“I'm ready to let the music speak for itself.”
After more than a decade building one of the strongest careers in the contemporary soul scene, Jordan Rakei finally arrives in Mexico City. With a proposal that flows between jazz, R&B, electronics and introspection, the New Zealand musician, producer and multi-instrumentalist will perform for the first time in the country as part of the Crown Capital 2025in a performance that promises to be as intimate as it is expansive.
In interview with Indie Rocks!, Rakei talks about his long-awaited debut in Mexico, the experience of playing in the Royal Albert Hallhis creative process and what we can expect from his presentation.
Indie Rocks!: Are you ready to play in Mexico City? How excited are you?
Jordan Rakei: Lot! It's my first time and I'm excited about everything: being there, the food, walking around the city… In general, getting to know your country for the first time.
Indie Rocks!: You've been making music for years and you've never been here. Is there a reason?
Jordan Rakei: Unfortunately, everything has been for financial reasons. My band is big and I always wanted to bring my show complete, but I couldn't afford it. Luckily, this year I can come, even if it is with a lighter version.
Indie Rocks!: So, are you coming alone or with a band to the Crown Capital?
Jordan Rakei: We will have four musicians on stage. There are usually six of us, so it will be a kind of “modular band”: not the full lineup, but a show real live.
Indie Rocks!: Will this be your only show in Mexico?
Jordan Rakei: Yes, for now only that one.
Indie Rocks!: Congratulations on your latest releases. Last year you published The Loop and now Live from the Royal Albert Hall. What an experience that must have been!
Jordan Rakei: Incredible. Playing my music with an orchestra and a choir behind me, in a venue like that, was surreal. Actually, I composed the album thinking about that concert; I knew my next performance in London would be there, so I wanted to create something big, ambitious, with strings and choral arrangements. It was a perfect closing moment.
Indie Rocks!: After something so majestic, isn't it difficult to return to a smaller format like a festival?
Jordan Rakei: It's completely different, but I like that variety. In it Royal Albert Hall Everything had to turn out exactly the same, with just the right timing for each instrument. On the other hand, at a festival I can react to the audience, extend sections, sing with them. It is a different type of freedom, more spontaneous.
Indie Rocks!: There are collaborations of yours that people may not know exist, like with Disclosure. Do you usually include them in your set?
Jordan Rakei: Sometimes. It depends on the place. If the fans ask me, I play them. I have, for example, a song with a British rapper that I rarely perform, because he is not on stage, but sometimes I let the audience sing the rap parts and I do the choruses or improvise something.
Indie Rocks!: You are originally from New Zealand, but you have been living in the United Kingdom for 11 years. Was there a musical reason behind that change?
Jordan Rakei: Completely. I left looking for a career in the “big city.” I didn't have a plan; I took a plane to stay three months and ended up staying 11 years. I fell in love with London and its energy.
Indie Rocks!: Do you think your music would have been different if you had stayed in New Zealand?
Jordan Rakei: Definitely. In London there is a very intense mentality of work and perseverance. The city is cold, people go from the train to the studio, always creating. Also, electronic music is huge, and that influenced me a lot. In New Zealand my life was calm: surfing, sports, family… I guess I would have made happier music. In London everything became darker and more emotional, and that was good; I learned to write from vulnerability.
Indie Rocks!: Right now, what kind of music do you listen to? Sadder, happier?
Jordan Rakei: I look for peaceful things, with calm and beauty, or on the contrary, something very fresh and unique. I love listening to bands like Young Fathers; Their music is so weird and interesting that it inspires me, even though it's not something I would do. I generally listen songwriting with a lot of space, songs that breathe.
Indie Rocks!: Does it happen to you that there is music that you love to listen to, but would never make yourself?
Jordan Rakei: Definitely. It happens to me, for example, with Radiohead. My favorite stage of theirs is Kid A, Idiot and those obscure electronic parts. I love that, but it doesn't come naturally to me when composing. the same with James Blake: Its densest themes fascinate me, but they do not flow the same in my creative process.
Indie Rocks!: Do you produce all your music?
Jordan Rakei: Yes, I do everything. In fact, I'm giving this interview from my home studio.
Indie Rocks!: Are you one of those producers who stays locked up all night?
Jordan Rakei: (laughs) I'm actually more of a morning person. Sometimes I start at eight. I always invite other musicians to come early and they laugh because they say they don't wake up before eleven. But for me, the first hours of the day are the most productive. I am full of energy and everything flows.
Indie Rocks!: You are going to play on Sunday at Crown Capitaldo you know what time it will be show?
Jordan Rakei: I think at nine at night. I don't usually play this late, but it excites me. It can be great if people come with energy, or a disaster if everyone is on the main stage (laughs). Either way, I'm very grateful to be able to introduce myself.
Indie Rocks!: Who wouldn't you like to compete with on schedule that day?
Jordan Rakei: I think that Linkin Parkjust because I want to see them too (laughs). Or what's left of them, sadly. But yeah, I hope it doesn't match his set.
Indie Rocks!: Do you know Mexican music?
Jordan Rakei: No, not really. But I hope to do it. If anyone has any good recommendations, please send them to me!
Indie Rocks!: Finally, any message for your fans in Mexico?
Jordan Rakei: Yes. I'm sorry it took so long to arrive. I can't wait to play there. You'll be hearing a lot of old music, so don't worry, and I promise it will be a very special night.
