Having already spent the last few years building up his repertoire of bright and uplifting lo-fi offerings, singer and songwriter Jolé now looks to cap off his latest run of form with the release of his new EP 'Silver Lake'.
With nods to the likes of Benjamin Francis Leftwich and Bon Over', 'Silver Lake' makes for a wonderfully bold and relaxing listen throughout. Using little more than an acoustic guitar and his own silky vocals to create the harmonious melodies, this new collection looks to breathe a much needed dose of joy and love into our lives.
So with his new EP finally with us, we sat down with him to find out more about his background and what has inspired him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
I would say the piano. I started learning around age 8 but I actually hated going to my lessons, I just loved the sounds and creating my own chords but the theory side never interested me.
What has been the most prominent inspiration behind your music so far?
Probably the ones closest to me, my friends and family and also travelling. If I’m not connected with either of these I tend to find it harder to write.
What kind of music did you love as a teenager?
I had such a diverse music taste and went through so many phases. I used to love heavy guitar music but would also listen to the Beach Boys in the same sitting. In my late teens I got really in to the indie scene, The Libertines and The Strokes. It was always guitar music though, I just wanted to be in a band really.
Can you remember the first song that made you want to pursue a life in music?
I don’t remember a particular song but I just remember watching Top Of The Pops with my parents every Friday and just really wanting to be doing what they were doing. Ironic really considering everyone was miming but it’s the first memory that I have where I thought “yeah I want to be a musician”. I also remember listening to Damien Rice “Cannonball” for the first time and just loving it. That was what made me start to write folk leaning music I guess.
When you wake up in the morning, what kind of music do you listen to?
To be honest I don’t really listen to music when I wake up. I love listening to podcasts at the moment - Tape Notes is a particular fave.
How many of your songs have you written about people in your life?
I think most of them to be honest. However, more recently I’ve been writing about stories or made up concepts too.
What has been the most memorable moment in your career so far?
Probably writing this EP in the US. I absolutely loved being there and I went with 2 friends too so it was a great experience.
Outside of music what is your biggest passion?
Probably movies and travel. I absolutely love seeing new places and experiencing new cultures. Not always far fetched places, I’ve loved seeing new areas of the UK more recently.
If you weren’t a musician, what other path do you think you might have taken?
I used to work for a music promoter so I’d probably be doing something like that or maybe band management. I don’t think I would venture outside of the music industry.
And what advice would you give other musicians looking to start a career in music?
Move to a town or city where there is a good scene, immerse yourself in it, be a good person, challenge yourself. Don’t take failure to heart but learn from it.
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Jolé's new EP 'Silver Lake' is available to stream and download now. Have a listen to it in full via the player below.