In partnership with DHL FAST-TRACK Sessions
After launching last year, the second edition of the DHL FAST-TRACK Sessions is drawing to a close, with emerging artists Clara Pople, Amelia Rose and PIWA announced as the winners of the 2023 instalment.
The grassroots music initiative aims to accelerate the journey of local talent to the global stage, and offers new artists the opportunity to record at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. This year, gold-selling record producer Hannah V and Grammy nominated, multi-platinum producer Jax Jones joined the line-up, and provided one-to-one mentorship for the lucky finalists.
Now, with this year’s edition coming to an end, Jax tells NME about his time working alongside the winners, and shares how his own experience in the industry enabled him to help each of the musicians take their career to the next step.
“All the artists that I met were at different stages,” he begins. “And I’ve experienced music on every side of it. Whether it was working for an artist, or being an artist myself…I’ve been in multiple record deals, so I know what that looks like.”
“So it’s about saying things that they can think about and that become important to them over time,” he adds. “It’s just about enhancing what they are.”
Alongside reflecting upon his time in the sessions, he also offers some words of advice to those thinking of applying for the 2024 instalment, and reveals that the project is there for all artists, regardless of genre or experience.
NME: What is it like being a mentor for DHL FAST-TRACK Sessions and being part of the programme?
Jax Jones: “I really praise DHL for identifying new talent, giving them a platform and bringing them into contact with someone like myself, who’s been in the music industry for a long time. That’s kind of what I’m all about now – thinking about the next generation of music makers and laying those little grains of sand for them.”
“You never know what impact you’re gonna have on the people who come as part of the programme, or on those who see the results of it. Even in general, on people that want to be in music. I was really proud and happy to be a part of it”
How did you approach guiding these up-and-coming musicians? Did you use personal experience and advice you received in the past?
“I’d speak to them as I would want someone to speak to me! These are all real artists with their own point of view. So just like any young, aspiring person, it’s not about telling them your point of view, because they’ll never be you. It’s just about enhancing what they are.”
“It doesn’t really matter too much about the technical side of things – that isn’t what’s gonna make [them] better. It’s more about leading them into how to think about what they’re doing, and elevating where they’re at in their journey.”
“Sometimes, you just need me to tell you you’re doing something good. Which then will give you the energy to keep going! That’s half of it, it’s just being validated. Those comments are really important [because] I think any artist that says they don’t have self-doubt is chatting rubbish. You can go through moments of increased confidence… but I don’t think you’re taking enough risks if you don’t have self-doubt. You must be playing too safe.”
“So I use self-doubt as a tool to make sure the work is good. I’m dealing with that all the time… as a kid, it wasn’t easy for me to do music and I didn’t have that beautiful story of super supportive parents and all that kind of stuff. It was a real hustle. I felt self-doubt in all of that time, but when you get these little leaps, [that keeps you going] and that’s what DHL would have represented for those artists.”
What did you think of looping, choral-trained artist Clara Pople?
“I think the first video that I saw was her performing on a mountain or something like that, which I thought was super cool. It’s very surreal. Usually she’s like making this choral music on a barge somewhere in North London!”
“So I guess for her, it was about how you would translate that into something that is a career, you know? I got the impression that she was at a stage where she’s still experimenting…”
“They all were so different which was really interesting, and my advice to her was just to not be afraid to be what she is. It was really important to get that beauty of what she does into her recording and giving her the confidence to do that.”
What did you think of hybrid producer/singer Amelia Rose?
“She does it all… and reminds me a bit of myself! It’s great to have more girls doing all of that — women making music, singing it, producing it themselves. So the advice I gave her was a bit more technical.”
“In Amelia Rose, for me, it was just about identifying what genre she wants to do. Perhaps she can do them all, but I think when you’re that talented, sometimes it’s hard to make it into a product. So she was at that stage, because she’s got so many gifts and she wants to do them all.”
“It was just kind of helping to identify her sound, so I would help her do it from a crafts perspective. It was about making her music a little bit tougher, the drums a little harder, making it a little bit more simple. Getting a bit more clarity in terms of what the focus of the song is.”
“Now she’s working with a lot of artists that I know… so she’s in good company.”
What did you think of genre chameleon and rock star PIWA?
“With PIWA, she was just like a ball of energy! She kind of reminded me of a lot of really great American artists, like there were elements of Kendrick Lamar and what he does, elements of Beyonce and elements of Santigold. So I really enjoyed all of that.”
“She felt the most defined as an artist in there. She’s a bit of a genre chameleon and she has a real identity visually as well, so she was ready to go! She’s like, one record away from having a moment. She’s got a whole team and I think she flew in with a music producer already.”
“So for her, I was like, ‘All right, I just need to step aside!’ She just wanted to get to Abbey Road and make songs at Abbey Road.”
Any advice for any up-and-coming artists entering next year?
“Just be as authentic as possible, but also think about how you can communicate that in the most clear and exciting way. What’s going to stop anyone in their tracks when they see what you’re doing and make them want to put you into the well of talent that’s being considered?”
“It’s a great opportunity to come to Abbey Road, one of the most famous studios in the world, and the people there care so much. I know Hannah V did such a great job with every single one of these artists too. And they all came back so charged. It’s just a great platform.”
“Just make sure your stuff is authentic and that people understand what it is that you’re doing. If they’re excited by it in that snapshot, then we’re all considering it. It’s a big opportunity and I know DHL are so down for working with new musicians in general. So you never know what opportunities will come off the back for you.”
You can find out more about DHL FAST-TRACK Sessions here.
