At home with… JGrrey
July 15, 2020
Culture & Music
Words:
India Hendrikse
India Hendrikse
Before music, JGrrey made her name as a stylist – and it shows. Her outfits are a time warp back to the early 2000s, where low-rise jeans, tinted sunglasses, vests and lip liner ruled the game. Oh, and hairclips existed for absolutely no reason – other than to look cool, of course. Now, the London singer’s creativity is also injected into making tunes with a smooth neo-soul vibe. She made the cut on GQ’s New Artists of 2020 list, after releasing her second EP, titled ‘Ugh’ (a pretty apt name for the trying time to come, I might add) late last year. More recently, she’s spent lockdown producing dreamy video visuals, writing new music, and tending to her houseplants. Here, she gives the intel on touring with Billie Eilish, digging trashy fashion, and why she loves frogs so darn much.


IH: You go by Jgrrey. Tell us a little about this name?
JG: Grey is my favourite colour.
IH: Where are you living at the moment? What’s the situation there right now?
JG: I’m staying with my parents because of the pandemic I hadn’t seen them in so long and as they’re high risk. I moved home to be with them. My situation is great. I brought my plants here, I’ve been writing and recording in a studio here. It’s nice to wake up every day in the same house as your parents – not everyone has that privilege.
IH: Apparently you have more new music on the cards in 2020… What can we expect?
JG: Yes there is so much more music. Music that I’m so proud of and that I cannot wait for you all to hear. The kind of music I want to be releasing.
IH: Who are some of your favourite artists in the neo-soul genre?
JG: I have so many, let me think. I love Ari Lennox, Teyana Taylor, Kehlani, they’re more RnB but still the vibe is there. I love Erykah [Badu], Dijon, Harve, there are so many, Bel Cobain, my mind is going blank but there are so many.
IH: How has your music evolved over the years?
JG: My music is still evolving – it has evolved from me just writing songs because I could. When I realised I could write songs, I just wrote loads, not songs I necessarily liked and was just like “OMG I can write a song”. Some of my earlier stuff I don’t listen to and now I’m writing songs I love. Like Half Full, Don’t Come for Me, Happiness Seems a Hell Of A Guy and Ain’t S. Like, I’m so proud of that last one.


IH: What was a highlight from touring with Billie Eilish?
JG: Seeing her skate around the arena on her scooter and then bumping into her around and just randomly saying “hey” like it was normal.
IH: Obviously the current situation means musicians can no longer perform live shows. How are you innovating in the new digital, stay-at-home music world?
JG: I’m performing digitally and performing at home and then sending it everywhere. This virus is separating the men from the boys, if you’re about it then be about it. Work from home and be innovative and try some new shit. People are handling it in lots of different ways and I hope I’m handling it well.
IH: You’re an avid gardener. Could you please share your best house plant tips for everyone currently stuck indoors?
JG: Yes if you have a fern, please make sure you mist it. If you have a Pothos please make sure you are watering it frequently because they aren’t into having direct sunlight and the heat can be a bitch for them. Check on your Rubber Plant, they are so hardy that people do leave them and if you leave them for too long then they die. If you don’t have any plants please invest in some.


