Durch "Broken" wurden wir auf PJ Hopper aufmerksam, unteranderem war der Track letztes Monat der meistgespielte auf unserer Playlist "Nene's Indie Top 25", das alleine wäre schon Grund genug dem Künstler einige Fragen zu stellen. "Broken" war aber bereits einer meiner "favourite tracks", und deswegen ist respektive war es nur eine Frage der Zeit bis wir das Interview mit dem äußerst sympathisch wirkenden PJ Hopper veröffentlichen. Hier ist er PJ "London be proud of him" Hopper. Thanks for your time. PJ HOPPER - Spotify
Who inspired you to make music?
I can't remember ever NOT wanting to make music so it's hard to say who first inspired me. But I don't want to cop out of question number one so... ...I think that part of the reason for first wanting to make music was being around my dad. He's played guitar since he was a kid and there are a few pictures of me aged two or three, trying to get my hands into his guitar case, lol. Life at home always included singing and I've never really been able to separate breathing and making music - whenever I'm doing one, I'm probably doing the other.
What is your creative process like?
Until recently, I had this all sorted. Once I'd got an idea, I'd write the basis of some lyrics, then move on to a melody, fit in some chords and then I'd go back to fill in any gaps. Once that was all sorted I'd think about the arrangement and production. That process gives me unrestricted lyrics and melody, but by fitting chords around an already-set tune I'd often find some nice crunchy, jazzy chord progressions and production ideas.
Now, though, the process seems to be to go through all of that... ...then pull the whole thing apart again, pick out the bits I like most, ditch the rest, and start over back-to-front - concentrating on the production side first. "Broken" - the poppy, dancey track which I released at the back end of March - actually started life as "Broken (As I Am)" a collaboration with my other half. The two were released as a Double A-Side (with a couple of other versions)
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Other than repeating the joyous collaboration I've just had with my other half? I'm trying not to respond with a knee-jerk "Paul McCartney". There are so many great musicians! I'd love to hear what freakiness I could create with Thom Yorke, Ana Brun or Björk.
The way that Will.i.am, William Orbit and Soulwax put sounds together blows my mind. Seeing as we're entering into fantasy I'd love to hear how - Ella Fitzgerald, Chet Baker or Nina Simone would have handled something I'd written.
If we're sticking to the land of the living... ...Janelle Monáe, or my fellow Geordie - Sting - are up there. Beyoncé is astounding. I reckon working with Dave Grohl and/or Josh Homme would be a riot - oh and so would Jake Shears, or Debbie Harry! I'd love to learn from Brian Eno.
Clapton IS God. Kylie's a legend! I love Neil & Tim Finn's melancholy - and Tracy Chapman's. Then you've got Guy Garvey or Kings of Convenience. Philip Glass, Tord Gustavsen or Ludovico Einaudi. Rufus Wainwright - I nearly met him once at a festival we were both playing at.
I'm lucky enough to have met Sam Smith a couple of times - not only have they got a beautiful subtlety to their voice, but they've got a sweetness and an honesty as a person.
Can I have them all?!
After all of that... ...I think my love of the Beatles throughout my teenage years will always pull me back to Paul McCartney. When all is said and done, he's an absolute icon.
What is the most useless talent you have?
Juggling. I can't believe I took the time to learn to do something that only ever makes people think that you're a prick who likes to show off.
What is the most useful talent you have?
I'd like to say that my most useful talent is "encouraging people". You can achieve so much by helping other people grow their own confidence. I'm also very good at not having much shame. Is that a talent? On occasion it gets me into trouble ;-P
If you could change anything in the past, what would it be?
So I'm going to dodge this question - but hopefully you'll let me get away with it. We spend so much time thinking about what we would change. Most of that time we're thinking about what we should have done differently and then we end up punishing ourselves for what we didn't get "right".
"Broken" is about accepting ourselves, our weaknesses and our mistakes - as well as other people's faults and things that have happened to us. "I know you're broken; be broken with us, you'll be just fine." So I wouldn't change anything - not even the things that hurt...
...like the scores of the 2007 & 2019 Men's Rugby World Cup Finals (which England lost to South Africa). Everything that's happened to date brought me to this moment - and it's a moment I wouldn't want to lose.
How do you feel the Internet (especially Social Media platforms) has impacted the music business?
The biggest slice of listeners will always go to the biggest investors - just like in any industry; investors don't invest for other people to reap the rewards. BUT it does feel like there's more room in the music world right now for "the little guy" and that listeners finally have the chance to see how MUCH music there is out there.
People have been opened up to the idea that, on top of the crisp, near-perfect pop masterpiece of an album that they're devouring from the download chart, they might also really love the acoustic cover-versions that come out on YouTube every Sunday afternoon from a fifteen year old school-kid, or feel completely seen by an old-school dance producer putting profound wisdom and years of experience into their originals on SoundCloud... ..backed up with huge beats!
While we're doing this interview, I've got a single in a poll to go into an LGBTQ Music Chart. I've got people who listen to me in Mexico and a fans in the US. Someone played my track in Rwanda this week - I find it amazing that people listen to me on continents that I've never even set foot on.
And here I am answering questions for some fabulous people in Austria who have taken an interest in something that I've made and reached out to me.
Everyone knows that Social Media has its problems - we've not got time to go into that as a whole - but I'm thankful for the chance to get music out to a wider audience. I hope that for some people it'll be exactly what they need.
What’s next for you?
At the moment, I'm taking things as they come. I've got a couple more singles which are in the pipeline and no doubt I'll faff about with those for an age before they're ready. I've always enjoyed live gigs, but I've completely changed the style of music that I'm making, so I'm not sure I'll fit into the venues I used to play. So tell everyone that I'm open to offers (although keep them clean or my boyfriend will find out)
What is the message you want to give to your listeners?
I said some of the most important things to me "Broken (As I Am)". It's the same message that I talked about earlier. You are good enough. I know that you're not perfect, but you're not supposed to be perfect and you shouldn't expect it of yourself. "Set your sights high, always. Don't tear yourself down anytime that you don't reach them"
What do you know about Austria?
Having never been, I've always pictured Austria as stunningly beautiful and slightly crazy - full of overly-excited sexy people. Maybe I've watched too many Red Bull extreme sports programmes on TV.
Without checking Wikipedia... (so I'm really hoping I don't get any of this wrong)... ...I know that Austria used to be Austria-Hungary which was pretty massive. After that my Austrian history is led by The Sound of Music rather than any more reliable sources. Didn't Hitler get rejected by Vienna University to study art? I'm not sure you're supposed to bring him up in polite conversation so we'd best gloss over that.
Back in the 80s Ultravox sang about Vienna but got held off No.1 in the UK by Joe Dolce's Shaddap You Face.
Obviously you've got mountains.
In terms of famous Austrians - I really should be able to come up with a couple of skiers, but I'm struggling for names. The late Niki Lauda was Austrian, as is Gerhard Berger and Red Bull's Formula One Team are based there in Styria. Oh - Strauss was Austrian and you've given us at least a couple of fabulously-talented Wolfgangs. You also gave us Conchita Wurst!!
The Austrian flag is nearly the same as Latvia - only the stripes are different widths and the red is a different shade.
...and I think that's the end of my knowledge of your fine country.
