- 90 minutes of summertime magic.
- In "Both Of Us," Jayda G can lay claim to one of the dance tracks of the summer. The track's momentum began pre-pandemic, but its release at the start of July came at a time when people across the world were unable to dance together. Ordinarily, "Both Of Us" would be soundtracking festival stages around the world; instead it's become a home-listening favourite, racking up more than four million streams. The Canadian artist is circumspect about the fact her biggest track to date arrived during a summer unlike any other. "Everything works out the way it's supposed to," she told us. "For this song to come out during lockdown, I think it's given a lift for people's moods tremendously while we've been stuck inside and not able to be with friends and family as easily. "
Before she started producing and releasing music, Jayda made her name as a DJ whose energy behind the decks matched the joyous disco and house records she threw down on the turntables. That energy courses through RA.739, which was recorded in London and British Columbia. We hope that, wherever you are, you get at least 90 minutes of uninterrupted sunshine this week so you can listen to this mix in the best possible way.
What have you been up to recently?
Really since the pandemic, I was staying at home—like everyone! But with staying at home, I was able to be home, which I hadn't really been able to give a lot of time and energy to since I moved to London in August of last year. I've been obviously doing stuff like working on music, organizing my record collection; but also able to kind of get back to my hobbies and things that give me energy and make me happy. It's actually been a very been a decent time for me to kind of connect back to myself.
How and where was the mix recorded?
Well, I started the mix in London... I am a very tactile person when I make mixes. I need to touch things and move things around—so when I was in London, I was taking records from my collection and placing them in the order that I thought the mix would go. And then once I'd done that I started ripping the records because, in terms of the deadline, I knew I was going to be in Canada when I needed to work on this and I don't have any decks in Canada.
Then once I ripped all the records I was in Grand Forks, British Columbia! So I started working on Ableton with those rips and putting them together in the comfort of my childhood home. So yeah, you can picture rolling mountains and two cats that would come and join me—it was quite peaceful and wonderful to be able to make the mix there.
Can you tell us about the idea behind the mix?
I think when it comes to all mixes for me, it's about whether they move you along, you know. And that's the idea that I have for all mixes and DJ sets—it starts off a bit slow, then it kind of builds and builds, and then takes you back down. Mixes and DJ sets are a journey. It's a musical journey, right? At least that's what it is for me.
I wanted to showcase some tunes that I've been listening to recently. Tunes that have been really big for me during quarantine, that have been giving me energy and making me happy, as well as showcasing some more alternative leftfield house music (for lack of better words), and there's some some tracks in here that my friends made like LNS and HAAi. So yeah, that was kind of the main go-to with that!
Have you been making music during the past few months? Has your approach to production and the creative process changed since the pandemic hit?
I don't think I would say my creative process has changed. If anything, I'm just able to give more time to my creative process, which has been wonderful in the sense of being able to have the time and energy for that. Being able to explore different ways of being creative. But I would say that on the whole my creative process has been the same.
Your track "Both Of Us" has had over four million streams since it was released in May. What's your experience of how this song has resonated with fans, given you haven't been able to see IRL reactions to it on the dance floor in recent months?
Yeah, it has been a journey! I am just so thankful that I have been playing this track out since me and Fred Again made it back in September last year. I've been playing it out since then which has been fantastic because people really react to this song, even when they didn't know it! It really is such a magical song for me and even better to see that it creates magic on the dance floor.
Now that it's actually been released, to see people reacting to it through social media and sending me DMs has been the best part. This song kind of got a little bit of attention on Instagram because Fred posted a studio session of us jamming out to the song—I've been getting DMs for this song forever since then and people being like, "I need this song," "I need it for lockdown," "I've been waiting for it!" That reaction has been beautiful and so heartwarming.
You know, everything works out the way it's supposed to and, for this song to come out during lockdown, I think it's given a lift for people's moods tremendously whilst we've been stuck inside and not able to be with friends and family as easily. So I'm really happy. I'm really grateful for the way things have worked out.
What are you up to next?
Ah you'll just have to pay attention and see!