Exclusive Interview with JASMINE IS

With her brand-new song, “Love of Money,” now available on all digital streaming platforms, British pop/dance artist JASMINE IS is prepared to light up the dance floor.

The follow-up single to the debut album HEAR by JASMINE IS, due out in May, is titled “Love of Money.” This electro dance-pop song, which was produced by Philip Larsen (Kylie Minogue, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga), explores the proverb that money can’t buy happiness. Check out the exclusive interview below:

1. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

JASMINE IS: Most definitely, the key element for me is the message, which hopefully resonates on some level with the person listening. It’s not just about words, it’s about how the music evokes emotions. Sometimes there is a tension between the lyrics and the music, even a contradiction, like “Love of Money” – a dance track that decries the lure of money and excess – an unlikely juxtaposition. The sound is eclectic but rooted in electronic pop, blended together by the creative genius of Philip Larsen, my collaborator and producer.

2. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style?

JASMINE IS: When writing a song it’s not like I sit down and put pen to paper and methodically think about it. It’s just what comes to mind at any given time. The melody, whilst travelling from my brain, magically seems to pick up words on its way to my mouth. The song writes me. Musically, I love everything from disco to Debussy and am “Lost in Music” most of the time. That is reflected in the myriad of influences heard throughout the songs.

3. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try to affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

JASMINE IS: I think it is possible to explore personal narratives and their wider context. For example, Love of Money touches on the dangers we all face in dealing with the power and influence of money in our lives, but it was written about one person I know, whose pursuit of money never fulfilled its promise.

4. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

JASMINE IS: For me personally, creating a song can be a bit of a rollercoaster: exhilarating highs and gravity-defying lows. Songs are emotions set to music. Some emotions and some songs are more challenging than others. This is unlikely to change.

5. Could you describe your creative processes? How do you usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?

JASMINE IS: Usually, a song starts with the melody, often accompanied by phrases, which shape the chorus, the title, and the subject. Once I have a chorus and a verse and a rough idea of the arrangement, and a sense of the musical direction I want to go in, I share it with Philip. We are remarkably in sync musically. What he sends back always exceeds my imagination. Finding the right producer is finding the needle in the haystack.

6. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

JASMINE IS: Without a doubt, the most difficult thing I have had to endure in my life is the loss of both my father and my brother, to whom this album “HEAR” is dedicated.

7. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

JASMINE IS: Musically, completing my first album.

8. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

JASMINE IS: All music is subjective. All people have opinions. All opinions are subjective. Including my own.

9. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

JASMINE IS: Recording at home is perfect for me. I can record anytime, night or day, tea and toast at hand. What could be better?

10. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

JASMINE IS: Songs can be soundtracks to our lives. Every life is unique. My songs mean unique things to me. If they mean anything to anyone else, whatever that may be, that would mean the world to me.