Jordan Anthony leads the SOTY field this year with two songs in three categories.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your music. Who is Jordan Anthony?
I’ve always loved storytelling through my music and taking real world problems that a lot of us go through and creating it into a catchy and digestible pop tune. I’d like to hope that my music can be seen as relatable and connects with people, because that’s essentially the reason I do what I do – my ‘why?’ connecting with others through music.
Travelling to LA this past March after being invited to perform my original music at MUSEXPO allowed me to learn so much about the music industry as a whole and also myself as an artist.
What does it mean to you to have two songs in three categories in the WAM Song Of The Year?
It’s amazing! I’ve had single songs nominated for a Song Of The Year in the past few years and have found that an incredible achievement, let alone having two songs nominated in three categories! The last couple years have been amazing, and I’ve been working hard on my craft refining my songs, my artistry and my presence. Having that validated through these nominations alongside this year’s high calibre of WA artists is super humbling and I’m really proud of it regardless of the outcome.
What’s the background to your ‘Hip Hop/New R&B’ category song, Gold?
Gold is a fresh and exciting track with a different vibe in comparison to my other songs which is what people enjoy about it. I actually recorded this track in Melbourne late last year with a talented producer named New-Haven who has worked with the likes of JVKE and Imagine Dragons; having him work his magic on Gold and bringing it to life with the old school R&B flare helped take the song to another level and it was amazing to work with him.
The song is about that incredible feeling you get with that special someone, and the notion that they can do no wrong. This song actually dropped while I was in LA this March and funnily enough someone was talking to me about ‘Gold’ and pitched me an alternative meaning to the song in relation to Hollywood – much of what Hollywood touches turns into ‘Gold’. So I think that it can be interpreted in different ways, but that’s the beauty about music, it means so much for so many different reasons for a lot of different people.
LISTEN TO ‘GOLD’ HERE.
What about your ‘Pop’ and ‘Schools 15 & Above’ nominated song, Higher?
Higher is a track written about my inner circle of family and friends. It’s a reminder that they are a continuous part of my journey, there for the highs and the lows.
Additionally, I wrote this track for everyone; a song that shows there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. The last few years hasn’t been easy for anyone, and this song serves as a reminder that we’re all in this together, and it’s an anthemic track that is easy to scream in the car.
LISTEN TO ‘HIGHER’ HERE.
Describe your songwriting process – do you have a set way of working or does the approach change according to the song?
To be honest, it is never the same process! I draw inspiration from everywhere, as cliché as that sounds. I remember sitting in my class one time when I was at school and we were watching a biology video that had a little jingle at the start which got my mind ticking about a new melody, I literally asked my teacher if I could go to the toilet so I could record the melody into my phone.
I could be in the shops and a melody comes to mind, so I’ll hum it into my phone. It sounds and definitely looks crazy in the moment but that’s just my process. It’s super spontaneous, random sometimes and voice memos are my best friend, but it works for me! I’ll then take those melodies home to my piano or guitar, find a chord progression that fits and build the song from there.
WAM SOTY is presented by Act Belong Commit. How important do you think music is in regard to feeling in a healthy state of mind?
Simply put, music is an escape for most of us and for me it’s almost a form of therapy. Sometimes it may not even be an escape, but a place to feel comforted and supported through listening to songs that validate or echo how we’re feeling. It’s a universal language and the world would be a whole lot less bright without it.
Music is a part of everyone’s lives, and a way for us to relate to each other which I think is an amazing thing.
