Discover the musical genius of Jacob Collier, from his Grammy wins to his diverse collaborations. Dive into his latest album Djesse 4, featuring a fusion of styles like Indian sitar and Colombian reggaeton. Explore his unique approach to music and collaborations with artists like Michael McDonald and T-Pain.
Jacob Collier's quadrilogy project showcases his diverse musical collaborations and narrative vision.
Collier emphasizes the unity found in collective singing experiences with audience choirs during his live shows.
His ability to blend different musical genres and cultural backgrounds results in harmonious and unique compositions.
Deep dives
Jacob Collier's Quadrilogy Project Explained
Jacob Collier embarks on a massive musical journey with his quadrilogy project, starting from his solo album in solitude to collaborations with a diverse range of musicians. His quadrilogy concept was born out of the desire to collaborate with artists he admires and create a cohesive musical narrative. The project evolved from one massive album idea to a series of four albums spanning over six years, each uniting different musical worlds and voices.
Exploring the Power of Audience Choirs
Jacob Collier delves into the transformative experience of conducting audience choirs during his live shows, creating multi-part harmony with thousands of strangers. Through the power of collective singing, he emphasizes the unity and harmony that music can bring, allowing people to tap into a shared musical framework. Collaborating with audiences worldwide, Collier explores the impact of group singing on creating a collective and special musical experience.
Collaborations with Diverse Artists
Collier's collaborations with a range of artists like Anushka Shankar, Chris Martin, Stormzy, and more highlight his ability to work across musical genres and cultural backgrounds. By combining different musical languages and perspectives, Collier explores the fusion of Indian classical music, Western harmonies, and diverse sounds to create unique and harmonious compositions. His approach to collaboration focuses on mutual exchange and learning from the diverse perspectives of his musical collaborators.
Musical Depth in 'Little Blue'
In the song 'Little Blue', Collier showcases a blend of simplicity and complexity in his musical narrative. While the song retains a melodic and harmonically straightforward structure reminiscent of a lullaby, Collier infuses surprising harmonic moments that add depth and dimension to the composition. 'Little Blue' exemplifies Collier's ability to weave contrasting musical elements, creating an immersive and emotionally resonant sonic experience that invites listeners to explore varied textures and feelings.
Musical Dreaming: 'Sheeps Sunshine'
Jacob Collier shares a unique experience of dreaming a song title, 'Sheeps Sunshine', which inspired an entire song creation process. In a dream game scenario where titles determined songwriting, 'Sheeps Sunshine' emerged as a directive for Collier's creative process. This dream-inspired songwriting approach led to the development of the track, showcasing the influence of subconscious creativity and external constraints on musical composition.
One of the most inventive and gifted musicians working today is none other than Jacob Collier. Maybe you know him from his YouTube videos, or co-writing SZA’s “Good Days,” or even performing alongside Joni Mitchell at this year’s Grammys. Jacob is a musician with thunderous chops, proficient on multiple instruments and with a voice that ranges from bass to soprano. over the past few years, he’s managed to release several records, net collaborations with everyone from Michael McDonald to T-Pain, and become the first British artist to receive a Grammy Award for each of his first four albums. His latest album Djesse 4 is the conclusion to his Djesse quadrilogy, and it features a kaleidoscopic range of style, from Indian sitar to Colombian reggaeton to a haunting Simon and Garfunkel cover. This week, we’re going to take a look inside the work and process of a musical mad scientist – our resident songwriter Charlie Harding sat down with Jacob to learn about his new record, his collaborators, and the beautifully unique way he sees and thinks about music.
