We sat down with rising bass star JEANIE at Nocturnal Wonderland to discuss new music, getting back into shows, GRL GANG, and more!
It’s truly incredible to see so many female artists making a name for themselves in the bass music scene. JEANIE is one of those producers who’s simply blown us away. She’s made waves in the bass community over the past few years with her releases, and her drive and determination to bring other women to the forefront of the scene through her GRL GANG collective is remarkable. Plus, she throws down killer sets to satisfy any headbanger’s desires.
JEANIE pressed on throughout the pandemic by curating GRL GANG livestreams and taking the virtual stage as well. This year has seen her continue her rise through the ranks by releasing “Psychosis” on Space Yacht, while also collaborating with Level Up on “Hell Hole,” GLD on “I’m Sick of Your Shit,” and more recently, Cyclops on “Disconnect.” Not to mention that JEANIE is also joining Riot Ten on his Hype or Die Tour across the US and Canada, and already found a home on the lineups for Nocturnal Wonderland and Lost Lands.
Knowing that her debut at Nocturnal Wonderland would be a set for the ages, we jumped at the opportunity to catch up with her and chat about her recent releases, performances, and more. So check out “Disconnect” with Cyclops on Spotify or your preferred platform, and read on for our full conversation with JEANIE!
Stream JEANIE, Cyclops – Disconnect on Spotify:
Gustavo: Thank you for taking the time to chat with us! What does it feel like to be performing here after such a long break without shows?
JEANIE: It’s honestly surreal. This is my first official festival set ever. So being on the stage after years of going to festivals, and just like, hoping to be up there one day is honestly crazy. So yeah, it was one of the best days. I was having an out-of-body experience.
Hannah: I bet, after all that time away from performing!
J: Yeah. And I mean, I haven’t played a show in a few months. So it was a lot, but it was great.
H: How does the energy here at Nocturnal compare to other shows you’ve played? Do you notice a difference in the crowd here, the people, or the vibes?
J: I think people at Nocturnal are really open-minded. I feel like any crowd at any stage is open to really any genre of music. I played a few different genres, I played house, I played drum and bass, I played dubstep — And everyone was really open to all of it. So it was really cool to see.
G: Your latest release “Disconnect” with Cyclops is an absolute banger. How did you two come together to create this heavy track?
J: Yeah, so we have been friends for a while just like over Twitter and social media. And then we decided to collab. And it was honestly one of the quickest tracks I’ve ever put together. We each just kind of had our own time with it. Like I sent him the original idea. And then he worked on it. And then we pretty much just like finished it from there. So yeah, it was really fun. He was great to work with. And yeah, I’m happy with that one.
H: How long does it usually take you to put a track together?
J: It depends. Collabs are easier because you can kind of work off of another person. But if it’s just a solo track, I’ll usually make the bulk of it in one night and then spend weeks just fine-tuning it.
H: So, you’re also playing Lost Lands next weekend, which is crazy. Can we expect a special set from you in this Headbanger’s paradise?
J: Yes, I’m going all out for this set. I got a custom visual made for my intro, and I’m making a brand new intro. It’ll be a brand new set. So yeah, it’s gonna be crazy.
G: When we last spoke to you in 2019, you’d recently launched an all-female collective called GRL GANG. It’s grown into an awesome community, bringing together women producers in the music industry. What’s next for GRL GANG?
J: So we’re definitely going to be doing more live shows. We did a lot of livestreams during the pandemic, but now that actual shows are coming back, I want to try and do as many of those as possible. I have really cool mixes coming up. I’ve been featuring a lot of women behind the scenes in the industry, which is really nice because I think a lot of times those women don’t get the recognition they deserve. So that’s what I’ve been focusing on right now. A lot of exciting stuff.
H: You’re always doing so much. How do you find time to balance making music, performing, and leading GRL GANG? Do you have any time management skills you can share?
J: [Laughs] Not sleeping. I try to kind of organize my weeks at the beginning of the week. So for example, last week, I had to prepare for Nocturnal, and then I just had other stuff going on. So at the beginning of the week write down what I’m going to do every day. And that really helps. Especially having a list you can just check off. So yeah, I would just recommend, you know, planning in advance and writing it down.
G: You’re right in the middle of plenty of 2021 show dates this last quarter of the year. You’re also supporting Riot Ten on tour, which is amazing! Do you find yourself playing differently to the crowd when it’s your own show versus supporting another artist?
J: A little bit. I try to still keep it authentic to a JEANIE set. But if I’m supporting someone else, I kind of will try and tailor it to their fan base and what they’ll play. I don’t want to play a set that’s too different from their style or anything like that. So yeah, I’ll still keep it true to me, but I will tailor it a little bit to who I’m supporting.
G: Do you have any pre-show rituals you do before you head up on stage?
J: Just breathing. I get really nervous. I have really bad stage fright. So I just try to take a few minutes, breathe, and get my thoughts together so I can be calm. And then once I go on stage, I’m ready. Once I play my first song, literally, once I hit play, I’m good. But it’s just everything leading up to that moment that is so nerve-wracking.
H: When you’re traveling to all these shows across the U.S. and even some dates in Canada, what’s the one thing you have to have with you no matter where you go?
J: Earplugs. I think they’re useful on planes. You need them at shows. They’re useful in hotels if you can’t sleep.
G: Finally, what can fans expect next from JEANIE?
J: A lot of new music. A lot of stuff in October, especially around Halloween. I’ll be using all my new visuals on my upcoming shows, which is really exciting. And then a new release next month.
G: Is there anything you can tell us or hint at for that next release?
J: It has something to do with one of my favorite bands of all time.
H: Awesome! Well, we can’t wait for that. That wraps up our questions. Thank you for chatting with us!
J: Thank you! This was fun. Thank you so much.
Follow JEANIE on Social Media:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud
