Fresh off the release of his new single, ‘iPray’, VIPER caught up with London rapper Jords to get the low down before his album drops at the end of the month…
What five words define your sound?
Music without any limits whatsoever.
Tell me something unique about your creative process.
We made the album using same desk that Prince recorded ‘Purple Rain’.
Which songs of yours would you like to hear first?
’Ancestors’, track one.
What inspired you to make that song?
Anger. I was frustrated at a lot of things at the time and needed to vent without being offered a solution.
What’s the most vulnerable you’re allowed yourself to be when writing/making music?
I created ‘Halos’ two days after my grandma’s funeral. Therapy.
What’s the best/worst experience you’ve had on stage?
Best experience… there’s a lot to choose from but I’d say Reading and Leeds Festival. That was my biggest crowd for a solo set and it felt surreal. Worst experience – a few years ago I performed at a festival and there were more people on stage than in the crowd.. there were five of us on stage.
What is your favourite song to perform?
It changes every time. At the moment it’s ‘MoBay’ – it’s provocative and I enjoy that.
Which artist/song/album made you want to make music?
It was a Wretch 32 – Westwood Acapella freestyle from about 15 years ago that made me first want to rap.
What’s the meaning behind your name?
It’s just a shortened version of my name, Jordan. Shout out Kingsley who claims he named me first.
If you weren’t music, what would you be doing instead?
No idea. Probably not an answer I should say in public… Or I’d be an engineer.
What’s success to you?
Success is being able to know within yourself that you did the best job you could have and no one can take that from you.
What moment in your life/career forced you to change direction?
I don’t think anything has forced me to change direction to be honest. I enjoy doing the unpredictable thing, going left when everyone else is going right.
Where can people keep in touch with you?
jordsOnline, literally. Or catch me at a show, tour tickets on sale now!
Photo by Seif-Ali Umaar
‘Dirt In The Diamond’ is out 26th May via Motown Records UK