East London based RnB singer, Juvenal Maze, has just dropped his latest tracks ‘In a Place/She Just Wanna’.
The up-and-coming singer-songwriter makes his mark with his newest addition and first release of the year.
‘In a Place’, showcases Maze’s vocal abilities and exposes a vulnerable man who is scared to fall in love while facing mental health issues.
It reveals a come-up with lyrics including:
“Seven-month depression at 16… Tryna’ get to a new headspace, the ball was too high so I escape. Control or delete then I press play. Seven months straight, video games to escape the pain, until things changed. One day I woke up and said ‘F*ck the world’.”
Both tracks take on a smooth and captivating beat which Maze’s vocals mesh perfectly with.
‘She Just Wanna’, has its differences to ‘In a Place’, as it reveals a man who isn’t interested in a girl who is giving him the green light.
He explains:
“I wasn’t looking for a relationship and same with her. Well, at least I’d thought at first until I noticed her feelings for me began to grow and things became complicated.”
It concludes with a hypnotizing piano beat similar to an interlude.
The youngster provides a fresh approach to RnB combining influential backgrounds such as Afro-beats, Grime, and his love for poetry.
After being introduced to music from a young age by his parents’ record collection, the storyteller spent most of his days at the local youth club or at home creating, writing and producing music.
Juvenal Maze has gained support from Pulse 88, Reprezent Radio, Fubar Radio and performed at numerous festivals including, Splash Festival, alongside A$AP Rocky and Future.
He has been described as a “triple threat song-writer”, turning heads by his narration of music by linking the gap between poetry and beats.
We caught up with Juvenal Maze to chat about his latest tracks!
Hey there! For those who don’t know you yet, how would you describe yourself?
I’m different, lol joking – everybody says that. I’m just me – an ordinary not so ordinary guy. Extremely passionate and driven. I love life, art, creativity and challenges. Music to me is my air so I really couldn’t live without it. It’s just part of my diet.
I’m a music producer, singer, songwriter, poet and – yeah – I don’t really know a simple word to fit all that in but I guess I’m a triple threat artist. I will never limit myself to triple because I know there are more numbers than three and I’m here to own it.
Tell us about your new tracks, ‘In a Place/She Just Wanna’
‘In A Place‘ is a term I tend to use to express myself being in a place, well, going through something that I can’t seem to give a title or fully understand but it provokes me to think and feel. This track of my recent double single release is about me in that place starting from when I was 16 and fell into a depression. It also touches on love and my fear of falling in love because of my disposition within myself. The fear of it, despite being fearless, I had encountered my first real fear through love so I touch on just how that made me feel. It’s almost like a journal of my thoughts and emotions but just in music form. I also tend to tell my own stories from different perspectives of alternate versions of myself. So, in the beginning of the track, I’m speaking from a part of myself that became successful and what not. But, I’ve abandoned my essence and where I came from, what sculpted me to be me through this whole experience.
Following on the next track is, ‘She Just Wanna’. The title gives off a little insight which might be obvious but the actual story behind the song is a bit complex yet straightforward at the same time. I guess – to put it short – I had an agreement with one girl I was cool with. We were just friends and our fling was simple. I wasn’t looking for a relationship and same with her. Well, at least I’d thought at first until I noticed her feelings for me began to grow and things became complicated. I’m not the type of guy that will lash and dash and that experience reminded me why I won’t involve myself in those sort of things because everyone has feelings and I’m not out here trying to hurt anybody. But yeah. Her feelings for me had grown and she started seeking something exclusive with me but I wasn’t having it basically. Fun fact though, the verse wasn’t actually that. Initially, I had rewritten the verse based on how I’d felt about her sometime after that whole experience.
You’re now signed to Souluvmuziq, how is it different to being an independent artist?
It’s hella overwhelming. I’m so used to being independent in general with regards to life and especially my art and creativity so sharing that responsibility with someone else who I came to trust instantly is really new to me. I’m still learning but I love it. The support and what I’m able to soak up is amazing. I never thought about getting signed or anything but had I known that SOULUVMUZIQ were like this and this is how things would’ve been, I would have jumped at the opportunity a long time ago. So, even by chance coming across the team, it’s all a blessing to me it really puts things into perspective and helps push that challenging/competitive part of myself which I love. It just allows me to be me so I’m happy.
Who do you go to for inspiration?
I find it hard to go to anywhere in particular but more time I find inspiration everywhere even just me being silly and adding my own adlibs to someone’s else’s music. Just living really, life is the best source for inspiration so a walk in a park could lead you to a library of experiences and feelings and things that you wouldn’t even know was there. Taking myself out of my comfort zone, taking a walk on the wild side type of life that’s me.
What’s the hardest and best part about writing your own tracks?
Hardest part is trying to express something you’ve already expressed in a way you’ve done before. So, finding a way to challenge that is the hard part for me but can be fixed so easily by just stepping outside of the box. Playing and working with different sounds and approaching things differently. Sometimes just going with it and pushing your ‘go with the flow’ approach. From that, I tend to find the best things about writing my music. Taking risks and experimenting like I just love that risk factor that things might go left but I’m just the type of person where I’m ready to win even if I take a couple L’s – they’ll become life lessons.
If you could collaborate with anybody right now, who would you choose and why?
I’ve been listening to Jaz Karis recently. I took some time to just listen and I really appreciate her art; something about it is just very honest. I can’t explain it but I f**k with it though. I’m always open to working with anyone. There’s no filter to this but yeah, she’s definitely one I would want to reach out to down the line.
You’ll be performing at Splash Festival this year, how does that feel?
Exciting on so many levels. I just wanna be there. It’s one of those moments for me where I’ve been putting in work and things are coming around. I have to deliver with utmost vim. I don’t take it for granted so I need to take everything I’ve been working so hard and really deliver. It just makes me happy knowing that I’m really doing this bigger than I could have ever imagined and I appreciate it all. Every part of the process just drives me to be better than what’s already here.
Can we expect an album/EP this year?
Oh, most definitely. I won’t say too much but you’d definitely be in for an experience for sure. My journey is our journey. My music is the gateway to me so come along and see if you want but I can definitely say you won’t be disappointed.
Are there any other shows coming up?
Yeah, I‘m looking to get some shows down, especially with Splash around the corner I just wanna continue feeling that feeling of the slight nerves before stepping on stage making sure you hit the first note on key, just vibing with the audience, I’ll definitely be performing quite a bit.
If you could skip five years where do you see yourself?
In five years, I don’t want to see myself. I want each moment to hold its element of surprise. I don’t even want to recognize that person I’m becoming but always want to remember who I am and where I came from. I need to be bigger than me, better than me. The best version of me is waiting for me tomorrow so imma need to put in work to see who I’m gonna be in five years. But I know for sure, the person I’m gonna be in five years will continue to leave something timeless behind. I need to be bigger than life to make a bigger than life impact. Art is powerful, there’s a lot of responsibility involved, so I’m working towards being the best student.