Renowned songwriter JJ PARKI is set to release his highly anticipated EP, ‘My Infernal World (Ode to Lina & Paw) – The Remixes’, on February 14th, 2025.
GETTING TO KNOW JJ PARKI
Introduce yourself and your project:
JJ PARKI, songwriter. JJ PARKI & Co. (Collaborations in creative Company)
Explain what musical genre fits you best:
My roots are in EDM, and fusing sounds with my collaborators is a real buzz. However, I can’t resist projects in other genres, such as singer-songwriter/pop/folk. I even have a jazz collab, which was revived a decade later as a bossa nova fusion by one of the original collaborators. You’ll hear a variety of sounds from JJ PARKI & Co. as I don’t like to be labelled as just one genre.
Were you connected with music from a young age and did anyone inspire you?
Yes, I grew up surrounded by the immense appreciation of music. As an infant, my first memory of music is influenced by Spain, a Spanish song for children called “Veo, Veo” (by Teresa Rabal), which was the anthem of my childhood, and, too, flamenco. At primary school I learnt to play the piano, and at secondary school I learnt to play the flute. As a teenager and, too, young adulthood, I worked for Handleman UK, an international music distributor before the Internet era. The EDM artists that inspired me are, without a doubt, Linda, Regi & Filip of Milk Inc. I’ll never forget hearing the UK release of their top ten hit ‘In My Eyes’ – I had never heard music like it before, and my passion for EDM music exploded from that moment.
What kickstarted your music career?
In the early noughties, I bought a Slinky Music Club Edition 2002 software CD-ROM and, (not having a computer at the time) using a friend’s computer (-thanks Jonny!), I composed/produced my debut song entitled ‘Free’… decades later, the L.A. Remix of ‘Free’ is one of my most streamed songs on Spotify.
Tell us more about your sound and how it’s evolved over time:
My sound evolves, changes & grows depending on the collaborators I work with. I don’t always set out to have a specific sound, each project depends on my lyrics and then the interpretations of each collaborator on the song we work on. From singer-songwriter, pop/folk vibes to EDM bangers, it all depends on the creativity and fusion of mine & my collaborators’ styles.
Any words you want to share to encourage other artists or producers?
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. If you believe that you have something to offer, keep going, be patient and, always, be passionate. If you don’t believe in yourself, no-one will.
How do you nurture your industry relationships?
I’m lucky to have a very positive relationship with nearly all of my collaborators, to the extent that it’s a true pleasure to continue working with so many all these years later. The mutual respect we have for each other is priceless. However, just like making new friends, sometimes there’s no chemistry, resulting in just one release (and often a follow up), and then that’s it. Each song represents a project; a collaboration and each contributor’s work, energy and passion. The vast majority of collaborations I’ve worked on I’ve enjoyed.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank that’s been crucial to your journey?
At each stage of my journey, I keep benefitting from new collaborations which lead to new press/radio/TV opportunities… to name just one would, likely, be impossible. I am grateful to every single collaborator that has got me to where I am today. Linked to the previous question, I suppose that I am grateful most to those collaborators with whom I continue to work on music. I can’t not mention my late mum, she instilled in me a passion for music. I don’t know a world without music, which all started thanks to her. It was working alongside my mum in Handleman UK that opened my eyes to a greater understanding of how the Industry works. Funnily enough, though, almost ironically, she hadn’t ever understood the musical legacy she gave me.
Name 3 songs you love and what they mean to you
Milk Inc. – In My Eyes (UK release 2002 aka the DJ Philip Remix) – this song started my passion for music. I still have the CD release, pure work of EDM art. Absolute classic
4 Strings & Susanne Teutenberg. Always a reference of inspiration, when the Dutch duo revealed that the one & only vocalist of their earlier work was always Susanne Teutenberg (and not Vanessa who was only ever the façade) I cried! I still listen to the older and new 4 Strings releases, but all their songs with Susanne Teutenberg as the vocalist have a certain je ne sais quoi, Susanne’s vocals are unique.
Infernal – Touch Heaven. How could I not mention the Danish duo who have inspired this release! So many of their 2024 releases have blown me away, and ‘Touch Heaven’ was my favourite song of last year. My life in a song.
What’s your favourite piece of studio equipment or software?
I yearn for the days of a program identical/similar to the Slinky Club Edition 2002 from which came my debut ‘Free’! However, each of my collabs depends on the role the collaborator plays, various equipment & software we’ve used… All I’ll say is, never underestimate DAWs like BandLab, and editing tools like Clipchamp, they’ve saved the day on several occasions.
Name an outlandish rider request?
I tend to be behind the music, but when I do perform, I conform with being able to do a sound check! The last time I performed some of my collaborations in public (end of 2022), I wasn’t offered an opportunity to do one, and right before I was about to sing, the team didn’t have my instrumental tracks, which had me hastily send them to one of the crew team. All this made me very nervous, but I pulled it off, somewhat exhausted afterwards!
Favourite clubbing memory and who or what did it involve?
The Clubland era was my favourite… I have many memories of fun nights out from Southport, Manchester, Rome, Liège, Glasgow, Manresa, Barcelona… Trying to remember one in particular is not easy! Most recent one was in Barcelona – great atmosphere, venue, company, but the music was questionable!
What famous quote represents you best?
One of my own: ‘You have to be MAD in this world… Motivated, Ambitious and Determined.’ A “famous” one: ‘You live a new life for every new language you speak.’ (Czech proverb, apparently)
If you could play at any venue, where would it be and why?
Tomorrowland. No explanation needed! I would love to perform some of my bangers there.
Music is…..
My life. I don’t know a world without music. I do sometimes need a break from it, silence is often music to my ears, said silence cannot always be found. Music controls me, music is me.
One song you really couldn’t live without and why?
Dido – Take My Hand. An incredible production/composition. Milk Inc. got me into EDM, and Dido’s influence on my non-EDM side is as important. She, too, has an EDM side.
Namedrop your favourite 5 artists or DJs (past or present)
Past: Milk Inc (Belgium)., 4 Strings (Netherlands), Lasgo (Belgium), Paradise -Rob Grice & Stu Connor (England), my collaborator L.A.B.S (Scotland),
Present: Infernal (Denmark), my collaborator DJ Divinluks (Italy), Daní Martín (Spain), Armin van Buuren (Netherlands), Aitana (Spain).
What was your first music memory and how did it fuel your fire?
I’ve already mentioned it in a previous question, the Spanish children’s song ‘Veo, Veo’ by Teresa Rabal, and flamenco… No doubt about it, such a dominant influence of Spanish music from such a tender age, it’s no surprise that Spain is my ‘home sweet home’, and has been for many years!
Tell us more about your plans for the future:
I have my fourth album released this coming March ‘The EDM Collection’ by JJ PARKI & Co. showcasing my EDM collaborations, there’s even a ‘deluxe edition’ coming later in the year. Radio interview coming very soon. I’ve applied for several contests, let’s see if one of my collaborations is chosen…
Any worldly advice you’d like to share?
Like I mentioned previously, be M.A.D. and believe in yourself, believe in what you have to offer to the world of music. Art is meant to be spoken about, it’s meant to be loved, liked, criticised, disliked and hated. If you, personally, don’t like a song that you’ve worked on, then change it or bin it. Many projects I’ve shelved (indefinitely) or willingly deleted. The path to success is a lonely one, but it’s YOUR path, so keep walking down it, even if you have to climb mountains!
