INTERVIEW: Jordie Race-Coldrey Wants Australians To Embrace Aussie Pop

Jordie Race-Coldrey. Photo supplied.

Melbourne pop singer Jordie Race-Coldrey is comfortable in the limelight, and his latest single has some serious star potential. The 80s inspired pop jam, Strawberry Gum, is his most polished track yet, as well as the best representation of the music he wants to make.

I was lucky enough to speak to Jordie about the new single, as well as his views on streaming, how Australians interact with pop music, and transitioning from acting to making music. It’s a really illuminating chat, and if you get the chance to pick Jordie’s brain, I recommend you grab the opportunity with both hands.

Ben Madden: Firstly, can you introduce yourself and your music?

Jordie Race-Coldrey: Hi! I'm Jordie Race-Coldrey, I'm a Melbourne based singer/songwriter/producer. My music is sits in the world of pop and is honest and fun and pretty personal.

You come from a TV background – how did you find yourself wanting to become a musician, and when did you decide to make the leap?

I’ve always had an obsession with music. I used to sit by my CD player when I was little and write out the lyrics to whatever CD I had on. I was about 12 when I realised I could write my own songs. I started doing that more and more, as well as performing onstage.

Acting and singing have always gone hand in hand for me. I was thrilled to be cast in Nowhere Boys in 2016 and had an amazing time shooting the two seasons. The show gave me a great platform when it came time to release my own music. I don’t recall a time when I consciously made a choice to pursue music, it’s just what I have to do.

I wanted to ask about the 80s influence present in Strawberry Gum – is that an era you’re consciously influenced by, or is it somewhat of a coincidence? 

The record came about very naturally. I was sitting in my studio, found a synth I loved, then a snare and a kick and built out most of the track to that. The 80’s influence was definitely very much alive in the production of the song, however, I wrote the vocals to a piano.

I think leaning into the 80’s era as the main focus of a track can fall flat if the song can’t hold itself as a stripped back ballad. I guess I was very conscious about bringing in the 80’s synths and snares to create the mood I wanted the listener to feel.

What lessons did you learn from your debut EP, and how has that changed your approach towards writing new music?

The EP was a really steep learning curve for me. It was the first time releasing songs I’ve poured my heart and soul into, and giving them to the world. The reaction to the most honest and vulnerable tracks was overwhelmingly beautiful, which has made me feel some sense of comfort in not filtering my writing. In terms of how I produce the records, post-EP, I am far more aware of how I can create the sound that I want, and execute it the way I hear the song in my head.

Australian artists don’t always embrace the pop genre – how do you view Australia’s relationship with pop music?

Pop music is brilliant and I hope to see Australian artists really start to go for gold with the genre. I think the relaxed nature of the Aussie music listener is encouraging for the indie band over a solo Pop artist. However, Australians love to embrace the US music scene. Time and time again we see Aussie Pop artists go to the US, and it’s only after they gain success there that we get onboard at home.

Hopefully the Pop scene in Australia grows in a way that’s increasingly more embracing of new artists from the start. I'm personally drawn to the pop genre because of how diverse it can be, and the way it makes me feel.

Streaming services have become increasingly ubiquitous, but they don’t always get the best deal for the artist. What’s your relationship with streaming services, and do you think that artists should be looking at alternative avenues of revenue/promoting their music?

Streaming has created a platform for voices that never would have received a platform, which outweighs the negatives attached to the style of distribution. It’s not a secret that most artists seek their biggest revenue from live performance, and I’m definitely okay with that.

The headline shows I’ve played over the past few years have been the greatest nights, and the interaction with the listeners is overwhelming. If this style of distribution leads to more live shows and more opportunities I think that's a good thing.

Your music contains themes of independence/self-discovery – do you have any stories of any significant moments of self-discovery, both personally and in your music?

Looking back on the hundreds of songs I’ve written, it’s interesting to see the development and common themes amongst them all. Music has been my guiding light and somewhat of an outlet for me growing up.

The EP is called For Later, as it's a collection of songs that are specific to where I was at when I wrote them. I'm glad that they are out in the world as a reminder to look back on later, and see how far I’ve come.

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Finally, what are your next few steps, both personally and music-wise?

The next step for me is to hopefully get back to performing live shows and continue working on new material for 2021. This year has been frustrating but has also allowed me to immerse myself in my writing and I have so much new music to share with listeners once the live music scene opens up again.

You can follow Jordie on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.