February 10, 2025 • 16 mins
Celebrating "Told You So" going #1 on the dance charts, Jex joined us on America's Dance 30 for the first time! She shared how the smash was born w Martin Garrix, if Martin was the first producer to get back to her when she posted the hook to socials, how long ago she wrote it, and what her normal process is for songwriting!!
We also got to know Jex better w #FinkysFirsts!
Find out about:
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
We also got to know Jex better w #FinkysFirsts!
Find out about:
- if music was the first thing she wanted to get into growing up
- if 'Jex' was her first choice for an artist project name, and where the name came from
- the first song she ever wrote
- what was going thru her mind when she first stepped out on stage w Martin Garrix to perform "Told You So" for the first time
- the first dance song that made her fall in love w EDM
- what first comes to mind when she thinks about regrets
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, Jack, how are.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
You my I am so sorry. I owe you a
massive apology. I thought it was specific time and it
was Eastern.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You are dead to me. Hey, Jess, I just want
to say hi.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I'm Carrie Vance. I've been biting the time with Brian
talking him off of Ledge because he was like, man,
I can't believe no, I'm kidding.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
I'm like, I am going in and dropping the song
right now.
Speaker 4 (00:22):
Home plan. I was gonna do a full face and makeup.
I'm here in my pajamas.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Like dance.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Counting down the biggest dance songs in the country.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
This is America's Dance thirty.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Hello, I'm tertally sorry. Thank you so much for your patience.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah, it's totally fine. Do you need time, You're more
than welcome if you need some time.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Not at all. Nope, we're gonna just we're gonna do it.
Five million people watching this or okay.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Wait, I got to fix my makeup for that, right to.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Put me in the waiting room and then I'll I'll
reintroduce myself. All right.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Hello, it is very nice to meet you. Finally, nice
to meet you too.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Thank you so much for your patience.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Again, Jex I want to get right into getting to
know you better and talking about Told you So.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
But before we.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Do that, I got to get something out of the
way because I don't know if I believe it, and
I don't know if I can move forward if I
don't believe it. So just give me a yes or no,
and then we'll chat more about it later.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Is it true that when you perform Told You So
for the first time with Martin Garricks in front of
sixty thousand people, that that was your first time performing
for a crowd.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Yes, My actual first time performing was the night right
before that at his stamped event. That was the true
first time, and that was like five thousand, but it was.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
It was one of the first times. The first time.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Yeah, oh my god.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Okay, my anxiety is just building up for you right now.
But we'll talk more about it. Jacks, Welcome to America's
Dan's thirty for the first time.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Thank you so much, Thank you for having me, and
thanks for your patience.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Absolutely, it is great finally meeting you.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Congratulations on Told you So with Martin Garrick's going number one.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Thank you. That was such a surprise. I was so shocked.
I've been freaking out all morning.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
It is such an incredible song, and I can't wait
to talk about how it was born on your end.
We had Martin Garricks on the show back when it
was first released, but I want to hear from your
side as well. But first, let's get to know Jacks
a little better with Thinkey's first Okay, Yeah, So I
(02:48):
always love finding out the origin story of artists. Now,
I read an interview with you where you said that
growing up, music was pretty much the only thing you
wanted to get into that you can remember, there was
nothing else you first wanted to be when you were
growing up.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
No, that's been it, That's always been there. I really
had no other desire to do anything else. So it
was just a very natural inclination toward, yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Toward this.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
That is amazing that you stuck with it and then
it actually happened for you.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Thanks.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Now, of course, Jacks isn't your real name.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
When you were trying to decide on an artist project name,
was Jack's the first name you were going to go with,
or were the other names you were considering.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
I was probably like sixteen years old, and I was
sitting in my childhood bedroom with one of my closest friends, Angie,
and we were just going through this list of like, okay,
if I can't use my name, like if I have
to come up with an artist name.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
We went through so many names, but.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
I was just so brain dead and I was sixteen,
maybe seventeen, but just going through and just in retrospect,
I would have put a lot more thought into it.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
But it started with Jay. It's cool, and so we
went with it.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Well, it's a great name.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
I'm glad you did go with it, But why couldn't
you here's your real name. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
I thought my name, my name is Jordan, Jordan Miller,
and I just didn't think it was it was super cool.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
It sounds like.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
You know when you hear like an artist name. It
didn't sound that like have the pizazz. So yeah, so
we went with something different.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Well, Jax is a great name.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Thank you. I appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Now, in preparation for this chat, I went back and
listened to some of your other songs. I went back
and listened to one more time. Wow, such a great song.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
I mean, thank you. Your voice is just amazing.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Now, thank you. It's work in progress, but thank you.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Do you remember the first song you ever wrote.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
Uh, yeah, I actually do. That's so funny, and I
haven't thought about it in a really long time. I
think it was called like one Day and it was
written on piano after I had learned My first song
I ever learned on piano was love Song by Sarah Brellis.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
But yeah, so one day I wrote on piano and
it was just really simple, but just like they're all
going to see one day.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Like you know, very like sixteen year old, fifteen year old,
how over old? I was me just like trying to
prove people wrong. But yeah, that was the first one.
Then it was just a snowball after that.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
And do you ever go back to your you know,
earlier songs and kind of revisit them and maybe turn
them into a song.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Yeah, never from that age, because a lot of them, I.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Mean, as you can tell by that lyric I just shared,
a lot of them were prettyer of but yeah, I
mean there's definitely songs. I just recently had a session
and I went back to the hook I did you
know back in twenty twenty or twenty nineteen and just
pulled some really cool melodic snippets. But the lyrics were absolute,
absolute trash because as a songwriter and I'm trying to
evolve and get better and have the quality be better.
(05:47):
So yeah, I always pull from old things, but I
revamped them.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Gotcha.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Now, let's talk about this first time performing told you
so with Martin Garricks in front of sixty thousand people.
What was the first thing going through your mind when
you're about to step out on stage?
Speaker 4 (06:07):
It was just surreal because it's something I've dreamed about.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
But it's also something.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
I feel like I was ready for but not quite
prepared for. I am such a studio hermit and I
love to be able to record my vocals and to
do what I want to do and add the effects
and you know, make it come together the way it
comes together. So the live thing was extremely daunting and
used to talk about my anxiety was through the roof.
I struggled with that anyway. So it's like that's just
everything was heightened. But bless him, he you know, had
(06:33):
some whiskey provided, so I took a little shot at whiskey.
I was like, all right, I said a prayer. I
was like praying like right before I went on, like
trying to ground myself and yeah, a lot of things,
learning curbs and stuff, but overall it was a really amazing.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Experience that again just so blessed to share with him.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
And as somebody that deals with anxiety myself and steps
out on stage in front of thousands of people, how
do you prepare yourself for that? Like, I couldn't imagine
that being my first time performing.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Yeah, I mean there was no preparing because everything with
this has been so the way it came together was said,
and the performances were set, and everything happened so fast.
You know, you can kind of mentally try to prepare
all you want, but it's never really feels like enough
time to really grasp. So so yeah, it was just
I feel like I was sewn into the fire and
(07:25):
that was a super cool experience. But it also taught
me what I need to learn about going into live
performances or things down the line where I can improve
for next time.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
So was it everything you expected it to be?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:37):
It was?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
It really was.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
I think there's things on my end I definitely would
have done different, but his whole team and the way
that he brought me into these events with him just
so kind and just Yeah, totally mind blowing.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I gotta tell you you lucked out doing it with
him because he is one of the nicest guys in
the industry.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
So I could not agree with that more. I absolutely
did luck out.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
I feel so blessed to have done it with him
because he is so authentic and you get it right
off the bat.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
I mean, he's so humble and really takes the time
or took the time with me to make it a collaboration.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
He didn't just brush my ideas off. He heard me out.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
We sat in a studio and down the road here
for I don't know, like thirteen hours. It was like
three o'clock in the afternoon and we got done it
like four in the morning. But he just listened and
heard my ideas and I've never been quite.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Heard like that before. So it was so eye opening.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
And it's like if the most successful DJ in the
world can take time to listen, then it's like you
have that expectation from others. Absolutely, so he set the
bar so high.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Well.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Speaking of Martin Garricks and dance music, do you remember
the first dance song that made you fall in love
with DM?
Speaker 2 (08:58):
You know what I don't.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
I didn't listen to a lot of mediom until I
got kind of dragged into this field, which has been
super cool. But I think the first bit I really
heard and was like, wow, this is Sony was the
Avic you know, the Alo Black and the wake me Up, Yeah,
wake me up, and then the Waiting for Love. I
just I just all that this good stuff. I mean,
there's bunches, but I think of Vichi was really the
(09:20):
first like, oh yeah, this stuff is really really a different,
different experience.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
It's definitely good stuff to drag you into it, right exactly.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Now, finally in Finky's First in honor of Told You So,
Going number one, you know, it's a song pretty much
about having no regrets. If I did say, what is
something you regret, what's the first thing that comes to mind?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Oh my gosh, Well, I have so many of them.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Normally people say they don't regret anything.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
That couldn't be further from me. I do.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
I have many regrets, but I mean I won't. They
don't bring me down to the point of, like, you know,
I dwell on them. It's just things I would do different.
And I think the first thing I would do different
is I would have gotten some vocal.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Coaching at like fifteen, when I wanted to do this.
That's what I regret that, and I regret I.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
Love music so much and I always wanted to make
it what I do, but I never I didn't manage
my time really properly, especially early on, and there were
opportunities I could have taken advantage of that.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
I just choose to kind of cheap out.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
On because it was comfortable, And I think I definitely
regret not working as hard as I should have been.
But now it's all worked out because I'm in that
mindset where we're developing that now.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
So it's good. It's just yeah, but they're definitely regrets.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
And I'm glad you don't dwell on them.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Me.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
On the other hand, I'll be laying in bed and
all of a sudden something will pop in my head
that I should have said to a girl ten years ago.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
It's like.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
That happens to all of us.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Absolutely, that's the late night thoughts, the spiraling.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Yeah, totally so annoying. But let's talk about this smash.
It's such an incredible story. You know, you wrote the
Hook in your apartment by yourself. You post it to
socials people start tagging DJs, But how was this song
born on your end?
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Honestly, I had a session like the week before and
there was a tiny little piano riff that I did
and we didn't end up using. And it was just
sitting on my computer, this little riff. And then I
was sitting in my apartment here I don't know if
you can like see my messy thank you for the
tar It came in like a tornado, but sitting at
(11:34):
my piano or at my keys, and I'm like, you
know what, this little this little melody is kind of cool.
And I just started going at it and then developed
the chops of it, and then the the hook just
kind of the melody on top just kind of rolled
out and the words they.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Fell into place.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
But I honestly, I did take a little time to
tweak the lyrics to get them to fit a little nicer.
But but yeah, it all just kind of happened here
pretty pretty organically.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Now with you, with songwriting, is it normally that you
start with a chorus and then work around that or
how does it normally happen for you?
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Yeah, A lot of it with the edom too, has
been I used to just take in a lot of
tracks and just kind of throw some melodies on top
of them and see what fit. And that's great, and
that's one way to do it. But then I think
that feels more natural would be to start at the
piano and just write from there and get some chords
underneath my fingers and then you know, the melody does
(12:26):
typically come first, or sometimes I'll have poetry and I'll
just think of a melody that could work nicely with
those words. But I think every process is a tiny
bit different. Every song is just the slightest bit, you know,
it's the same process, but how it comes together is
uh yeah, never the same.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
So and you sort of teasing it back in August,
when did you actually start writing it?
Speaker 2 (12:47):
No, that was, yeah, that.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Was around when I wrote it. I think it was
like I posted that video like a.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Couple of days or a day after.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Oh wow, I actually did put it together, but I
did tweak some of the some of the words, So
it was it was all within the same week, like
the of when I got the melody for the piano,
but then tweet all within that same that same week.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
So yeah, now you don't have to answer this if
you don't want I can cut it out. But was
Martin Garrick's the first DJ to get back to you.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
There was a bit of interest from from different people,
and there were some DJs actually that I really respected
and loved.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
It was just everybody.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
You know, DJing is a different world, and there's touring,
and there's there's reasons why they can be delayed working
on things, which I totally respect.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
I think the.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Timing with Martin just kind of fell into place, and
it was great. The DJs that did have interest when
I did let them know that this was happening or
this was interest was here, they were all. They totally understood.
Martin is one of the greatest, and he was just Yeah.
The timing was just worked out beautifully, and those that
did have interest were very respectful and understood.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Now you post a lot of teasers to songs, do
you ever go back to a lot of those songs
and actually flush them out?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
I do. In this day and age, it's really difficult
because social media has changed the game and I have
a love hate.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Relationship with it. I love it, but I also I.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
Hate how instant everything is and the instant gratification of
getting to the best part of the song where if
you go back to like the seventies, right, you sometimes
the best parts of the song were tucked into the
bridge and you had to wait for the verse and
the chorus to get there and that.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
But that's what made the moment so special. So we
no longer really I feel like have that. Hopefully maybe
we'll come back around.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
But anyway, sorry, So I do I put a lot
of these snippets out because I think when I have something,
it's cool to get that if people resonate with it,
and then it kind of gives the kick to okay,
get the rest of the song done. So yeah, so
I do a lot of that just to see the reaction.
But I do have a lot of songs that are
fully flushed out, regardless of if I post on socials
(14:55):
or not.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Gotcha, Yeah, I'm the same way. I have a hate
hate relationship with Socials. It's not even a love late.
So I totally understand. Well, congratulations on all the success
have told you so it is so amazing.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
What is next for Jack?
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Thanks?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Oh man, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
You know, what's next for Jax is gonna get you know,
a calendar and a long time so I don't do
this again because my gosh, oh no, I actually what's
next for Jexon? Seriously, I have to be more on
top of my my stuff, better, better organization, but also
just just.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Up in my songwriting.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
It's again going back and things that I had that
I think might be neat if they're not properly put together.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
This is an undeniable I don't want.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
To just pop things out into the world just to
have them in the world, like, I want them to
be authentic.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
I want them to come from a place of like.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
I put my heart and my passion into what I do.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
So whatever it is, it's going to be authentic. But
I have no idea. I don't have a game plan.
We're just winging it out here.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
I can't wait to hear what's next for you because
your voice is just so amazing. Congratulations on told you
so going number one, Jax, Thank you so much for
your time with us on America's Dance thirty.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Thank you so much. Thanks for your patience with me.
I so appreciate you.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
America's Dance thirty Counting down the biggest dance songs in
the country.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
America's Dance thirty
Hey, Jack, how are.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
You my I am so sorry. I owe you a
massive apology. I thought it was specific time and it
was Eastern.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You are dead to me. Hey, Jess, I just want
to say hi.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I'm Carrie Vance. I've been biting the time with Brian
talking him off of Ledge because he was like, man,
I can't believe no, I'm kidding.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
I'm like, I am going in and dropping the song
right now.
Speaker 4 (00:22):
Home plan. I was gonna do a full face and makeup.
I'm here in my pajamas.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Like dance.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Counting down the biggest dance songs in the country.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
This is America's Dance thirty.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Hello, I'm tertally sorry. Thank you so much for your patience.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah, it's totally fine. Do you need time, You're more
than welcome if you need some time.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Not at all. Nope, we're gonna just we're gonna do it.
Five million people watching this or okay.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Wait, I got to fix my makeup for that, right to.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Put me in the waiting room and then I'll I'll
reintroduce myself. All right.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Hello, it is very nice to meet you. Finally, nice
to meet you too.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Thank you so much for your patience.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Again, Jex I want to get right into getting to
know you better and talking about Told you So.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
But before we.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Do that, I got to get something out of the
way because I don't know if I believe it, and
I don't know if I can move forward if I
don't believe it. So just give me a yes or no,
and then we'll chat more about it later.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Is it true that when you perform Told You So
for the first time with Martin Garricks in front of
sixty thousand people, that that was your first time performing
for a crowd.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Yes, My actual first time performing was the night right
before that at his stamped event. That was the true
first time, and that was like five thousand, but it was.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
It was one of the first times. The first time.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Yeah, oh my god.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Okay, my anxiety is just building up for you right now.
But we'll talk more about it. Jacks, Welcome to America's
Dan's thirty for the first time.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Thank you so much, Thank you for having me, and
thanks for your patience.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Absolutely, it is great finally meeting you.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Congratulations on Told you So with Martin Garrick's going number one.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Thank you. That was such a surprise. I was so shocked.
I've been freaking out all morning.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
It is such an incredible song, and I can't wait
to talk about how it was born on your end.
We had Martin Garricks on the show back when it
was first released, but I want to hear from your
side as well. But first, let's get to know Jacks
a little better with Thinkey's first Okay, Yeah, So I
(02:48):
always love finding out the origin story of artists. Now,
I read an interview with you where you said that
growing up, music was pretty much the only thing you
wanted to get into that you can remember, there was
nothing else you first wanted to be when you were
growing up.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
No, that's been it, That's always been there. I really
had no other desire to do anything else. So it
was just a very natural inclination toward, yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Toward this.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
That is amazing that you stuck with it and then
it actually happened for you.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Thanks.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Now, of course, Jacks isn't your real name.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
When you were trying to decide on an artist project name,
was Jack's the first name you were going to go with,
or were the other names you were considering.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
I was probably like sixteen years old, and I was
sitting in my childhood bedroom with one of my closest friends, Angie,
and we were just going through this list of like, okay,
if I can't use my name, like if I have
to come up with an artist name.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
We went through so many names, but.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
I was just so brain dead and I was sixteen,
maybe seventeen, but just going through and just in retrospect,
I would have put a lot more thought into it.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
But it started with Jay. It's cool, and so we
went with it.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Well, it's a great name.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
I'm glad you did go with it, But why couldn't
you here's your real name. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
I thought my name, my name is Jordan, Jordan Miller,
and I just didn't think it was it was super cool.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
It sounds like.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
You know when you hear like an artist name. It
didn't sound that like have the pizazz. So yeah, so
we went with something different.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
Well, Jax is a great name.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Thank you. I appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Now, in preparation for this chat, I went back and
listened to some of your other songs. I went back
and listened to one more time. Wow, such a great song.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
I mean, thank you. Your voice is just amazing.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Now, thank you. It's work in progress, but thank you.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Do you remember the first song you ever wrote.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
Uh, yeah, I actually do. That's so funny, and I
haven't thought about it in a really long time. I
think it was called like one Day and it was
written on piano after I had learned My first song
I ever learned on piano was love Song by Sarah Brellis.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
But yeah, so one day I wrote on piano and
it was just really simple, but just like they're all
going to see one day.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Like you know, very like sixteen year old, fifteen year old,
how over old? I was me just like trying to
prove people wrong. But yeah, that was the first one.
Then it was just a snowball after that.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
And do you ever go back to your you know,
earlier songs and kind of revisit them and maybe turn
them into a song.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Yeah, never from that age, because a lot of them, I.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Mean, as you can tell by that lyric I just shared,
a lot of them were prettyer of but yeah, I
mean there's definitely songs. I just recently had a session
and I went back to the hook I did you
know back in twenty twenty or twenty nineteen and just
pulled some really cool melodic snippets. But the lyrics were absolute,
absolute trash because as a songwriter and I'm trying to
evolve and get better and have the quality be better.
(05:47):
So yeah, I always pull from old things, but I
revamped them.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Gotcha.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Now, let's talk about this first time performing told you
so with Martin Garricks in front of sixty thousand people.
What was the first thing going through your mind when
you're about to step out on stage?
Speaker 4 (06:07):
It was just surreal because it's something I've dreamed about.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
But it's also something.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
I feel like I was ready for but not quite
prepared for. I am such a studio hermit and I
love to be able to record my vocals and to
do what I want to do and add the effects
and you know, make it come together the way it
comes together. So the live thing was extremely daunting and
used to talk about my anxiety was through the roof.
I struggled with that anyway. So it's like that's just
everything was heightened. But bless him, he you know, had
(06:33):
some whiskey provided, so I took a little shot at whiskey.
I was like, all right, I said a prayer. I
was like praying like right before I went on, like
trying to ground myself and yeah, a lot of things,
learning curbs and stuff, but overall it was a really amazing.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Experience that again just so blessed to share with him.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
And as somebody that deals with anxiety myself and steps
out on stage in front of thousands of people, how
do you prepare yourself for that? Like, I couldn't imagine
that being my first time performing.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Yeah, I mean there was no preparing because everything with
this has been so the way it came together was said,
and the performances were set, and everything happened so fast.
You know, you can kind of mentally try to prepare
all you want, but it's never really feels like enough
time to really grasp. So so yeah, it was just
I feel like I was sewn into the fire and
(07:25):
that was a super cool experience. But it also taught
me what I need to learn about going into live
performances or things down the line where I can improve
for next time.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
So was it everything you expected it to be?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:37):
It was?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
It really was.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
I think there's things on my end I definitely would
have done different, but his whole team and the way
that he brought me into these events with him just
so kind and just Yeah, totally mind blowing.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I gotta tell you you lucked out doing it with
him because he is one of the nicest guys in
the industry.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
So I could not agree with that more. I absolutely
did luck out.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
I feel so blessed to have done it with him
because he is so authentic and you get it right
off the bat.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
I mean, he's so humble and really takes the time
or took the time with me to make it a collaboration.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
He didn't just brush my ideas off. He heard me out.
Speaker 4 (08:16):
We sat in a studio and down the road here
for I don't know, like thirteen hours. It was like
three o'clock in the afternoon and we got done it
like four in the morning. But he just listened and
heard my ideas and I've never been quite.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Heard like that before. So it was so eye opening.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
And it's like if the most successful DJ in the
world can take time to listen, then it's like you
have that expectation from others. Absolutely, so he set the
bar so high.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
Well.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Speaking of Martin Garricks and dance music, do you remember
the first dance song that made you fall in love
with DM?
Speaker 2 (08:58):
You know what I don't.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
I didn't listen to a lot of mediom until I
got kind of dragged into this field, which has been
super cool. But I think the first bit I really
heard and was like, wow, this is Sony was the
Avic you know, the Alo Black and the wake me Up, Yeah,
wake me up, and then the Waiting for Love. I
just I just all that this good stuff. I mean,
there's bunches, but I think of Vichi was really the
(09:20):
first like, oh yeah, this stuff is really really a different,
different experience.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
It's definitely good stuff to drag you into it, right exactly.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Now, finally in Finky's First in honor of Told You So,
Going number one, you know, it's a song pretty much
about having no regrets. If I did say, what is
something you regret, what's the first thing that comes to mind?
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Oh my gosh, Well, I have so many of them.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Normally people say they don't regret anything.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
That couldn't be further from me. I do.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
I have many regrets, but I mean I won't. They
don't bring me down to the point of, like, you know,
I dwell on them. It's just things I would do different.
And I think the first thing I would do different
is I would have gotten some vocal.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Coaching at like fifteen, when I wanted to do this.
That's what I regret that, and I regret I.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
Love music so much and I always wanted to make
it what I do, but I never I didn't manage
my time really properly, especially early on, and there were
opportunities I could have taken advantage of that.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
I just choose to kind of cheap out.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
On because it was comfortable, And I think I definitely
regret not working as hard as I should have been.
But now it's all worked out because I'm in that
mindset where we're developing that now.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
So it's good. It's just yeah, but they're definitely regrets.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
And I'm glad you don't dwell on them.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Me.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
On the other hand, I'll be laying in bed and
all of a sudden something will pop in my head
that I should have said to a girl ten years ago.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
It's like.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
That happens to all of us.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Absolutely, that's the late night thoughts, the spiraling.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Yeah, totally so annoying. But let's talk about this smash.
It's such an incredible story. You know, you wrote the
Hook in your apartment by yourself. You post it to
socials people start tagging DJs, But how was this song
born on your end?
Speaker 4 (11:12):
Honestly, I had a session like the week before and
there was a tiny little piano riff that I did
and we didn't end up using. And it was just
sitting on my computer, this little riff. And then I
was sitting in my apartment here I don't know if
you can like see my messy thank you for the
tar It came in like a tornado, but sitting at
(11:34):
my piano or at my keys, and I'm like, you
know what, this little this little melody is kind of cool.
And I just started going at it and then developed
the chops of it, and then the the hook just
kind of the melody on top just kind of rolled
out and the words they.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Fell into place.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
But I honestly, I did take a little time to
tweak the lyrics to get them to fit a little nicer.
But but yeah, it all just kind of happened here
pretty pretty organically.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Now with you, with songwriting, is it normally that you
start with a chorus and then work around that or
how does it normally happen for you?
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Yeah, A lot of it with the edom too, has
been I used to just take in a lot of
tracks and just kind of throw some melodies on top
of them and see what fit. And that's great, and
that's one way to do it. But then I think
that feels more natural would be to start at the
piano and just write from there and get some chords
underneath my fingers and then you know, the melody does
(12:26):
typically come first, or sometimes I'll have poetry and I'll
just think of a melody that could work nicely with
those words. But I think every process is a tiny
bit different. Every song is just the slightest bit, you know,
it's the same process, but how it comes together is
uh yeah, never the same.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
So and you sort of teasing it back in August,
when did you actually start writing it?
Speaker 2 (12:47):
No, that was, yeah, that.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Was around when I wrote it. I think it was
like I posted that video like a.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Couple of days or a day after.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Oh wow, I actually did put it together, but I
did tweak some of the some of the words, So
it was it was all within the same week, like
the of when I got the melody for the piano,
but then tweet all within that same that same week.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
So yeah, now you don't have to answer this if
you don't want I can cut it out. But was
Martin Garrick's the first DJ to get back to you.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
There was a bit of interest from from different people,
and there were some DJs actually that I really respected
and loved.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
It was just everybody.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
You know, DJing is a different world, and there's touring,
and there's there's reasons why they can be delayed working
on things, which I totally respect.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
I think the.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Timing with Martin just kind of fell into place, and
it was great. The DJs that did have interest when
I did let them know that this was happening or
this was interest was here, they were all. They totally understood.
Martin is one of the greatest, and he was just Yeah.
The timing was just worked out beautifully, and those that
did have interest were very respectful and understood.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Now you post a lot of teasers to songs, do
you ever go back to a lot of those songs
and actually flush them out?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (14:04):
I do. In this day and age, it's really difficult
because social media has changed the game and I have
a love hate.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Relationship with it. I love it, but I also I.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
Hate how instant everything is and the instant gratification of
getting to the best part of the song where if
you go back to like the seventies, right, you sometimes
the best parts of the song were tucked into the
bridge and you had to wait for the verse and
the chorus to get there and that.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
But that's what made the moment so special. So we
no longer really I feel like have that. Hopefully maybe
we'll come back around.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
But anyway, sorry, So I do I put a lot
of these snippets out because I think when I have something,
it's cool to get that if people resonate with it,
and then it kind of gives the kick to okay,
get the rest of the song done. So yeah, so
I do a lot of that just to see the reaction.
But I do have a lot of songs that are
fully flushed out, regardless of if I post on socials
(14:55):
or not.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Gotcha, Yeah, I'm the same way. I have a hate
hate relationship with Socials. It's not even a love late.
So I totally understand. Well, congratulations on all the success
have told you so it is so amazing.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
What is next for Jack?
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Thanks?
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Oh man, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
You know, what's next for Jax is gonna get you know,
a calendar and a long time so I don't do
this again because my gosh, oh no, I actually what's
next for Jexon? Seriously, I have to be more on
top of my my stuff, better, better organization, but also
just just.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Up in my songwriting.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
It's again going back and things that I had that
I think might be neat if they're not properly put together.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
This is an undeniable I don't want.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
To just pop things out into the world just to
have them in the world, like, I want them to
be authentic.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
I want them to come from a place of like.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
I put my heart and my passion into what I do.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
So whatever it is, it's going to be authentic. But
I have no idea. I don't have a game plan.
We're just winging it out here.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
I can't wait to hear what's next for you because
your voice is just so amazing. Congratulations on told you
so going number one, Jax, Thank you so much for
your time with us on America's Dance thirty.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Thank you so much. Thanks for your patience with me.
I so appreciate you.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
America's Dance thirty Counting down the biggest dance songs in
the country.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
America's Dance thirty
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