"We put all of these philosophical concepts into our lyrics." Sister Bliss talks about the band after Maxi Jazz, weaving politics into rave anthems and the dance floor as salvation.
Even if you're not into electronic music, chances are you've heard tracks like "Insomnia" or "God Is A DJ" on the radio or in a film. These '90s rave anthems were written by Faithless, a British electronic band that received huge acclaim in the UK especially. Its original members, who launched the project in 1995, were Sister Bliss, Rollo and charismatic lead singer Maxi Jazz, who died in 2022. At their peak, they sold millions of records, performed all over the world and played giant festivals like Coachella and Glastonbury to hundreds of thousands of people.
Faithless is now toured solely by Sister Bliss, the keyboardist and songwriter. She speaks with Chloe Lula about the band's trajectory and the legacy left behind by Maxi Jazz. In her words, Faithless appeals to such a wide audience because its output isn't dance floor music in a traditional sense. Instead, it occupies a space where poetry, beats and melodies meet. With Maxi Jazz as their frontman, the group spoke to themes around human rights, politics, protest, equity, collapse, spirituality and the notion of dance music as a secular religion. Their transcendent live shows—which Sister Bliss will revive in 2025—have even been called a "church for the unchurched." Maxi Jazz was a practicing Buddhist monk whose lyrics and message of connection and compassion touched legions of fans over the years.
In this Exchange, Sister Bliss reflects on Maxi Jazz's death, being a mother on the road, continuing to release music under the Faithless banner and what it ultimately means to find salvation in faith, music, community and life at large. Listen to the episode in full.