While our body listens to the music, our mind feels it, shapes it according to our mood, and uses it as a support to create emotions and memories; this is something that music creators, composers, and producers of high level always take into account. Great producers like Jesse Neo, are gifted not only by impressive versatility, technical skills, and refined taste, but they have a clear vision of how their music is going to resonate with the audience, living and creating a constant balance between personal taste, industry standards, and the trends of the moment. Neo‘s vision anyway doesn’t apply only to his music; his passion for creating and producing led him to the creation of the incredible platform www.gemtracks.com, a site where creative will find all those resources they need for their productions!
Hi Jesse, first of all, thanks a lot for being here at Planet Singer today. We have found your latest projects extremely interesting, and it is a great pleasure for us to have you here! Your music journey started when you were just a kid. Can you tell us how you fell in love with music and how your musical journey began?
As a kid, when practicing piano each night became tedious, I would spice up the atmosphere with some original melodies and lyrics. At first, I didn’t think much about it until one day I was at school and was given homework to come up with a lullaby. While most students in my class sung their songs to existing melodies, I was the only one that composed an entire original song. I remember the teacher and all my friends being amazed by what I did. I think that was the turning point when I fell in love with music and decided songwriting was something I would like to pursue.
I loved your track, “Sex Magic.” We can appreciate your incredible songwriting, the modern and powerful arrangement, and fantastic vocals in this song. Can you tell us more about this song?
“Sex Magic” was the first song I ever recorded and produced. I had just finished taking a course on music production in a local college and really wanted to develop something releasable. So feeling inspired one Sunday afternoon, I came up with the lyrics in half an hour. Then I created the beat using a DAW. A few days later, I set up my home studio and recorded the entire song. It took around 30 minutes to get the vocals recorded right. Then the hardest part was the actual mixing and mastering, but I somehow managed to do it. And That’s how the song was made. I know — a lot of people were shocked to know that that song was made entirely in my (untreated) bedroom.
Your approach to music is extremely personal, intense, and at the same time, energetic and vibrant. What are your main influences?
Yes, I remember being told that my songs are very ‘intense’ and sophisticated. I guess it came from being trained classically for years. Taking Music classes in high school also contributed to it. I remember being taught scales, time signatures, and musical theories that sounded like Maths to most people. It wasn’t until taking the electronic music production course that I realized how simple pop music was – and I guess that’s why I love it so much!
Today, my main influences are the top DJs of today, including Martin Garrix, David Guetta, Steve Aoki, and Skrillex.
Creating music seems like a natural process for you, you started writing your songs from a very early age, but how did you transition from the writing process to your music’s full production?
A lot of people don’t know that I have a Computer Science degree. So for a long time, being in front of a computer, programming, and thinking systematically have been the norm for me. In some way, this was also similar to music production. So when I made the transition into full music production, the sudden change wasn’t that much of a big deal for me.
Creating music seems like a natural process for you, you started writing your songs from a very early age, but how did you transition from the writing process to your music’s full production?
A lot of people don’t know that I have a Computer Science degree. So for a long time, being in front of a computer, programming, and thinking systematically have been the norm for me. In some way, this was also similar to music production. So when I made the transition into full music production, the sudden change wasn’t that much of a big deal for me.
Do you find producing music for other artists easier, harder, or just different?
I think producing music for other artists can be more difficult. Not only do I need to know their style, but I also need to understand their voice, the way they sing, and even their personality. It’s pretty much like tailoring a dress or suit for someone.
This leads to one of your latest projects, gemtracks.com, an incredible hub for producers, DJs, and everyone involved in music’s creative process. On Planet Singer, we have many artists interested in new ways to make their songs unique, tell us more about your libraries!
After several top magazines reviewed my music, I suddenly received offers from several media companies asking me to make instrumental beats. After my contract ended, I really wanted to continue doing this job, so I created Gemtracks where I could list my tracks for sale. Today, it has turned into a marketplace where anyone can buy and sell beats, hire freelance musicians, and even book recording studios. Eventually, I want Gemtracks to become the one-stop place where artists can be nurtured and educated, given resources to bring their sounds to life, and then be marketed.
When you create a beat, base, and loop, what are the main elements you focus on?
I concentrate on everything. With Gemtracks, I have analytic tools that tell me what customers are interested in. So I base my compositions on them.
Nowadays, the music scene is very dynamic and vibrant; every day, there are thousands of new releases, some are good; some are bad. Among this ocean of tracks, is there any artist you would love to collaborate with?
After moving to Los Angeles, I realized the number of Australian artists was still quite low when it came to the international stage. Hence, I really want to collaborate with people from my home country. It would be cool to write a song with Troye Sivan, Iggy Azela, or even Sia!
As a singer, songwriter, and producer, what do you think about the music industry’s direction?
I think everything will be heading online. Just look at music consumption – the majority of music is streamed on YouTube, and this is based on actual stats. There are already many artists looking for ways to play gigs, reach, and interact with their fans online. I guess this is one reason why I created Gemtracks.
Do you think platforms such as Spotify and Soundcloud are getting overcrowded, or are they going to be the trend for many years?
I think they are the future. For decades, teens have been the leading group that spent their money on music. As adults got caught up with life, their music consumption began to fall. However, because of online streaming platforms, even mothers and fathers are paying for them. From what I can see, it is because of online streaming platforms making music profitable again.
What are your plans for the future?
Once the pandemic is over, I will be recording and releasing more songs. I actually planned to film a music video this year which had to be postponed until next year. So that’ something I’m looking forward to. Who knows – maybe after filming my first video, I’ll get my hands into moviemaking too!
It was such a pleasure talking about your music Jesse; we wish you all the best with your future music projects; we can’t wait for your next release!
Discover more about Jesse Neo and his projects by clicking the links below, and don’t forget to follow him and add his tracks to your favorite playlists!
Official Website: www.jesseneo.com
Buy Beats: www.gemtracks.com
Spotify: Jesse Neo
Instagram: JesseNeoOfficial
Facebook: JesseNeoOfficial
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