Sydney musician jnr. shares his DIY studio, new music, and creative setup.
Our latest Hot Chips visits Sydney musician Ben Siva – better known as jnr. – in his Surry Hills apartment, a space that doubles as both home and studio.
Amid records, curated décor, and quirky finds from Facebook Marketplace, the room reflects his DIY approach: everything has a purpose, and nothing is accidental.
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jnr. embodies the full DIY ethos: producer, singer, songwriter, moving seamlessly from rough sketches to polished tracks. At the heart of this process is his MSI Modern 15 H AI laptop – slim, fast, and reliable –powering everything from early demos to fully produced songs without slowing the creative flow.
Fresh off a string of releases, jnr.’s latest single ‘as you are’ was written during a residency in the south of France. Its sun-soaked warmth extends to the video, co-directed with his partner Zoe Dubuc, with whom he shares the inner-city apartment.
2025 has already been busy: producing and collaborating with Sydney artists like Hevenshe, RAGEFLOWER, and FVNERAL, and releasing the dance-pop experiment 2CLOSE. Triple J airplay and streaming playlists have kept momentum building, and with an EP on the way and live shows alongside Last Dinosaurs, Chloe Dadd, jnr. is steadily carving out his place in the alt-pop scene.
For an artist like jnr., having the right gear is crucial. The MSI Modern 15 H AI blends style with performance: its slim gray design, 180-degree hinge, and single-hand open capability make it functional, while its Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 processor keeps it fast and responsive.
Weighing just 1.9kg and built to MIL-STD 810H standards, it’s ready to handle every stage of music-making, from rough drafts to final production.
jnr.’s setup proves a home studio doesn’t need to be complicated – just thoughtful, equipped, and ready for the music.
If you’re curious how the MSI Modern 15 H AI keeps jnr.’s DIY music flowing, check it out here.
