He’s been considered the “prodigy” for years: singer, arranger, composer and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier has won two Grammys for his first two albums (four in total for all four editions of his “Djesse” project), was promoted by Quincy Jones and later known as a jittery, multi-talented YouTube star. Playing numerous instruments and singing, he mixes elements of jazz, a cappella, groove, folk, trip-hop, classical music, gospel and soul with improvisation. However, some critics once found it almost exhausting and too erratic.
ROLLING STONE wants to know: Who and how is this person really? Has Collier matured and grown up musically? In the midst of his world tour, Collier made a stop in Berlin for a concert – and a chat.
Interview video with concert impressions:
ROLLING STONE: Music knows many chords. If Jacob Collier were a chord, what would it be?
Jacob Collier: There is no “one chord”. That depends on my mood, but today it would be for example: (sings) A warm chord, not too overpowering, soulful… it makes sense in my head. Chords are always associated with feelings. In any case, there is not just one Jacob Collier chord.
Some say your music sounds like you invented new chords.
I wouldn’t say I invented anything new. I only gave names to chords that sounded good…so I wouldn’t forget them. But all these notes and sequences of notes probably already exist somewhere, or someone has already invented them. I just sometimes think, “Oh, that might go with the chord, and the one with the…”
That feeling is exciting, eureka-like. But nothing in the universe is new, it’s all just atoms redefining and recombining. It’s like that sometimes in music too. Ultimately, everyone has their own personal North Star somewhere, feels drawn to something special and combines and makes music in their own way.
They are referred to as the “child prodigy” or “Einstein of music”. What does that do to you?
That creates pressure, definitely pressure! But I put most of the pressure on myself. I know what I hear and want to hear and I want to achieve the best, the best sound, which I then share with the world. At any given moment I have more and more options, more and more musicians to potentially work with, a world tour, new albums. So the hard part is making a decision on which of all these options I want and can implement. Apart from that, I love pressure because it drives me forward.
Several million views on YouTube, Instagram and Co: How important are these numbers?
It’s already hard being human, but especially since everything is online. Not paying attention to all these numbers and scales, not measuring yourself by them. What matters to me: The quality of HOW you give is more important than the amount you give. Do you reach people through your heart? You can of course draw their attention through your eyes, but you can only connect with them through your heart.
What drives you?
Oh, every day the feeling of coming on stage, everything rustles and claps. So much that reaches you. I think in general: the more you give, the more you get. I’ve been working from home so much, especially in lockdown, making albums and videos – now coming on stage every day in a different city and seeing that they’re all there… it’s so valuable.
You’ve worked with Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Hans Zimmer and Chick Corea. Who else would you like to make music with?
Definitely with Rosalía. Also with Kendrick Lamar, an absolute icon for me. And with Stevie Wonder, whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting several times. He’s just wonderful. Unfortunately we haven’t produced any music together yet. I would still like to do that.
What do you like about working with Quincy Jones?
He is an absolutely unique human being. He says so many interesting things, talks so often about the balance between science and soul, the understanding and the feeling that comes from it. He loves people so much and speaks what feels like 80 languages. He always has a story for everyone, a soft place in his heart.
They recorded and released four albums in a very short space of time….
I had started recording one but then realized there wasn’t enough space on one album for everything. Then I made a second one. And again found: There is not enough space for everything on the two. So it became three. And now it’s still not done… so there were four. Each album has its own character.
Is there one coming in 2023?
I think so. I’m currently working on a lot again.
Current record Djesse Vol.3 is the English musician’s fourth album, released on August 14, 2020
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