“When I first got asked to do it, I assumed it’d be in the Studio or one of the smaller rooms,” Juju says of the performance, which also featured the Melbourne Ska Orchestra. “Then they sent through all of the details and I realised we’d been booked to play the Joan Sutherland Theatre. That’s basically the second-biggest room in the entire venue. It was momentous for me and my band; it’s probably the highest level of production we’ve ever worked with, and to look up and see all these people that had filled out the room to see us was absolutely incredible.” And there were no sound bleed issues with Morrissey’s gig in the neighbouring Concert Hall? “Not at all,” Juju laughs. “We were happy to go vegetarian for the night.”
The Opera House show properly kicked off Juju’s national tour in support of her second solo album, Seeing Red/ Feeling Blue. Since parting ways with her former band the Snake-Oil Merchants four years ago, the singer has utilised whatever weaponry she could get her hands on in order to broaden her stylistic horizons. With Seeing Red, Juju feels as though she’s assuredly pushed into new territory.
“My last record [2012’s Mojo Juju] was me just getting the last of my vintage blues out of me,” she says. “Even that record was very different to the Snake-Oil Merchants days, but I just got to a point where I realised that I needed to branch out. A lot of those songs were written when we were still around but the band could collectively see the end. I see myself as a different artist now, and I really feel like this whole album is going to be quite a step away from what people expect of me.”
In the early stages of her career, Juju was immersed in a community of musicians – along with the likes of Gay Paris, The Snowdroppers and Kira Puru – that revelled in the hallmarks of old-timey blues rock while giving it a contemporary edge. As much as she loves and respects all of those acts, she didn’t want to get bound up in a specific sound or collective movement.
“You go through all sorts of weird things as an artist,” she says. “I think all we’re trying to do is make music that we love; being authentic to ourselves and being as creative as possible in your expression. There’s an element of theatre in there – you’re an entertainer, after all – and a lot of the songwriting traditions I learned from have allowed me to create other worlds. It’s no secret I’m a massive Tom Waits fan – I see him as someone who has created whole universes through the music that he makes. Maybe I was a little worried about getting pigeonholed. I’m interested in innovation. I’m interested in artists that can do that – Waits, Madonna, Andre 3000. People like that are at a point where they can do whatever they want to do; they don’t get compared to anyone else.”
As the title suggests, Seeing Red/ Feeling Blue is an album of raw emotion. It stems from deep catharsis and passionate personal investment, as well as Juju’s desire to continually redefine her stylistic identity. Even when attempting to expand on the foundations laid by 2012’s Mojo Juju, she ran into some immediate obstacles.
“It felt unnatural and it felt inauthentic,” she says. “I had to shrug off any idea of what people wanted from me and move toward what pleases me. At the time, I was listening to a lot of Frank Ocean, a lot of Solange, a lot of Kendrick Lamar – it was all this new sound, giving me all these new ideas of what to do from a melodic perspective. Once I had those ideas, and once I started writing with them in mind, the songs came really quickly.”
In spite of Juju’s solo billing, producer Ptero Stylus played an all-important role in cultivating the album’s voice – both figuratively and literally. “He’s done a lot of hip hop records – albums for guys like Diafrix and Mantra,” Juju explains. “He’s also got a keen ear for pop music. He told me straight up that if I wanted to pursue doing songs that had a bit of a pop side to them, I had to learn how to sing differently. I had to learn how to use my voice in a way that I’d never used it before. It was great having someone that really pushed me out of my comfort zone. That’s the best thing that you can do for yourself.”
The national Seeing Red/ Feeling Blue tour is currently in full swing. Over the next couple of weekends, Juju and her band will storm through Victoria, playing a show at the Corner Hotel, as well as stop offs in Traralgon and Oakleigh. If you haven’t experienced Mojo Juju live before, you’re in for a night of style, sass and smarts, plus a display of exceptional musicianship.
“I’m really stoked with the band I’ve put together for this tour,” says Juju. “There’s some new players that I haven’t had the chance to work with in this vicinity yet, as well as some old favourites that I’ve been playing with for years. I’ve got several members of The Cactus Channel playing with me – they’re some of Melbourne’s best young soul and funk players. My brother is joining me as well, who’s probably one of my closest and most consistent collaborators. He’s a real go-to guy. You can really depend on him. We’ve got some guests lined up in each city too, and some great supports. It’s going to be an absolute party.”
After a three-year gestation period, Seeing Red/Feeling Blue is finally here. Juju’s own enthusiasm for the record is plain to see, and if the early reviews are anything to go by, her stylistic remodelling has been a major success. “There’s been a lot of love,” she says. “I’m really grateful for the fact that the fans I do have are really loyal. They’re really into the idea of going on this journey with me. No one’s disowned me or turned their back on me… yet.”
BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
