Project Description

Interview with

JACK GRAY

Interviewer – Vicky Hebbs

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Australian artist Jack Gray is a 19-year-old singer, songwriter and producer from the Sunshine Coast, best known for his musicality and DIY creative approach. Over the past year Jack has supported Dean Lewis, performed in the UK and made his U.S. live debut at LA’s Winston House.

Jack has just dropped his new single My Hands. My Hands is the follow up to 2017’s Red Rental Car, which has over 1.1 million streams. Jack recently caught up with Amnplify’s Vicky Hebbs for a chat.

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As a 19-year-old artist I am interested to know how you first got into music? What was your first big break?

Well I got into music because I was surrounded by it growing up. Everyone in my family played some sort of instrument. I’m so lucky that this was the case otherwise who knows what I’d be doing for a living. BTW, right now I’m in a pub in Oslo drinking beer and eating some fries with truffle mayonnaise aha. I don’t even want to know what the alternative would be if I wasn’t introduced to music. Anyways, I think I would consider my first big break to be the songwriting camp ’50 Songs in 5 Days’ that I got invited to in 2016. I met the people that I now work with every day and it changed the course of my career dramatically. 

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What kind of music did you grow up on? What artists inspired you growing up?

Aside from the ‘80s glam rock that my parents would play, my friends introduced me to more alternative/indie artists such as Busby Marou, Boy & Bear, Sticky Fingers and most importantly, Ball Park Music. Ball Park became my favourite band throughout high school and I kinda worshipped them like musical gods. I would say those guys inspired my music the most growing up. However, Jeremy from Busy Marou inspired my love for fancy guitar work, which has had a huge impact on my musical direction.

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Your recent popularity must have you very busy right now. How do you find the balance between your everyday life and your musical one? Who keeps you grounded?

I mean yeah for sure, this trip has been so full on. Doing promo in between travelling, shows, meetings and recording has been overwhelming to say the least, but it’s all a part of the process. And I guess this tour is a really good insight into what’s to come and good practice, as it’s only going to get more intense from here. When I’m recording at home, which I would consider my everyday life, I’m in a super comfortable environment that I know very well and I generally have my friends and family around. I would definitely say that it’s those guys who are, and will always keep me grounded in this job. I have amazing family and friends, and my manager is constantly telling me how important it is to try my best to keep these people in my life, because they’re the ones who will tell me how it is and support me through almost anything. The balance between these two lifestyles has been such a rewarding process, especially as I’m someone who believes that dynamic in life is so damn important!

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You’ve had a big year musically, what has been your most memorable moment? 

Over the last year I’ve had a number of little victories along the way, but the most memorable moment for me would probably be seeing people’s reaction to my music overseas. Playing your music to an audience outside your home country is intimidating for a few reasons, but mainly because you’re unsure if people will get what you’re trying to do and what message you’re trying to convey. I guess that doubt is always gonna be there whether you are performing in your home territory or not, but I think it’s amplified overseas as it’s a completely different culture and, more often than not, even a different language. Dublin was the first show of the Dean Lewis European tour and it really was special for me. The people were so cool to hang with after the show and I just had such a great time!

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How would you describe your new single, My Hands? 

Light and dark at the same time and kinda fun.

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What are the origins or inspiration for this single? 

My mate and his gf. He was telling me a while ago that he felt lost in his relationship and didn’t know whether to end it or not. I conceptualised the idea of regular sex being too good to pass up, even at the expense of his sanity. 

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Do you feel a lot of pressure for this release after your last single Red Rental Car was so well received, or are you simply excited for the latest release? 

Not at all! It was so humbling to see that people were reacting to the song online and could relate to that feeling of escape. But it I don’t think it’s added any pressure to this next release, I’m basically just really excited about ‘My Hands’ being out there for everyone to bump. I have so many different vibes, styles and topics that I have been exploring over the past two years that I’m super keen for people to hear as well. 

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My Hands  – Out Now

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Are you currently working on any new music? Any plans for more releases after My Hands, in the near future? 

I’m always working on new music. In fact I can’t go two days without writing a new song! I’ve got so many tunes that I’m ready to share with everyone and hopefully very soon, more stuff will available!

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If someone had never listened to Jack Gray before, and they could only listen to one song of yours, which one would it be and why?

I have an unreleased song called ‘Fools’. I wrote it about a year ago when I was cooped up in my apartment in Sydney. What I am saying in the song and how I say it feels really ‘me’ and I can’t wait for it to be released!

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How does it feel to be supporting Dean Lewis on tour in the UK/Europe? What was that experience like? 

I feel so lucky! Dean has been a huge supporter of my project ever since we met over a year ago now and I’m honestly so grateful for how much he has helped out along the way! Travelling Europe like this is an eye opener in so many ways and it’s been such a liberating experience.

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If you could pick absolutely anyone to bring on tour with you, whom would you pick and why? (Dead or Alive)

Ummm…. I would have to say a masseuse. I swear all I ever want is a massage, so to have someone on call for that would be amazing!

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What are your major goals or milestones for the future? 

To write the best fkn music I possibly can. And to be genuinely happy…

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What are you looking forward to most in the coming months? 

Honestly, I’m looking forward to Christmas aha. I love Chrissy with the fam!

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Finally, this is a paragraph dedicated to some quick discovery. Really corny, but for the fans, can you tell me your favourite things (see below), and some brief reasons why? Answer some or all: 

Album: I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it. This album by The 1975 gives me mad nostalgia and I personally think the record is ahead of its time :)

Movie: I’m gonna put a few ‘cause I’m a movie kinda guy… True Romance, Dazed and Confused, The Girl Next Door, Rebel Without A Cause and of course, The Amazing Spiderman… the ones with Andrew Garfield!

Place: The caravan on the Gold Coast where I pretty much live these days. I’ve had too many good memories there for it not to be my favourite place.

Drink: Stone & Wood (It’s a craft beer brewed in Byron Bay) Yeah I’m one of those guys aha… 

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Follow JACK GRAY

OFFICIAL WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | SOUNDCLOUD | YOUTUBE

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