Kat Harlton
After 14 years of touring the world with Delhi 2 Dublin,Vancouver based pop artist SNJÜ is reconnecting with his roots and embarking on a solo project with the release of his single “Jealousy“.
Born to Singaporean-Punjabi immigrants, SNJÜ grew up cutting the rug at the basement dance parties his parents threw on special occasions. Music has been cemented in his life since birth. Throughout his 14-year career with Delhi 2 Dublin, SNJÜ played on stages around the world at festivals like Glastonbury and Burning Man, and topped the Canadian world music charts at No. 3 with the release of their debut album Journey to the Sun. SNJÜ is now reconnecting with his childhood dream and his deep sense of creative purpose. His first solo project is a labour of electro-pop love with influences from his early encounters with music. This new project sees SNJÜ turning drastically inwards, offering a treat for those newly discovering his music.
We had the opportunity to chat with SNJÜ about his new single, embarking on a solo project, and what’s next.
Kat: How would you describe SNJÜ’s sound, and where do you think it fits in the musical landscape?
SNJÜ: The sound is all things me; classic yet contemporary – like if Billy Ocean back in the day had a love child with The Weeknd. I think of myself as a vibe-catcher, trying to immortalize moments of life in sonic form so the listener can travel there with me and feel it at a later point. Maybe I’ll call it quantum love music. Like it was here now from me then meant to be enjoyed in some future present. Hahaha!
Kat: You’ve reconnected with your roots and embarked on a solo project with the release of your single “Jealousy.” Can you share why you felt now was a good time for a solo project?
SNJÜ: It was more like the time picked me. Everything I’ve been working towards just kind of coming together like perfect little pieces of a puzzle. Little events and coincidences just serendipitously unfolding for me. Then COVID forced me to be home, it allowed me to create and to further let the flow guide me. Such a bittersweetness to this messed-up time. I think after touring so long and so hard with Delhi 2 Dublin, it has been refreshing to look out for just me thus creating the space for me to make the music I’ve always resonated with the most. So, I wouldn’t even have known this was the right time to launch a solo project except that the universe slapped me in the face and said oh yeah it is!
Kat: Can you tell us your thought process and inspiration behind the new track?
SNJÜ: Back in November, I was in the presence of some amazing people that were specialized in the art of fantasy escapes. The venue was a Vancouver institution with a tremendous history called the Penthouse, maybe you’ve heard of it? We were engaged in deep discussions about energy and the power of sexual tension and its ability to motivate to the max and destroy anything that comes in its path. And so these conversations stuck with me until I was in the Studio with KULTARGOTBOUNCE one night and he started creating a beat… and then like boom, the magical vibe of that November pre-COVID night had to be captured – the beat was asking for it. One of my Galaxy One team members was at the studio for that session and says to me, we need a supernova song, something huge, (don’t we all? isn’t that the goal every time?) But he was right, the idea of a supernova was perfect, it’s the ultimate explosion of energy; this concept just had to be the chorus. And there you have it, Mom, strip clubs are essential for creativity!
Kat: Do you have any advice for emerging artists, or have you been given any advice that really made an impact?
SNJÜ: Stay true to your vision and build a team that wants to help you with that vision instead of trying to steer you towards theirs. As energy beings, collaboration can be exciting as personal electromagnetic fields intermingle and vibes are created but be weary of those coming from a place of ego or personal agendas – that won’t serve the moment and the moment is where magic is made. Basically, do you, and do it hard. That’s all that matters.
Kat: How have you been staying connected during Covid-19? What’s next?
SNJÜ: I put in the effort. I call my friends. I tell them I love them. They are ride or die so I prioritize nourishing and feeding these relationships while we are apart – or at least not in proximity with the same frequency as before. As for what’s next… Woah, I’ve learned one major thing during COVID, I kind of understood it before but now I have this deep understanding that I have no clue what’s next. NO clue. I’m just going to follow the joy and that seems to be releasing music for me.