss things, until you see them again. The little taster we got from our live recording, we were like ‘yeah- we can.
MD: It’s going to be all the more special, right?
JK: Yeah! I also don’t mind that it may have to start off more intimate; I really like those kinds of performances!
MD: When was the last time you performed live?
JK: It would have been last year when I opened up for Sinead Harnett in November, and I did a small show in December
MD: Back to the EP! Do you have a track that you’re most proud of?
JK: Yes! The first track on the EP ‘Garden Rain’. Out of all the songs I’ve ever written, that’s my favourite”.
I would encourage everyone to go and check out the new Dear Jaz E.P. I am going to finish with a NOTION interview. They chatted with an artist who has been making big strides since her debut E.P. in 2017. This year has been a wonderful one for Jaz Karis! With a fresh E.P. and a growing and loving fanbase behind her, things are looking so promising for 2023:
“Is there anyone you’d like to work with in the future?
Oh, I’ve got a whole list of dream collaborations. I don’t want to reveal too much too soon. But yeah, I have a list, there’ll definitely be more collaborations, even some revisits that I’ve done in the past as well.
And who is on that bucket list then?
I think the top one for me would be Frank Ocean. There’s literally a whole list, I would just go down my childhood dream list.
Over lockdown, you wrote, recorded, and engineered your EP ‘All Eyes On U’ by yourself in your bedroom. How did you find that experience? What were the challenges and rewards?
I found it very fun. I’m a control freak, so it was quite nice to know everything that’s going on. Obviously, I had help from friends. I think the challenges were that I was new to it, it was my first time. One thing I was very cautious of getting was demo-itis, when you get used to how [a song] sounds, you can’t then hear a mix because you’re used to the demo. I think I was struggling to separate the two because I was in my head the whole time, more than I’ve ever been before. But then at the same time, the perks were the fact that I can actually do this and I can record on my own time, whenever I want, however I want. Now a lot of my songs I’ve done, I’ve just recorded myself. I don’t know if there’s a downside, but now I’m more comfortable doing that than going to the studio because I know how I like it. And it’s a lot easier when I just do it myself. But then I think I also have to bear in mind, that there are a lot more professionals that have been going been a lot longer, so I have to keep my mind open to that as well. I’m so grateful I learned to do it then, and now I can do it all the time. It’s just about that balance. Sometimes you get better quality instead of just doing it yourself.
PHOTO CREDIT: Jai Toor
It must feel so liberating to be able to, if you wanted, use that skill set in the future.
Yeah, definitely. I think it’s weird because you still get people shocked, like, you do that? Maybe not so many people actually sit down and record themselves. To me now, it’s like, how did I even survive without doing this? Because I get so much more done.
You also co-direct your own music videos. Why is it so important to have creative autonomy over your work?
I think it’s very important as an independent and young female artist that you get the kind of story that you want across properly. I love to write, that’s my life. It was very important to me that visuals were a part of that process. Because I just didn’t want to regret anything. It’s a lot of hard work, it’s very expensive. I want to make sure that it’s 100% what I want it to be the vision I see in my head. And sometimes it gets to the point that a video might not even come out because it’s not come out the way it was supposed to. I think in the future, I will always want a bit of creative control when it comes to visuals, 100%.
As well as releasing your own music, you have worked as a songwriter for other artists, such as JusFne. How does the process of writing for someone else challenge you but also benefit you as an artist?
I’ve written songs as if they were for myself, and then someone has liked it, and then they’ve taken it. And then there’s the other side of things where you’re in a room writing specifically for someone. I think I definitely prefer the first because it’s easier, just to speak for yourself. But then it’s interesting when you get a brief or when you get a challenge to write for someone. I think it’s easier to know as much information and backstory as possible, like how do you want it to sound? I think that’s when it becomes a bit more of a task, a freedom of skill. Some people are so great at executing a brief, whereas I much prefer writing freely, or having a conversation with someone and then it coming like that. They’re very different. Both of them can create amazing songs.
Some artists feel pressure to consistently drop music in order remain in playlists. Have you been affected by this? Do you think this poses a problem for artists?
That’s such a hard question. I think this generation is genuinely about stats, more than music, in fact. I don’t know when it will pass, but I’ve had to play the game you if you want to stay relevant. It is about good music, but at the same time I just think stats speak louder these days, unfortunately. I hope it changes because I genuinely think like classic music that we still listen to now, that our parents grew up on was not created by stats, it was created by making room for really good artists and allowing them to put out music that is real. It’d never pop off here or make 100,000 streams a day. And there’s not much you can do about it except for trying to make great music, but at the same times, still try have great stats. So it’s a hard game to play, but hopefully it will come full circle, because otherwise we’re not going to have new music forever instead of old music anymore. Which I think is really sad.
If your music were a flavour, which would it be?
When you said that I immediately came to prawn cocktail! I don’t know why. But going off that, probably because I think it’s a bit of everything. It’s a bit random. And it warms your soul”.
If you have not heard Jak Karis, then go and investigate her beautiful and hugely impressive music. I can see her going into acting, touring internationally, and joining forces with some huge artists and featuring on their songs. It is an exciting time for Karis. After a busy year, I hope she gets time to chill over Christmas. If you are looking for brilliant artists to follow, then I can thoroughly recommend…
THE sensational Jaz Karis.
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