Jaak Reflects on Spinnin' Talent Pool Releases [Interview]

Jaak Reflects on Spinnin' Talent Pool Releases

8/12/2019

You've moved around a few times throughout your musical journey, starting in Portugal then moving to the Netherlands to study music production at SAE. What was your experience like at the university and what made you decide to move back to Portugal after finishing your course and starting Jaak?
I moved to the Netherlands to focus 100% on my music. Two years after graduating in Portugal as a Graphic Designer, I decided that I wanted to level up my music production and be able to pursue my dream of becoming a professional DJ and producer. That's when I found out about a four-month course at SAE in Amsterdam for the Electronic Music Advanced Certificate. For me, this was a unique experience. Like most of us do, I learned through the internet, but this time I had the opportunity to learn from professionals. Having instant feedback on my productions along with the possibility of asking questions about anything that I was struggling with helped me improve my productions at a speed that I never thought was possible.

So when I finished the course in January 2018, I decided to start my solo project, Jaak. After two years living in the Netherlands, I decided to move back to Portugal. It was not an easy decision, but an important one. The main reason I decided to move back was that I want to leave a mark in the music industry as a Portuguese producer living in Portugal. Electronic music is growing in my country and I want to be part of it, and there's nothing like home!

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A post shared by Jaak â—¯ (@musicbyjaak) on Jul 18, 2019 at 5:31am PDT

What's the story behind your latest track on Spinnin' Talent Pool, "Fool?"
It all started with a jam session on the piano while I was still studying at SAE. It's been a while since I wanted to make a more melodic track. I'm more of a bass guy so I decided to create something melodic but with a groovy bass at the same time.

In your Spinnin' interview, you mentioned that you combined two old projects to make "Fool." What does your normal workflow look like and how do you push yourself to finish tracks?
When I start a new project, I tend to work on it for a few hours before I decide if it's good or not. If I think it's good enough, I will pick it up the next day or so and keep working on it until I have a full arrangement. When I'm really inspired, I try to make as many ideas as I can, so when I'm not inspired, I can go back to those sessions and build everything around them. This method of working was a game-changer for me because I found a way to avoid the creative blocks I have to face once in a while.

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A post shared by Jaak â—¯ (@musicbyjaak) on Jun 29, 2019 at 9:09am PDT

Tell us the truth, what effect did your first Spinnin' Talent Pool release have on your career?
People started to notice me! That was the main effect of my Talent Pool releases. Thanks to it, I've been contacted by other professionals of the industry, producers, and record labels interested in working with me. So it opened doors that will help me grow as an artist.

Around six months ago, you embarked on your first China Tour! How did that all come together and what were some of the highlights from your time over there?
I met a guy who was living in China and was part of a big Chinese club chain. He was looking for new Djs to play in his clubs so he invited me to go there. What was a dream a few years ago became a reality when I did this tour. Traveling in a foreign country and playing on some of the most amazing clubs in the world was something that I dreamt since I started producing. It was unique to experience a completely different culture where dance music is growing so fast.

What's coming up next for Jaak for the second half of 2019? Anything you can tease? I am working on a lot of new music, including some interesting collaborations with singers and producers that I can't wait to reveal. I have a new track with Neverglow and an official remix coming out later this year. What I'm most excited about is that I'm developing an amazing new project, in collaboration with other professionals, that aims to promote electronic music here in Portugal. And I'm finally going to start building my studio. So make sure you follow me on social media to stay tuned with all these exciting news!