Lupa J on her forthcoming EP and being more than just a singer
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Lupa J on her forthcoming EP and being more than just a singer

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She released new music this year in the form of single Put Me Back Together, a taste of her third EP expected later this year. The EP is a culmination of a year spent refining her sound after the release of My Right Name last year.

 

“I really focused on trying to get my production better,” Jones says. “I did three remixes during that time of other people’s music, and I think that really helped me get better at production. I spent a long time trying to figure out what kind of musical style I wanted to be writing in.” While there are no remixes currently in the works, expect to see some more in the future.

 

Lupa J will be opening the latest NGV Friday Nights series, this time in conjunction with their House of Dior exhibition – featuring on a lineup of both Australian and international artists, including GL, Shonen Knife and Kate Miller-Heidke. Her performance will also be the debut of a simplified live show, one that coincides with the upcoming release of the new EP.

 

The move is designed to connect more with audiences, as Jones was finding herself isolated from fans when playing live. “I used to always play behind a desk and have a lot of things I was doing at the time. I was singing, pressing a lot of buttons, and playing violin at once.”

 

Her roots in classical music see her wanting to stay independent when it comes to reproducing her music live, due to the way she goes about recording it. “I don’t want to be one of those people that sings and has everyone else do everything. I do all the sounds in my music myself. I think that’s a really important element to take to the live show – me actually making music, rather than just singing. I don’t want to be perceived as just a singer.”

 

The re-jigging of the live show means it’ll be easier for Jones to connect with the audience, while also retaining control of the music being created live on stage. The leap from classical to electronic music was one that Jones feels came quite naturally, despite the two worlds often being at odds. “The way I think musically, and the way I play violin works better with electronic music production than writing with a band.”

 

She enjoys the freedom that surrounds making electronic music, preferring to be able to control all aspects of the compositions. “I would just sit in my room with GarageBand. It’s a more solo process, and using a computer to make music, you can put any sounds you want rather than being confined to a guitar, drums, bass.” Being able to have that space to create also meant that she could “experiment with sounds the violin can make, and electronic sounds that work similarly to the violin.”

 

Unfortunately, not everyone really understood the switch, especially considering the prestige of the Conservatorium High School. This was especially the case for the teachers, who hadn’t really experienced anyone wanting to make the switch before. “A lot of [my teachers] feel like classical music is the superior art form – to pop music and electronic music especially – so I was pretty much alone when I was doing that.”

 

Having played violin since the age of six, the jump was definitely a daunting one, but one that Jones doesn’t regret at all. It’s clearly paid off, considering her ever-growing reputation in Australian music circles.