Photo Credit: Olaf Heine
Berlin-based singer/songwriter/producer JOPLYN’s second album ‘Sant Jordi 02’ is the artistic product of her stay in Ibiza’s Sant Jordi neighborhood earlier this year. It is her personal testament to the growth and musical progression into new electronic soundscapes, showcasing ever-changing influences, approaches, and creative visions. Accompanied by a new animated world in which a character called J.O.P. (“a virtual extension of herself”) will guide you through the story behind each song – the album is both a sonic and visual journey through vulnerability and honesty of a young artist like JOPLYN, trying to navigate the world around her.
Now, as JOPLYN is set to take the stage in this year’s edition of the Seismic Dance Event, EG caught up with the rising star to talk about the incoming drop of ‘Sant Jordi 02’, her recent tours, and much more.
EG: Hi JOPLYN! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. Where are you based right now? How have things been going this year?
JOPLYN: Hey! Thank you for having me first of all! I’m based in Berlin as of now, but I’ve spent a total of 4 weekends in the city this year, so that doesn’t mean anything. This year has been crazy. I think I’ve played close to 50 gigs so far, after playing 5 gigs in 2021. This is my first real year “on the road” and I’m loving it.
EG: What was your summer like? Any particular highlights?
JOPLYN: I got to see so much of the world this summer. But my highlights were probably my residency at Hï Ibiza with Black Coffee and Damian Lazarus. Once a month, and every time it felt like a homecoming. And then my first little US Tour this August. That was a crazy two weeks in 6 different cities and also my first “big American festival” experience, with golf cart pick-up and trailer, etc. But so many other highlights too, that I probably can’t think of right now.
EG: By the way, congratulations on the upcoming release of your new album, ‘Sant Jordi 02’! What has the initial reception been like during live shows?
JOPLYN: It’s been so interesting because I made the album still during Covid times, locked in a house in Sant Jordi, Ibiza in past January and February. So no road-testing until after I had already handed it in. In a way that was daunting, but it also gave me peace of mind somehow, because I knew this was the finished form of the album and I couldn’t go back and change things (which I normally always do after playing the songs live for the first few times). And that can be an endless cycle to be in.
The reception has been great, a couple songs have really already become live-show staples and, to me, it’s insane to think they aren’t even officially out yet. Needless to say, I can’t wait for them to finally be released.
EG: So, from what we know, ‘Sant Jordi 02’ is inspired by your stay in Ibiza during lockdowns. In which ways does the island seep into your music here?
JOPLYN: I think most obviously, of course, Ibiza has inspired the sound of the album through the melodic house and techno which it stands for. However, when I was there in January/February off-season, it was like that part of the island was asleep for a couple of months. Only a handful of restaurants and clubs were even open. That’s why, paradoxically enough, the album was actually most inspired by the quietness and calmness on the island during that time. The beautiful corners of nature and the space to think and reflect on everything that had happened in the months prior.
“Ibiza has inspired the sound of the album through the melodic house and techno which it stands for”
EG: What can your fans expect to find on this one, musically speaking? And lyrically?
JOPLYN: I think the word that explains it best is “melanphoria”, or melancholic euphoria. That’s the feeling I wanted to translate into music. It’s almost like a personal testament to the growth and musical progression of new electronic soundscapes. Driving productions invite you to dance, paired with fragile and melodic vocals against brooding instrumental hooks. It definitely stays diverse while still being deeply rooted in the electronic genre. You’ll find mainly deep house grooves, some melodic techno, some tech-house beats, and also tracks where the focus clearly lies on the song and the vocals, while remaining inspired and influenced by my Berlin roots and colleagues. Lyrically, I circle a lot around topics of memory, time, infatuation, homecoming, and losing yourself in the moment.
EG: And ‘Sant Jordi 02’ will also come with its own animated world, right? Can you expand on that concept? How important will it be to fully appreciate the album?
JOPLYN: This is my cue to introduce you to J.O.P. – a virtual extension of myself. She will guide you through the story behind each song. I intended for the album to be both a sonic and visual journey through vulnerability and honesty as I try to navigate the world around me.
I made the J.O.P. animations in close collaboration with my uber-talented friend Amy Brutton. Basically, I send her vision boards of exactly what my concept for the animation/song is and film/edit reference videos, and she will animate them. It’s been one of the most fun and exciting collaborations I’ve ever done and I’m extremely proud of J.O.P. and her world. You can see the videos on YouTube, Spotify Canvas, and hopefully soon at my live shows too.
Grab your tickets for Seismic Dance Event here.
EG: By the way, congratulations on your participation in this year’s edition of the Seismic Dance Event! What can we expect from your performance? Any acts on the lineup you’re particularly looking forwards to?
JOPLYN: Thank you so much and oh my god! The line-up is full of other artists and friends I love and admire. Some big ones for me are Âme, Innellea, and Jamie XX.
You can expect an electronic live performance, where I sing, play the synth, vocoder, and take you on a musical journey through everything I’ve ever made. You’re going to want to wear some comfy shoes because I’m going to make you dance from the first to the last track. But other than that, just be prepared to celebrate and immerse yourself in the power of music together with me and feel the love between everyone there.
EG: How do you keep entertained when you’re on tour? Any good books, movies, or series you’d recommend?
JOPLYN: I wish I was actually awake enough to do things that require real brain power like reading or even watching a movie/show that’s above the level of complexity of ‘Fresh Prince’. When I’m not on stage I’m usually half-asleep somewhere in a corner or doing social media. When I’m not doing these two things, I’m writing songs – especially lyric writing is perfect for long flights. But even just little melody snippets or production tidbits are what I keep myself busy with on the road.
“Seismic’s line-up is full of other artists and friends I love and admire”
EG: What are your current thoughts on the state of the scene? What would you like to see more and less of?
JOPLYN: One word. Diversity! Especially gender equality is something I’m very passionate about. If you look at the numbers – ca. 23% of all artists are women, 14% are songwriters, and 2% are producers in Billboard’s Hot 100 Year End chart – it’s crazy. And I would even argue that if you focus specifically on the Electronic Music scene those numbers get even lower. I’m always the only woman at the artist dinner, on line-ups, and in business meetings.
But I’m positive that we are working towards a change and already now there are so many awesome initiatives getting more women heard. I work very closely together with Ableton and Spotify to create safe spaces for marginalized communities to explore their creativity and set foot into the scene; in front as well as behind the scenes. It’s an uphill battle, but it’s a battle worth fighting. And so inspiring to see all of us uplift each other and come together to work towards this one goal.
EG: What’s next for JOPLYN? What particular milestones are you looking forwards to now?
JOPLYN: Well, definitely the release of this album finally. Then – I always joke “after the album is before the album” – next year January/February I just booked my trip to LA to do the same thing all over again, this time in a small house in Silverlake. I can’t wait to get back into the studio and get the creative juices flowing. There’s so much inside of me that’s just waiting to be released. I can feel it. And I’m excited about the journey it will take me on.
Also, I just landed in Amsterdam as I write this for a week of ADE, and a super special gig in 2 days. That’s what I’m most looking forward to at this exact moment, because it’s the most imminent. It’s going to be such a good time.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, JOPLYN! We wish you all the best for the future.
JOPLYN: Thank you so much! Big love.
JOPLYN will be a part of the Seismic Dance Event in Austin, Texas, this November 11-13th, 2022. Purchase your tickets here.
JOPLYN’s ‘Sant Jordi 02’ will be out on November 4th, 2022.
Follow JOPLYN: Facebook | Soundcloud | Instagram | Spotify
