By: Jamie Steinberg
Q) How would you describe your sound?
A) I’d describe my sound as indie pop with touches of soul, rock, and groove. It’s emotional but grounded, sometimes melancholic, sometimes bright. I like to wrap deeper feelings in colourful sounds and play with that contrast.
Q) Who are some of your musical influences?
A) I listen to such a broad spectrum of music. The first names that pop into my head are Amy Winehouse, Vasco Rossi, Alabama Shakes, Michael Jackson and Black Pumas. But I also love Chappell Roan, Mk.gee, Dominic Fike and so many more.
Q) Talk about the themes you explore on your new album Looking For Connection.
A) Looking for Connection is about what it means to be human in a world that is constantly online but often emotionally disconnected. I wanted to explore the contrast between being hyperconnected through technology and still feeling lonely or unseen.
The songs touch on self-doubt, comparison, ambition and the search for meaning, but also on love and the beauty of real, human connection. Writing this album was my way of trying to understand where I fit in all of that — and to remind myself that connection often starts with being honest with yourself.
Q) The album was written between Bern and Berlin. What made that such an inspiration filled environment?
A) Bern and Berlin both played really important roles in shaping this album. Bern is home. It’s where I wrote most of the songs, in my little apartment studio. It gave me space to think, to reflect, and to be honest with myself.
Berlin, on the other hand, brought movement and energy. Working there with producers like Kim Wennerström and Charlie McClean opened up new creative perspectives. The city has this raw, artistic pulse that pushes you to experiment and step out of your comfort zone.
Q) What inspired your latest single “Gold Rush?”
A) “Gold Rush” was inspired by the constant chase we all seem to be in for success, validation, recognition – whatever it is. It is about that feeling of running after something shiny, only to realize it might be empty once you catch it.
It is also a reflection on our society, where everything that glitters is glorified. I do not believe in that kind of consumerist lifestyle, but I am still part of it, still affected by it. The song is me calling myself out too. It is about trying to find meaning in a world that often feels driven by comparison and speed.
Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?
A) I think people connect to “Gold Rush” because it is honest. Most of us know the feeling of chasing something we think will make us happy — success, love, approval — and then realizing it doesn’t really fill the void.
Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?
A) The video plays with the irony behind the song. I’m dressed as an actual gold digger from the 1800s, out in nature searching for gold. At one point I finally find a gold nugget and it feels like this big moment until the camera zooms out and you see the ring light and the phone holder and realize I’ve been “live streaming” the whole thing.
It’s a metaphor for how we perform our lives online, constantly trying to make things look meaningful or successful. The video shows the contrast between what’s real and what’s curated and how easily we can lose ourselves in that performance.
Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?
A) It really depends on the song. Sometimes it starts with a word or a sentence that feels powerful, sometimes with a chord progression or melody that sets the mood. I try not to force it or follow a strict formula. What matters to me is that lyrics and music feel like they belong together.
Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?
A) I’m very involved in the production process. Even when I work with producers, I like to be part of every step — from building the soundscape to shaping the final mix.
I know the world I want my songs to live in, so I bring a lot of ideas and references to the table. At the same time, I love collaborating with people who bring their own perspective and skills. It’s all about finding that balance between my vision and what happens when creative minds meet.
Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to your new album as a whole – either as an emotion or message?
A) I hope listeners feel a sense of connection, whatever that means for them. The album is about being human in a world that can feel overwhelming and distant, but also beautiful and full of hope.
If someone listens and feels a little less alone or sees a part of themselves in the songs, then that means everything to me. I just want the music to make people feel something real.
Q) Which song(s) off Looking For Connection are you looking forward to performing live on your upcoming European tour?
A) I’m really looking forward to performing “Gold Rush” and “Slot Machine.” Both songs have this energy that just explodes live and I love how the crowd reacts to them.
I’m also excited about “No Rain No Tears” because it carries so much emotion. It’s one of those songs that feels different every night, depending on the room and the people in it.
Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?
A) It doesn’t really matter to me where I play. I love the challenge of making music work in whatever room I’m in.
Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?
A) Lorde would be pretty cool. I really admire her songwriting and how she builds entire worlds within her music.
Q) What artist/musician are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?
A) Right now I’m listening a lot to Chappell Roan and Mk.gee. Chappell’s energy and confidence are just contagious and I love how bold and unapologetic her music is. Mk.gee, on the other hand, has such a unique sound world. Both of them feel really fresh and honest and that’s what draws me in. It’s just timeless music to me, I’m gonna listen to their records in twenty years and still go: “Damn, that’s really good music.”
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?
A) Thank you, truly. Every message, every show, every person who takes the time to listen means the world to me. I hope the songs give you something back the same way you give that to me by listening.