With his sound rooted in punk rock with an early '90s spirit, young Australian singer-songwriter Jovi Skyler earlier this month released his debut, self-titled EP.
The Sydney musician briefly studied at the Conservatorium of Music before dropping out to live abroad gigging solo under various monikers.After releasing music as Jovi Skyler for the first time last year, the lead single of his self-titled EP is 'Gia', which explores the intensity and temptations of Gia Carangi's (who many considered to be the very first supermodel) lifestyle at the height of her fame.
Armed with his guitar and rebellious swagger, and with another EP in the works to be released later in 2020, we get to know more about Jovi Skyler.
Who is Jovi Skyler... An early '90s, alternative rock fan, extremely dedicated, who practises songwriting religiously; there are shelves of old journals and abstract paintings in my bedroom.
I had studied at the Conservatorium of Music for a short time, but dropped out. I had lived abroad and gigged under various aliases as a soloist playing only original songs unplugged in cafes, bars and other venues. It started in 2016, in regards to myself as an artist, playing originals in public, then recording them in proper studios rather than at home, but without any social media presence or anything released until mid 2019.
I sound like... Punk, alternative rock with an early '90s spirit and a hint of psychedelia.
My first gig was... When I was 16. It was at a local art gallery. I had just recovered from the chickenpox and was playing Nirvana covers.
When did you settle on your artist's name? It took a while, as I had to Google search each name, to see if it was taken, but in the end, I chose a name that closely resembles my real first and last name, but with more of an edge.
In the studio I'm usually... Prepared, focused and calm, it has to be, in regards to performance, getting that particular sound I want, and then listening back to specific components and seeing whether things need to be modified or whatnot.
There is chilling out in-between, where a part is completed and we have coffee and talk about random stuff. The worst thing in my opinion to do is try to write songs in the studio or finish them, unless you have heaps of cash to splurge.
If I could tour with anyone... It depends on what decade we are living in, but I suppose we are talking about this one? It's not a definitive list, but it would be the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Starcrawler, The Pixies or Iggy Pop.
Social media is... A distraction to the obstruction of construction, so I'm not a particular fan of it myself. But at the moment, with the state of the world as it is, I have to admit it is a godsend for many. I think the next phase of social media will be virtual reality headsets.
My favourite app at the moment is... Probably WhatsApp or Viber; it is a good way to keep in touch with mates or family. I lived overseas for a few years, so I was grateful for such free video/ voice call apps, otherwise calling back home to Sydney would have been astronomically expensive.
To date, my most embarrassing moment was the time... When I was booked for a gig at the cafe next to a museum overseas; because the majority of the audience (dressed in formal wear) had the impression I would be playing classical music, I reckon I startled them a bit.
Life on the road can be... Tough no doubt, especially if one is on a diet of pizza and Maccas, but it's definitely worth it. As they say, travel is the one thing that can make you richer.
If you'll have me on your bill, all I ask is that our rider contains... Yellow Tail's sauvignon blanc and a cheese platter.
The most scary scenario I've found myself in, was... When I ran out of phone credit overseas. I could only recharge in store, and it was a long weekend.
It doesn't sound scary, but just imagine if the internet stopped working for a week or a month. People would be scared as heck, because they wouldn't be able to Google anything or use any form of social media.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band... That's a tough question. I don't want to name that someone unless they are a fan of my music.
I'm not even sure 'who' that person could be, so maybe Courtney Love because it would be interesting and seems like a real rock & roll thing to do.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party... Arrow De Wilde, PJ Harvey and Steve Albini.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? I sadly can't cook, unless you are keen on eating sandwiches with potato chips. It would have to be takeout, either pizza or Thai food.
No matter the expense, send me a case of... Dom Pérignon. I've never tried it. But you are sending a case right?
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... I've never been inside a gym. I've walked past many.
What's the one chore you dislike the most? Any household chores, but I especially hate washing the dishes as I usually let them pile up. So it becomes like a mountain of a chore to climb.
Do you have any phobias? Cockroaches. They are pretty gross, not much to explain about that.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? Reality shows are honestly not my cup of tea, as some are a bit contrived. But if I had to, it would be one where you just chilled out all day and and did nothing, so I guess that would be 'Big Brother'.
If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down? I have kinda outgrown pranking friends to be honest.
But a good one would be getting those fake scratchies off eBay and giving them to a friend as a gift. Or you could just call them up impersonating some lotto offical telling them they have won the jackpot. I reckon that would be hilarious.
