Jupiter Project: A Revolution
A collaboration between two University of Auckland students in 2010, Jupiter Project have fast become one of New Zealand’s most well-known musical acts. Gavin Correia and Marty Rich are risk-takers and Story-tellers. They’re artists who strive alongside challenges, no matter the cost, to aim for ultimate success in the music industry. they put one of their main inspirations to just telling the best story they can And their hard work has certainly paid off.
Their sound: alty-indie-meets-hip-hop revolution. It’s a sophisticated sound, with the beats and bass larking and curving into clever lyrics. It’s the future of New Zealand music laid bare. Their much-loved hit tune, With You, which feature Auckland-based artists, Jetski Safari & Helen Corry, achieved a Gold status and also hit the charts in France and Belgium. It has been streamed over a whopping eight million times worldwide. After a string of successful single releases, festival performances and international fame, Jupiter Project have opened for the likes of Will.i.am, Flume and Jason Derulo.
Recently, they’ve been collaborating with Adidas on its latest ‘Nite Jogger’ campaign – a pair of shoes that look stylish and also illuminate in the dark. I talked to Gavin soon after the release of Jupiter Project’s latest song, Summer Rollin’, about their Adidas collaboration, Jupiter Project and what the future holds for the duo.
How did Jupiter Project come to be?
Marty and I didn’t know each other before. We had a lot of mutual friends, though. I would throw these university parties and Marty would always try to sneak in. I kind of let that slide and I got to know that he was doing music.
My way with music is very fast and very quick. When I first started I was like ‘I wanna do music and I want to take it seriously.’ I was on the look-out for people who had the same kind of mindset. Basically, I said [to Marty], ‘Let’s just have a jam and see what happens.’ I think I went over to his house one day and that was it.
Who would you say that your main musical inspiration is?
I’d say it’s across several different figures. People from Marvin Gaye to Elvis Presley to Prince to Michael Jackson…Kanye West, Pharrell. People who really connect with their music. People who can strike something inside of you. That then creates a story of life.
I can think of certain songs and remember the first times I heard it. That’s why I love discovering old music, because it’s beautiful. Sometimes I think that I might’ve been born in the wrong era. That’s the thing about music. It’s always going to be there and you can always appreciate it.
How has it been collaborating with Adidas and their new ‘Nite Jogger’ sneaker?
I feel amazing about it. We’ve been collaborating with them and it happened really naturally and organically. Adidas were sponsoring the first stage [Jupiter Project] ever played on at Rhythm and Vines. That was a big moment for us, so to have accomplished that and have Adidas there was cool.
If I remember correctly, they gave us a couple of pairs of shoes as well. To get off the stage and have two of the guys say ‘we love what you do and we love what you’re about – let’s work together” was really cool. It was a place of mutual respect and obviously we have a lot of respect for the brand. They’re really big on what creatives do so I don’t feel they were trying to use us, but join us. And that’s really important.
How would you describe style and how do you incorporate that into your identity?
I think style is individual and unique. Everyone has a different way of doing it. Even a different smile, or mannerism – that’s what makes us all special. I like when people embrace things that make them different with little quirks here and there.
To me, that’s style. To me, style is not just getting the hottest thing – sometimes that’s cool – but I think it’s also knowing how to make it your own.
Is there a difference between daytime and nighttime performing?
Yeah, absolutely, especially seeing as we’ve come out of a very hot summer. We also played a lot of day festivals, and I run around stage a lot. I feel that I need to be a little bit composed and can’t be sweating all over the place. So that obviously means that I can’t wear a bunch of jackets. In the winter, I guess you have a lot more flexibility to layer up, especially at night it can get a bit more colder. You want to be comfortable. Functionality is really important.
The main thing is how you want people to see you. I always think in the other way. I don’t think from the stage forwards – I think from the crowd forwards. At the end of the day, I’m a fan of music too. I love to watch people play music and I love to watch shows. I’ve always been inspired by other peoples performances. I remember the performances that affect me are ones that really stand out and I try to look at it from that lens.
You recently played at Float Festival which took place on Lake Taupo. Was that fun to do?
It’s such a cool little festival. We’ve been lucky enough to play it three years in a row. They keep having us back, which is a good thing.
It was the most beautiful day. I really enjoy it because it’s an all-ages festival so there’s no alcohol. I enjoy that energy and pureness. It’s easy for people to have a good time when they’re drinking, but just to see the faces of these kids – it means a lot to them. That’s quite infectious; I can’t help but take their energy too.
Explain your creative process…
As you get better, you also get better at harnessing your creativity. I reckon that’s what it’s all about. Everyone has creativity. It’s just being able to tap into it. As I’ve gotten better at it, I’m more flexible, so now I don’t really have a singular process.
Just allowing my mind to be free with a lack of inhibition. I think when you add fear, it clouds your brain and ability to really tap into something. A person could have an idea in the shower, or in a high pressure collaboration and make something cool out of it.
What’s the worst audience experience you’ve ever had, if you’ve ever had one?
All the bad experiences on stage [we’ve had] hasn’t been due to the audience, but technical issues. The number one nightmare for any performing artist is being in this vulnerable place. You’re in front of a lot of people and worked really hard to get something together. We’ve had gear just completely stop working. Usually it happens at the start. But that also teaches how to be composed under pressure.
I think the difference is whether artists are able to embrace the situation. We try to play it off like it’s intentional. I’ll engage with it and talk to the audience being like: “you just weren’t loud enough…” That’ll give the sound team enough time to troubleshoot and then, hopefully, we’re back. People pick up on bad energy like that. But that’s all about the universe testing you. If you can adapt, it shows humanity and there’s something really quite special in that.
How do you stay motivated?
I read this really amazing quote the other day and it said that motivation runs out on a daily basis. It’s the commitment you want. [Motivation] fits between getting your arse up and doing something and really not wanting to do anything. It’s ‘yeah, I wanna do it’. Motivation is amazing, and it needs to be maximised. But commitment is the true test.
What’s your favorite album of all time?
Marvin Gaye’s, I Want You. I bought that on vinyl a couple of years ago and I always tend to go back to it. The feeling of the mood that he creates in the musicianship and his vocal performance is just amazing.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
There’s been a lot of good pieces of advice given to me all the time. If I could give some advice: just have your own back. If you’re lucky in life, maybe you have good people around you, but most of the time you’re by yourself.
You need to teach yourself to be strong, because they’re not always going to be there to pick you up. I think if you are your own best friend and you have your own best interest at heart and integrity, then you’ll be okay.
What’s next for Jupiter Project?
More. Bigger. Better. Hard-work and creativity is infectious. The more you hustle, the more you need to do it. Things we’ve been working on in the last few years are coming into fruition which is pretty cool. A lot of hard-work is paying off and there are lots of different projects, which is exciting.