Today, songwriter extraordinaire JHart arrives in full with his long-awaited solo EP The Wishing, The Wanting, The Longing.
The pop provocateur has penned hits with long list of stars from Justin Bieber to Rita Ora and Little Mix to Jennifer Lopez but now steps out from behind the curtain with six tales of identity, love and authenticity.
CelebMix catches up with the star to celebrate the EP’s release.
Q: Hi JHart, thanks for chatting to CelebMix. What are you up to today?
A: Hi! Thanks for having me. Today I am sending out thank you letters for my EP, writing in the studio, and celebrating the release later with some close friends and my boyfriend.
Q: It’s a big week for you with the release of your debut EP The Wishing, The Waiting, The Longing. How are you feeling?
A: I’m feeling surprisingly calm, given how long this body of work has taken me to finish and all the effort I’ve put in, and I’m feeling very proud of myself and these songs
Q: We love the title of the EP… it feels like it’s been a long time coming. What inspired you to call the release that?
A: Thank you. It’s been such a long time coming, and a real journey of self-ownership and battling imposter syndrome. Ultimately I had to believe I was worthy of artistry and owning that for myself, and that’s a big part of how I decided the title of the EP. It’s a lyric in the last song on the record, but it’s about transitioning out of a longing mentality and into a having mentality.
Q: So many people know you already from all the huge hits you’ve brought to life with other stars including Justin Bieber, Little Mix and Troye Sivan (to name just three!). When people sit down to listen to the EP, what should they know about JHart?
A: Well I’d like people to think that they’re opening my diary because that’s truly what it is. I didn’t want any filler or anything I could write for someone else, I wanted it to all be stuff that I lived. Aside from that, I want them to know that I can sing my ass off!
Q: We especially love the sentiment behind ‘Father’s Son’ and the jazz vibe of ‘Crash My Car’, but our favourite has to be ‘Ripe’. There’s a certain twinkle and loved-up feel to that track that hits different at this time of year, and we know it was inspired by New Year’s Eves gone by too. How has it been seeing the reaction to that track?
A: Thank you for saying that. Well, it’s been so amazing seeing how organically people are discovering ‘Ripe’. I love getting comments or DM’s about people listening to a song of mine over and over because truly I love this music, and when I made that song I listened ad nauseam, lol. I think that’s what’s been the best thing about this EP, is I’m making music that I love and wanna listen to.
Q: The music video is a masterpiece too. How was it dressing up as an old man version of JHart?
A: Ha, it was so trippy! I just love the theatre of it all so I loved the concept of ‘Ripe’. I wonder how I’m gonna feel watching it when I’m older. My favourite thing to do for a couple months was smoke, put the songs on repeat and think of ideas for the music videos late into the night.
Q: Aside from ‘Ripe’, have you got a favourite track from the EP? Any you can’t wait to play live?
A: I’d say ‘Always You’ and ‘Father’s Son’ are my other two favourites. Really excited about singing Always You live because it suits my voice so well and I know I could have fun with the adlibs and arrangement!
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