After a period of quiet reflection, Sydney-based alt-pop auteur jnr. has returned to the fore, not just with a whimper but a triumphant splash of sunshine. Following his introspective comeback single ‘I guess it’s fine,’ the self-produced artist has now dropped ‘as you are,’ a breezy, feel-good track perfect for the peak of summer. Written during a creative residency in the south of France, the song truly embodies the sensation of a welcome, cool blast of air on a scorching day, immediately cementing itself as a must-have for your warm-weather playlists.
Lyrically, ‘as you are’ offers a look inside jnr.’s journey of self-discovery, often seen through the lens of a relationship. The artist shared the emotional context behind the single, noting: “A lot of the songs I wrote in France are written to both my partner and to myself. With ‘as you are’, I was looking back on a conversation we had where I might have been prying a bit too much. I realised I wasn’t ready to understand parts of her because she hadn’t confronted those parts within herself yet. There were holes in myself that I didn’t understand yet that I was trying to fill with her. A lot of my songs are from a place of trying to understand myself through other people, and realising that whatever messed up way we are in is the way it’s supposed to be.”
This honest, vulnerable approach to songwriting is a hallmark of jnr.’s fearless sonic identity, which continues to carve out a unique space in the alt-pop landscape.
The accompanying music video is a visual treat, continuing an ongoing partnership with his collaborator, Zoe Dubuc, who also directed the previous single's clip. Filmed at jnr.’s grandparents’ house in the Australian countryside of NSW, the video features the artist and breakdancer Ko Yamada, clad in vibrant, unconventional attire, celebrating authentic self-expression through dance.
Despite his recent hiatus, jnr.'s presence in the Australian music scene has been consistently felt. Last year saw him lending his production skills to the work of ex-Tonight Alive’s Hevenshe and rising star RAGEFLOWER. Furthermore, he joined RAGEFLOWER and Tim Blunt (from Birds of Tokyo and Stand Atlantic) to form the project FVNERAL. Previous solo work, including the well-received dance-pop experiment ‘2CLOSE’, has earned him airplay on triple j and coveted playlist placements on Spotify’s ‘Tapestry’ and Apple Music’s ‘Queer Australia.’
With an anticipated EP on the horizon, ‘as you are’ serves as a vibrant indicator that jnr. is fully back in the game, bringing his compelling blend of introspection and infectious pop to the masses. His live set, which features a solid three-piece band, has already seen him share stages with respected acts like Last Dinosaurs and Chloe Dadd, offering fans a glimpse of his heartfelt musical dedication. It’s clear that with this new single, jnr. is confidently moving towards being a major player.
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