No matter where you’re from, music is in your blood. From starting piano at the age of four to playing in the marching band in high school, musicians are everywhere and continue to create music that impacts generations to come.
For Los Angeles songwriter Raj Jain (Jane Holiday), creating music in high school was about friendships, learning how to be uniquely good at something and allowing himself to build his own reputation and feeling his own trust. A perfect blend of indie-pop (think Foster the People meets Courtship), Jane Holiday is danceable and makes you feel good, no matter the subject of the song.
Read on to learn why Jane Holiday is making waves on the music scene, creating music that’s defined as “future retro” and grabbing the attention of music publications and fans worldwide.
Where are you from?
Jane Holiday: I was born and raised in Newbury Park, CA. A small suburb right outside LA.
How did you get your start in music?
I started getting into music through friends really. I had friends in bands during high school, but I was focused on other things then. As we grew older I found a home with music. It felt like something that I was uniquely good at. It was the first thing I’d done that didn’t allow me to compare myself to others within it.
How would you describe your sound for someone who may not have heard of it before?
I would say “future retro” music. Saying that makes me slightly wince, but that’s kind of a good representation of my music. I bounce from genre to genre ranging from 60’s to modern production elements.
You’ve taken some of your influence from Amy Winehouse and Lana Del Rey, how do you interpret their sounds into an influence for you?
Sonically there’s vast differences from my music to those references. The one thing I strive for, that Lana and Amy have accomplished, was creating their own world within their music. I feel like I relate to them because of our mutual affection for music of the past, but I cite them as inspiration because they’ve formed such amazing identities for themselves. Almost characterized versions of themselves.
You recently released your new track, “All Yours,” what was that recording process like?
It was a fairly smooth process. I worked on that song with an amazing friend and producer, Ryan Spraker, who shares a joy for 90s-era production techniques. We bounced all the drums into an mp3 2000 and went to Mike Elizondo’s studio and played around on his massive wall of synths.
What’s something that readers may not know about the recording process?
Recording music is really just trusting your ear and your ideas. Something made in a bedroom can affect you exactly the same way as something made in a million dollar studio. Money doesn’t fund emotion.
You’re about to perform your first solo headline show at Moroccan Lounge, what’s one thing that readers should know about you before they see you perform?
Come prepared. This show will be unlike others. The backing band and myself have spent a lot of time dialing in our performance. I’m really excited for this show. A headline Moroccan Lounge show was really one of my goals. Selling it out is one of my dreams.
What’s your favorite song to perform live?
That’s tough. “We Don’t Wanna Dance” has an amazing response. “Living” always feels amazing. Some of the new songs we’re working on are feeling amazing. I’m not fully sure to be perfectly honest. Let’s settle on all of them.
What are your plans for the rest of 2020?
Recording and touring. Maybe a holiday.
What’s something that you want to say to our readers and your fans?
That I’m really happy to be able to do this interview. I’m really happy people would even want to read it. And I hope people enjoy the art that I make, and I hope people listen to my music and feel like they can do what they want in their lives. I hope it’s a reflection of positivity and perseverance.
CONNECT WITH JANE HOLIDAY
INSTAGRAM // FACEBOOK // TWITTER
tickets / Moroccan Lounge
photos / Mallory Turner
story / Addie Whelan
