THEAUSSIEWORD.COM special interview with Jake Bosci.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry? Music began for me around 12 years old. My dad taught me to play an acoustic guitar and I suddenly found myself hiding away in my room all the time trying to make music. It wasn’t until I was a little older in high school though that I really started to give it a try. I formed an indie rock band called Ellington with my friends and things just went from there. We started touring, recording etc.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music?
There is a lot of great artists out there and they certainly inspire me and motivate me too. I have never really tried to sound like anybody in particular but when you here a great song it really inspires me to sit down and try to create something. In general, day to day I am inspired by things going on in my life whether they ate good or bad or things going on in other people’s lives that really inspire me with subject matter.
What are some of your biggest goals you hope to accomplish?
Honestly, I just want to connect with more listeners. I want people to feel like they can relate to some of my music. It’s always hard as an indie artist to find yourself on things like Spotify playlists etc and so my biggest goal right now is to try and see some growth in my audience over the next few months.
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour? Touring is a little tough right now due to COVID but I am focusing on getting an EP out early next year and will be releasing a few mor singles between now and then online.
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music?
I wrote my new single “I Miss You” whilst in government quarantine. It’s a little random but I was returning home and was made to do the quarantine period. I was away for a while and just missing everybody and everything about home. I luckily had a little set up to record music on and recorded the track, sent it to my friend Lane Johnson and it came out like this. I think a lot of people are missing a lot of things right now and simply put, that’s all the song is about.
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs? Like I said before a lot inspires me but usually, I just sit down in my studio with a chord progression, lyric idea or a feeling I want to write about. Some days it comes very easily and others it doesn’t. I have been through times where I get bunkered down comparing myself to others with more views, likes, Spotify playlisting or whatever and I think I’ve finally let go and see music as a lot more subjective and just because it might not reach a lot of people, does not mean it is not successful. In my eyes anyway.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music? I don’t think there is anything hidden to be honest. I think my songs are pretty right to the point and easy for people to understand what they’re about. I like it like that.
Success, what is the secret to it?
I will have to tell you when/if I get a taste of it.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far? I think the places I have been with music, the people I have met. Touring around Australia as a young kid to sold out venues was something I will never forget and a lot of the time it is the idea of that which keeps me going now.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring? I’ve always been inspired by bands like Dashboard Confessional. Lyrically. Right now I am listening to a lot of Nightly, MUNA, Dutchkid, Gordi, Chelsea Cutler, Handsome Ghost.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline? I am starting to produce some stuff at home for others and excited to announce the first artist on that front soon but for me, just writing and trying to hone in on great songs for an EP.
The music industry is constantly changing, where do you see yourself a few years? That’s a hard question. My motivations may change, I may not release more music by then, who knows. I hope by then to have just left songs out there in the world that I can be genuinely proud of.
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why? My least favourite is the TON of rejection you can receive from industry people. That really kicks gets me down some times but I just remind myself music is subjective and keep rolling with the punches. It can feel like an uphill battle if you don’t have a good team around you some times.
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists. Gordi, Tyne-James Organ, Fergus James.
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye? When I first started releasing music, I am talking Myspace days. It was amazing for me and our band back then as a platform. We could communicate with people so easily and release so easily. We built a fan base from nothing in a short amount of time. The biggest change I have seen as I get older is how much you need to rely on connections these days. Industry connections. If someone doesn’t like your song, it won’t get reviewed, If someone doesn’t like your song it wont get radio play, if you don’t already have momentum it won’t be put on editorial playlists. For me I feel like it’s become harder if you’re not connected.
How will you continue appealing to the international market? I will just keep releasing my songs and if they hit home then great. I don’t think for me I am trying to appeal to anyone in particular. I am just a guy writing songs.
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list? I would love to work with more songwriters on creating music for others. I would love to work with an endless list of Australian singer songwriters and hopefully one day I can.
What advice do you give for other artists wanting to follow in your footsteps? Just enjoy your music, be proud of it, spend time creating something you will always be excited to tell people is yours. Also, don’t be discouraged. It’s now normal to be rejected in the music industry unfortunately but don’t let that stop you!
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your followers and fans? Thank you for listening, it means the world to me. Shoot me a message, comment or whatever on Instagram and I will always reply on there x
Website: www.jakebosci.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jakeboscimusic
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jakebosci
Instagram: @jakebosci