From Ballerina Dreams to Pursuing your Passion in the Face of Fear and a Complete Career 180: A Lovely Interview with Jaz Paterson
Ache - out now on all streaming platforms! Photo taken by Max Paterson.
With her new single, Ache, out today, I had a chat to the lovely Jaz Paterson about all things music, her new EP coming out in November and what she was drinking at the time of the interview - that shows how down to earth she is.
If you are not familiar with Jaz, she is a very humble and kind South Islander who grew up in Geraldine, now based in Christchurch who has held a passion for music for a majority of her life. Jaz is such a kind person - the genuine warmth of her character when talking to her and listening to her music is unmatched and I am proud to bring this interview to Welcome to the Gig for you to read and get to know her a little bit more.
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Jaz: Good timing, I’ve just sat down with my hot drink!
Oh, what is it? Tea, coffee?
Jaz: It’s kind of a weird one, it’s this collagen creamer mixed in with some oat milk, which sounds really weird, but it’s really yum. It’s that dairy free one, so it’s made with coconut!
Oh my God, that sounds so good. I might have to try it at some point.
Your first EP is on a different platform [other than Spotify], isn’t it?
Jaz: It’s on Band Camp, yeah! It’s kind of tucked away, hidden away a little bit. I’m happy with it not being super accessible.
At least you’ve got Lonely out now, which I reckon is going to get some big hits, eh?
So, what have you been up to today?
Jaz: Today, I went for a big walk with my flat mates which was super nice. We went up Barnett Park in Redcliffs/Sumner way, went for a walk out there, did some reading. Did some pilates with my flat mate and I’m organising a music video, well, organising the shoot for it, so I’ve been planning that most of today.
You’ve been really busy!
Jaz: It’s been a good day, actually. A really good day! It’s nice making time for going on long walks that I usually don’t have the time for.
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First of all, I want to say congratulations on the release of your single, Ache, which dropped today! Beautiful song. What was the inspiration behind the song?
Jaz: So, that song is basically about the ending of a really serious relationship that I was in. The relationship ended about three years ago, but we were together for the best part of three years, or two and a half years. We were going to get married, but we didn’t. The song is basically about how he had the engagement ring in the mail and he was going to ask me to marry him. It’s kind of like, I got so close to having a future that could have been so different to what it is now. The gist of the song is how I sort of, untangled my life from his over a period of time. I was pulling back, withdrawing from friends we both used to hang out with and having to re-establish myself again after the relationship ended. It still messes with my mind a bit, I could’ve had an entirely different future and my career could’ve been different, my life could’ve been different… Everything. I got so close to that and it didn’t happen. The song is almost about the shock of that, but it’s for the best, you know?
You’re so young as well, so to have to go through that at such a young age would’ve been really tough I can imagine, eh?
Jaz: Yeah, it was rough. Honestly, I said “this is the last song I’m writing about this boy.” I spent probably the best part of two years just writing about him to get it all out of my system. Then, we were starting to work on developing the sound for the EP and then I was like, actually, I’ve had so many experiences in my life, but I want one song about him on this piece of work. I was like, “yup, this is the last one.”
Would you say that would be your favourite song off the EP, or would it be something different?
Jaz: Yeah, maybe. I feel like I kind of go in stages of which one is my favourite. I don’t know if I have a favourite, actually!
I guess it would be hard to say “hey this is my favourite song” on something you’ve worked so hard on, for so long, eh?
Jaz: Yeah! I feel like I like them all for different reasons, they’re all my babies, I don’t have a favourite. I feel so stoked and so lucky I get to do this. I’m really, really thankful for it.
[Talking about Jaz’s last single, Lonely. Review here to understand more about it] Is it quite isolating most of the time being a musician, or is it how you feel on certain days when nobody is there at your gigs that you know?
Jaz: It’s partly like the routine changes all the time and it’s a really unknown adventure. There’s always going to be lots and lots of changes. I suppose, if I was maybe following the career path that I was going to, I’ve got a degree in Counselling, so I’d be in the city, I’d be settling down, looking at doing this and that, but because I’m not doing that, I’m changing my routine a lot. It does affect you quite a bit… Like the lack of stability sometimes can get quite lonely sometimes.
I didn’t realise that until you sent the information to me [about the song] that it would be like that. You know, when you’re a musician and you’re doing your passion, you don’t think you’d feel feelings of loneliness like that. I guess that’s my perspective as a listener, so it’s like, wow.
Jaz: It’s interesting, I was chatting to a couple of people doing an interview last week or the week before and they said the same thing! You don’t really think of that when you go to a gig. You love the music and then you go home, but you don’t really think about what it involves. I guess, I didn’t know how lonely it could get until I started doing a lot more music. It’s constantly meeting new people, over and over and over, which I love, but it can be kind of feel a little bit isolating telling so much of your story, or telling the same parts of your story over and over again. It sounds real dark when I say it like that, but it’s just one side of being a musician.
Yeah and it’s not all like that I guess. There must be so much good stuff you experience too!
Jaz: I love meeting new people and chatting to strangers, the highs and lows eh.
Even though we’re in lockdown [at time of the interview], do you plan on doing any local gigs after lockdown, once we can, of course?
Jaz: I’ve got an EP release gig on the 26th November at the Wunderbar! We’re just in the process of figuring out what the live show is going to look like. That’s the main live gig that I’m focused on at the moment. I’ve got some gigs coming up, fingers crossed, in the next couple of months, but the Wunderbar gig is sort of my main focus.
Jaz performing at Beach Bar in Sumner just after lockdown, September 2021. Photo taken by me on the Sony A6000.
Being an EP release, that’s primarily you, isn’t it? That’s a huge thing to plan.
Jaz: I feel like there’s a lot riding on it. I’m really excited to do it, but at the same time, it feels really, really scary to be honest. I feel that way before most gigs, really scared and nervous and nauseous, but then I go out there and do it and love it. It’s this weird cycle of this low and then this massive high.
That’s so cool though, the fact that you get up and do it, even if you feel that way, that just says a lot about you and that is just awesome.
So, you were on the Liam and Baily Music Show a couple of weeks ago, how was that? Have you done a lot of radio appearances?
Jaz: Yup. I’m kind of starting to get back into it, I did a few radio shows years and years ago, back in the day, so I’ve started getting back into it now. It was nice to do the show with Liam and Baily because I don’t know them super well, but we’ve got a mutual friend. It was just nice to spend a whole hour with them just hanging out and chatting. It was really fun. Really, really relaxed and quite humourous. They are hilarious.
They have the best of things to talk about.
Jaz: It was really nice to have a good chunk of time to sit down and chat. I was trying to get used to the fact that it is live because you can’t go back and edit or change anything, so it’s kind of weird. They’re great fun those two.
So, it sounds like creativity runs in your family, because you’re obviously a musician, your brother is a photographer.
Jaz: Yeah, Max is really creative. He does photography and works as a filmmaker in London at the moment. He’s a busy boy! Growing up, my Mum and Dad played in a band, so I kind of grew up being surrounded by music and the four of us, I have two brothers and a sister, we all grew up learning an instrument. I initially hated it! I wanted to be a ballerina, but my Mum was like “nope! You’re going to be a musician, but you have to learn an instrument" and you need to be good and practice hard and everything.” It’s funny how it has all worked out - I was really obsessed with ballet and really wanted to do it, but Mum was like “nope, piano!” I’m stoked for how it all worked out otherwise I would’ve been… Who knows. Maybe I would have been a ballerina! I’m glad that I had to learn music.
That’s so funny! I love how your Mum was like “no! You’re not doing ballet!”
Jaz: I think her reasoning for it was because of career longevity. She was like, “you’re not going to be a ballerina into your 50s and 60s! Once you know how to write and play music, you’ll always know how to do that and you can do that for life.” I was like, “okay.” I was learning piano and really not digging it and I had to learn theory and I hated that. So, I went to a music festival when I was 10 or 11, Aldous Harding was playing at the festival and I suppose that festival is where it all started for me. I was plonking away on piano and then I saw her set, and I was like - yes please. That’s what I want to do! I made a deal with Mum that I would learn guitar if I didn’t have to learn piano. Then, I was away from there! She agreed to that, fortunately.
Have you had the chance to meet Aldous?
Jaz: Yes! So, her Mum used to teach me singing lessons. Her Mum is a family friend. I met her when I was quite young. I think it was before she was well-known. She was in Geraldine which is where I’m from and I walked past her and she said that my dress looked nice and I was real stoked.
That’s so cool! I’m so stoked that she helped you discover what you wanted to do. Isn’t it funny that everybody in Geraldine kind of knows everybody?
Jaz: 100%. It’s such a tiny little town. I love Geraldine, it’s adorable.
Do you ever miss the small town vibes? I mean, compared to Christchurch, it’s teeny tiny.
Jaz: My parents still live there, so I feel like I’m down there every couple of months and I’ll just have a weekend with Mum and Dad, then I have my small town fix and then am away. I love living in the city, but it’s nice to go back home. To be honest, I struggled a bit being in a small town, that felt a bit isolating growing up in a small town. I’ve always loved the city.
You made the good choice of coming to Christchurch!
Jaz: I think the North Island is going to claim me next year. I’m thinking of moving to Auckland early next year.
Good on you! I think out of all the cities you could go in New Zealand to fulfill your passion even more, that’s probably the best one.
Jaz: I kind of feel like it makes sense. Loads of industry stuff is based in Auckland, so I’m ready for a move. I’m definitely anticipating it to be a challenge, but I’m looking forward to it.
You’re going to meet so many amazing musicians up there. Do you have any Kiwi musicians that you’d like to collaborate with/who you look up to the most?
Jaz: Ooh… It will never happen, but Kimbra. If I could work with literally anyone, Kimbra would be the dream. She’s so cool in terms of what she creates, not just musically, but her whole aesthetic. I feel like as a musician, you kind of create this little individual world to go alongside the music. I like the little world that she creates. It’s really beautiful.
Opportunity could come knocking one day!
Jaz: If the opportunity comes my way, it would be such an enthusiastic yes! It would be pretty epic. Actually, also Thomston - he’s so, so talented. I would love to work with him. That would be super, super fun! I feel like, maybe some of his production style, I’ve been inspired by that. Broods! Broods would be epic, too. I’m on a roll now.
How about music festivals - would you ever like to play in any? Bay Dreams, Homegrown, anything like that?
Jaz: Yeah, absolutely. Any and all festivals would be epic! It would be super, super fun. Years ago, I played at a folk music festival in North Canterbury and at a Christian music festival in Dunedin one time. That’s been my experience of playing festivals and that was years and years ago, teeny tiny festivals. I would be down for everything. That would be super fun. I kind of feel like I’m in a space at the moment where I’m just down to saying yes to just about anything. I suppose I’m trying to have the balance of having a free enough schedule to be able to say yes to loads of things, while also not burning out. It’s real cool to be able to take up opportunities as they come along.
Good on you! It’s going to get you even further than you are now, saying yes to opportunities. So, going back to the start of the conversation - you’re a trained counsellor, is that correct?
Jaz: Yeah! I am. I have a Bachelor of Counselling.
You would definitely know how to not burn out, that’s pretty good.
Jaz: I think it’s real helpful having a degree in counselling. It kind of circles back to the conversation about loneliness and isolation before. I think in the music industry, it’s easy to burn out and get into a mental headspace, which is not so great. It’s easy to feel anxious or down. I’m hopeful that having the degree in counselling will help me figure out how to get myself through real rough patches if I need to. I think you’ve got to really take care of your mental health.
That’s so, so important. How long did you study to become a Counsellor? That’s impressive you done that, amazing.
Jaz: I studied for three years. I finished studying at the end of 2019 and then worked as a Counsellor for most of 2020 and at the end of 2020, I was like… It’s not so much like I don’t want to do this, but it was like, I want to be a musician more than I want to do this. So, I finished my job middle of December last year. I decided it on my birthday, actually. I’ve always wanted to do this, I love this so much. I don’t know how I’m going to do it financially and logistically. There are so many different factors, but I’m doing it, I’m quitting and I did it.
You are reaping the rewards for taking that leap of faith.
Jaz: Yeah, I’m really glad I did. I had a really good pep talk from Mel Parsons who is a Christchurch based musician. I caught up with her middle of last year and she was kind of like “there’s no now is the right time just do it.” Be poor. Be scared and just do it anyway, don’t have a comfy career. If you know that you want to be a musician, you have to do it, freak out and be poor. It’s fine.
Wow. She sounds like an amazing person to have a pep talk from!
Jaz: She is so cool. My mentor, Sacha Vee, she’s like another person who has given me endless pep talks over the years I’ve been working with her. I think she has really encouraged me a lot, as well. She’s helped me with so much of the logistical, practical, planning and business side of the music industry. More importantly, she believes in my music. She believes in me a lot, which has made such a massive difference in me thinking about doing music and me actually doing it, you know?
You have the most lovely support system by the sounds of it!
Jaz: Yeah! I really do. Really, really lucky.
Look out for Jaz - she is a powerful female in the music industry and will stop at nothing to get herself where she wants to be. So inspiring!
I’m guessing you’re a lot happier doing what you’re passionate about now.
Jaz: It’s kind of nerve wracking, there are lots of ups and downs, but in a lot of ways, I still feel like - am I just in the honeymoon stage of being self employed as a musician because I keep waiting for it to get really hard, or get really painful. There are moments of that, but for the most part, I get to do what I really love and I’m really thankful for it. I have a whole team at Sole Music Academy, where I do artist development and I feel really, really supported. I feel really grateful for that support at Sole.
I was reading up on them today, they sound like they have been so beneficial for many artists. Speaking of Sole, is there one big lesson that you’ve taken away from your time there so far?
Jaz: I think… There’s so many! I think it’s probably around working really hard. One of the big things is working hard, like Sacha gets me to work really hard, which I appreciate a lot and one of the big things is having a lot of pride in your work and making sure whatever you put out and being really clear on your branding, method and your values, what’s important to you and presenting yourself well to the world. I think as well, I’ll always have what she taught me: to literally be nice to everyone. She’s kind of like, you’ve got to be nice to everyone, everywhere, all the time. Nice is not the right word, but it’s just presenting the best version of yourself and being a genuine, kind, good person. I’m really aware of how generous people have been to me. People have given me some connections and part of me wants to be really thankful for that and offer that to other people where I can. I think, the music industry in New Zealand is so small, you’ve just got to be the artist you can be and a kind, good person I suppose.
Those are some good lessons she has taught.
Jaz: The thing with Sole and Sacha is that the more you invest in your career, they’re going to invest in your career and support you. Which is awesome.
If you could play anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Some little theatre or some place in New York would be fun. Anywhere in New York would be super fun.
Have you ever been to New York or the States?
Jaz: No I haven’t! Hopefully after lockdown. That would be the dream. I feel like I’ve always wanted to go as far as my music can take me. Any opportunities that open up in New Zealand, London, Canada or anywhere, I’m just going to go as far as my music can take me. Exciting.
Keep doing it and like you said, if it’s going to take you to different places, just do it. If you don’t do something you want at the time, are you ever really going to do it?
Jaz: It’s really scary. It’s a massive world. I get a little bit scared of getting lost in the world, but I’m going to do the things I find the scariest and becoming a musician full time is one of those things and moving to a new city - I’m scared, I’m doing it. It’s always worth it.
Just think of the people that look up to you - they may be scared to do it, but because you’ve done it they may go forward and do it. Years down the line, you could meet them and hear how they followed their dreams because of you. That’s exciting to think about!
Jaz: I’ve never actually thought about that. [I have] the musicians that I really look up to, but I’ve never really thought about it the other way. It would be super cool if that happened to someone if they got inspired.
I think you are the type of person to inspire other people. You are very honest about your music and telling your stories.
Jaz: It’s interesting being honest. Lately I’ve been thinking about what type of artist I want to be. You get to choose. You get to choose what you’ll be like on stage and you choose the way you’re going to chat in interviews and I’ve been thinking like, the way I want to be as a musician, I want to be a slightly more polished version of myself. I don’t want to be inauthentic or disconnected because I don’t think that I could keep that up. I used to think to be a musician in interviews you have to say all the right things and be really cool and be a certain way. I don’t know. I used to think you had to carry a certain persona, which is how some musicians do it, which is cool, because you’ve also got the choice to do that. For me, I just want to be as much myself as I can be in my writing and what I share as an artist. It has given me a lot of peace to just be myself and be a slightly tidied up version.
If you were able to have five things you wished for right now, what would they be?
Jaz: I would like 9 hours sleep. I would like to have a wine with my two best friends. We used to have a spa in our flat, I’d like the spa back. That would be epic! I’d really like to go shopping right now and I’d like to be able to do a gig. Those are the five most random things! Very random.
If you could go back and rewrite any of your previous songs, would you rewrite one of your songs?
Jaz: Yes and no. Yes because I think they could always be better and the lyrics could always have a bit more colour or depth to them. Also, no, in the sense that I’m quite stoked with each of them. They are imperfect snapshots of my life over the past couple of years. Mostly no! I feel like I’m happy, even with songs that I’m like “oh that could be better.” Thinking about it… The song Heaven on my EP, if I could go and re-record that, I would do the vocals on a different day so that I would have gotten in a better take vocally. In saying that, I like how it’s not perfect for what it is. Vocally, it could be better. I could’ve ironed out some bits and pieces and I’m fine with that.
Keep an ear out for Jaz’s second EP, Ache, releasing in November!
Do you have anything else you’d like to add to the interview?
Jaz: Ooh. No! I don’t think so. We’ve covered a lot of ground. I mean, if I was going to say one more thing, I’m trying to enjoy this part of the journey. This part of my career and letting it all unfold. Releasing things, part of me wants to rush and then there’s another part of me that’s like, I only get to release this EP once, I only get to be in this pocket of my life once, so I’m trying as much as I can to enjoy it much as I am for what it is right now.
Jaz: Thanks so much for interviewing me!
Thank you for taking the time out to be interviewed - it has been such a fun time talking to you!
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A Mini Review on the New Single, Ache
The bass and beat throughout the entire of Ache makes it seem as though the heart is beating faster than it usually would, a literal sign of maybe an aching heart or a heart that has been through so much, which completely encapsulates what the song is about. Although I am unsure if this is intentional to the song, this is what I perceive the bass-like sounds to be. I had the dreamy synth track playing on the way to work this morning and noticed that my car was booming from listening to it. What a way to start a Friday morning!
Jaz has unique story telling skills through her songs and with this latest firecracker, it can make you feel like you were in her shoes and can feel her pain from the way she is so open. The lyrics are shiny and beautifully thought about - with lines such as “we were flirting around with forever” (applause, please) and “fill the ocean with what I lost. All you left was an ache, I don’t know if it ever stops” ultimate MIC. DROP. Right there. Pouring her soul out to this man that things didn’t end up working out with, she creates a beautifully gifted song that is not only a pop song, but has a bit of an R&B within its walls and makes the room absolutely light up, like a force of lightning.
It takes a lot to share your experiences, especially this personal, so I admire the fact that Jaz has written this song and shared it with the world. It feels like she is a friend that you’ve always known. She is showing everyone that it is more than okay to be vulnerable and to tell your chapter, even if it’s hard to do. Don’t be afraid, if it hurt you and you need to get it out of your system, Jaz proves that this is therapeutic for the soul and damn, aren’t we all overjoyed that she wrote this wonderous song? Be prepared to add it to every single one of your playlists immediately.
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Please make sure to give Jaz a follow, listen to her music and support her -
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If you would be interested in an interview, review or feature on the blog, please contact me via Instagram or email. Please note, at this stage, I only have the capacity to cover New Zealand musicians at the moment.