JACK GRAY: “MY HANDS” AND THE RISE OF JACK GRAY
A year after releasing the chilled and tranquil “Jumper on U” and “Red Rental Car”, musician Jack Gray reemerges onto the scene with the new and explosive single “My Hands”. Gray’s “My Hands” is a sprightly track, melding indie-pop with elements of electronic. Jack sees his “music evolving with each song” he writes, and “My Hands” is no exception to this.
Check out the chat with Jack below and be sure to have a listen to “My Hands”.
LB: You first teased a snippet of the chorus in your first tweet over a year ago. Can you describe the evolution of this song in the past year, and why now is the time for it to come to the public’s ears?
JG: I wouldn’t really say that the song has evolved so much since the day I wrote it. I would say that after living with it for a while, some of the lyrics have taken on new meanings but overall, the sentiment has remained the same. For example, “you talk too much I can’t keep up”referred to my mate’s girlfriend having a big mouth… But these days when I play the song, I’m kinda relating to a more general idea of not being able to keep up with people’s bullshit. But yeah, it basically still means the same thing.
Do you work with other people in the process of this song? How is the dynamic? How do they bring your vision to life in a way that keeps your ideas alive and represented?
To me, there’s something so special and pure about writing a record on your own. In saying that, I love collaborating with friends and other artists on the block. I wrote ‘My Hands’ with one of my best mates Zekiel, who is an Aussie hip-hop artist.
I think we work together heaps ‘cause firstly, it’s our favourite thing to do and we have a mad time, but also ‘cause we work really well together. Zeke has always had a way with words and can contribute heaps of ideas quickly, which is amazing. But most importantly, because we are so close, he kinda gets my vibe and doesn’t try to put me in a box. He’s always down to experiment with weird themes and ideas, but also loves getting deep into a big pop banger like ‘My Hands’.
Do you think you’ve grown both personally and musically between this era of “My Hands” and your previous songs “Red Rental Car” and “Jumper on U”? Do you like to look back on your development? Does it help you?
Definitely! I feel like my music evolves with each song that I write. I think it should always be that way. I mean, I feel like I’ve evolved so much even since writing ‘My Hands’ about a year ago. Which is why I’m super keen for people to hear the stuff I’m making at the moment! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it takes anything away from the songs that are out now, ‘cause I love them to bits. It’s just that I can see where it’s all heading and that’s exciting for me!
And yeah, I’ve certainly grown on a personal level, too. I think all the traveling I’ve done lately has fast tracked that a little bit! Looking back on my development, I’ve learned certain things on this crazy journey so far, and most of it is useful for future reference. Like Drake said, “made note of the mistakes we can’t afford again”.
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This song stood out as the kind of rush you feel with someone, and the lively energy that sparks between people, but also the unknown territory that comes with it and the cycle of confusion on the inside. Can you share more about the song from your eyes?
I love hearing how other people interpret my lyrics and how different people can find alternate meaning’s to the same words. That’s a really cool analysis of the tune. My friend at the time was telling me how his girlfriend, on most fronts, annoyed the shit out of him and that he was confused as to why he was still in the relationship. I kinda fabricated the idea of him sticking around for sexual benefits in my head later that day. Thought it sounded like an interesting concept…
From what place does the song come from? Does it manifest from a single experience, or recurring experiences? Or does it also take from conversations you have with a particular person and draw from your inner thoughts?
Well, I guess it manifests from a single experience, and that being the one mentioned previously. But yeah, I love lyrics that feel really conversational, and more specifically, me talking to myself. I use this style of writing heaps and it’s definitely something to expect more of in future releases.
This song takes on a blend of sounds, with hints of electronic, pop but also tinged with indie. What’s it been like experimenting with these different sonic elements and forging your sound?
If it sounds cool, leave it in…. This has always been my no. 1 rule and I think it’s the most genuine way to forge your own sound… Everyone has their own taste in music, so I think it’s so important to base each decision on what sonically pleases you.
The lyrics, coupled with the upbeat music, give it a youthful, anthemic quality. How do you make sure the lyrics are a perfect fit with the music?
I don’t think there is any specific way of judging your music cause at the end of the day, it’s just art. Sometimes you get lucky with a combination of ideas and sounds that form some magic, and sometimes you don’t… I don’t think that the lyrics have to be a perfect fit with the music. I mean, it’s generally cooler if they don’t… more interesting I suppose.
Without giving away too much, what was the process of shooting your first music video like? How does the video take on the personality of the song?
I had heaps of fun on that shoot. I thought it was important to feel comfortable considering it was my first one, so I made my mates come along and we had a bunch of drinks and tried to make it feel as natural as possible. The song is quite light-hearted and fun, so I wanted the video to reflect that!
Can you talk about how travelling and getting to experience the tour life alongside Dean Lewis has helped in your creativity and experience as a musician?
I think travelling around Europe, playing shows and meeting heaps of awesome people with Dean has been my favourite experience in life to date. Not only has he been so generous every step of the way, he’s been an amazing role model for someone like me. I’ve seen how hard he works, and his professionalism, which inspires me to go above and beyond with that sort of stuff! And that’s worth so much to me.
Lastly, can you talk about what’s in store for you next following this single?
Honestly, touring and recording! Aannnd getting lit with my friends in between aha…
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