Daily J recently unveiled their heart-igniting single, Stay, lifted off their long-awaited forthcoming EP. Now, as they gear up for their Aussie tour, the NZ collective share the inner workings of their creative journey, fuelled by a passion to deliver music that connects us all.
Daily J is a fast-rising indie-psych band residing in Auckland, New Zealand. Over the last five years, the stellar collective has undergone exponential growth, both creatively and as a group. Originally formed as a trio of brothers (Jayden, Jesse and Johnny Paul), they’ve since welcomed two additional members, Rick Everard (drums) and Cody Wilcox (guitar).
Their latest offering, Stay, coupled with a cinematic music video, blessed our eyes and ears in August. A few years in the making, this heartwarming hit, lifted off their forthcoming EP, marks a new creative feat for the group, who independently produced each element: “We were keen to take on the next EP entirely ourselves,” Daily J tell us. “This meant doing all of the recording and production on our own, and in the process, we learned a lot. It did take much longer to get to the final product, but we are really happy to have gone through this learning curve, especially with this song!”
Now, as they prepare to embark on their Australian tour which kickstarts in October, Daily J gift us with a peek behind the curtain at their inspiring creative process, which led to the fruition of Stay, as well as other tracks on their upcoming EP. No matter the project, it’s clear that passion, community and connection remain front of mind for the five-piece, comprising brothers and friends, Jayden (frontman), Jesse (sax and synth), Jonny Paul (bass), Rick (drums) and Cody (guitar).
HAPPY: Thanks for chatting with us today, we absolutely love your new single Stay, and the video is freaking awesome. The main Alien has some seriously insane moves. What are you up to today?
DAILY J: Jonny and Jay had Mahi, building a carport up in Silverdale for a flash Rolls Royce. Jesse the other bro has a furniture building business making tables and chairs out of recycled wine barrels, he got stuck in gluing together a lovely new piece. The brothers are all reasonably handy on the tools. Now the band is getting together to make some tunes at Jay’s place in Campbells Bay.
HAPPY: Tell us about your suburb, what do you love/not love about where you live?
DAILY J: The band is spread out over Auckland but Jess and Jay live in a neat lil’ place by the sea, people know where to find us. It’s a primo spot in summer.
HAPPY: Describe your average work day?
DAILY J: It’s different for each of us, but I can confidently tell you it starts off with a hot cuppa coffee. We all lead busy lives and when we’re not working on tunes you could probably find one of the brothers on a building site swinging the hammer. If you’re a fan of reality TV, you might find Juney capturing sound up a mountain for ex on the peak. Ricko is a graphic designer, it seems that after COVID he has adjusted to working from home quite nicely, but no one really knows what the blonde dragon gets up to.
HAPPY: What about your ultimate day?
DAILY J: Hmmm, that’s a tough one. The ultimate day would probably have to be hanging out at the beach with a bunch of mates, playing good tunes and drinking beers in the sun. Having a really nice feed and leading into a gig of some sort is always a good way to finish off the day too! Pretty cliche, but hard to beat a day like that in NZ summer.
HAPPY: What are you most looking forward to ahead of your first Australian tour?
DAILY J: Well, the brothers have never been to Aus before, so we are very excited to just touch down and check out the place! Also looking forward to seeing a new crowd. It’s always a buzz talking to people after a show and getting some real feedback on how they feel about the music.
HAPPY: It’s been mentioned that you have been sitting on your new single Stay for a few years. What was the thinking behind releasing it now and not sooner?
DAILY J: Yes! It has been a very slow burn for releasing Stay. I think it is probably due to the fact that we had just finished our album, Venus Ate Mars and we were keen to take on the next project/EP entirely ourselves. This meant doing all of the recording and production on our own, and in the process, we learned a lot. It did take much longer to get to the final product, but we are really happy to have gone through this learning curve, especially with this song! Oh…and did we mention COVID? That old friend certainly doesn’t help when it comes to making a music video or song!
HAPPY: Tell us about your creative community.
DAILY J: Coming from a small country, it’s easy to connect with other like-minded people. We often have jams with bands like Summer Thieves, No Cigar, or writing sessions with other young up-and-comers. Some really cool organisations like Parachute Music are always there to help, even if it’s just catch-up and a yarn about how life is flowing.
HAPPY: Which TV show are you currently watching?
DAILY J: Have been switching between Better Call Saul and Game of Thrones (finally).
HAPPY: What did you listen to growing up that fuelled your passion for music?
DAILY J: Kings Of Leon, Brooke Fraser, John Mayer, and Bon Iver to name a few.
HAPPY: What kind of things do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
DAILY J: Rick doesn’t mind surfing, he recently went to the Banyaks in Indo which was pretty amazing we hear. Lazy game of golf too, a lil’ nature walk or beach mish is always a great option. We all enjoy a bit of code (Rugby) with a cold beer too!
HAPPY: You guys were raised in a musical family, did you study music or are you self-taught?
DAILY J: We are self-taught. Our beautiful mother has an amazing voice and taught us to sing young. Both our folks encouraged us to learn instruments from a young age to express ourselves.
HAPPY: Daily J started with the three of you being brothers. How did the rest of the band come together?
DAILY J: The brothers moved up to Auckland on a whim, hoping to become big-time rock stars. We were lucky enough to meet our manager, Saz through Parachute Music. Saz played our EP, The Other Side to Rick at a party. Fate took over, and Rick showed up to a jam with a box of speights which was a sign from the heavens above being from South Island.
HAPPY: How has each member influenced the creative process?
DAILY J: We’ve learned that the music we make is often a reflection of what’s happening around us and we have to act quickly to capture the feeling. A Daily J song would typically start with Jay on the guitar, followed by a half-decent demo mocked up together. When the time is right, Juney takes the reins and brings the song to life, producing while adding unique flavours from the rest of the band. We never have the same process for each song, our creative energy ebbs and flows uniquely to the tune, and sadly, some songs never see the light of day.
HAPPY: What makes you happy?
DAILY J: Hanging out with mates and making music are big passions of ours, and make us very happy. It’s always very exciting to create a new song, and it never gets old hearing someone say, “your music makes me so happy”...or even that it’s changed their life! Pretty crazy to think our music has touched someone’s life so much.
HAPPY: Thanks again for chatting! We look forward to catching you on your upcoming tour.
Stay is out now across all streaming platforms. Stream the single here.
Check out Daily J’s upcoming tour dates below.
DAILY J AUSTRALIAN TOUR DATES 2022
Thursday 6 October | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay NSW
Friday 7 October | The Brightside, Brisbane QLD
Saturday 8 October | Spaced Out Festival, Gold Coast QLD
Sunday 9 October | Eleven Dive Bar, Sunshine Coast QLD
Friday 14 October | The Lansdowne, Sydney NSW
Saturday 15 October | Stay Gold, Melbourne VIC
Interviewed by Tammy Moir.
Photos supplied.