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Exclusive Interview with Jeryko
SXSWPOP: When did you realize music was your calling? What was your earliest memory of loving music?
Jeryko: I was in a band in high school. I know a lot of people were but we were actually pretty good and were able to gain a following and go play shows in different states. So the power of music to spread to different places and impact people you don't know was with me from a young age and I couldn't kick it.
SXSWPOP: Beyond music, is there anything that brings you a similar amount of fulfillment?
Jeryko: My spiritual practice and music are pretty intertwined, I see the music as a vessel of bringing good things into the world. I believe every person has a unique missions on earth and that's why we're here. You should follow anything that feels fulfilling to you because it probably has to do with your mission.
SXSWPOP: How do you decide what stories are worth telling through your music?
Jeryko: Anything that makes me feels something real. It could be a story that's not even about me but I saw it happen to someone close to me and it resonated deeply that I needed to talk about it. We all go through the same stuff in different ways and we all relate to the same stories, that's why there are like 8 kids stories that the whole world knows, because we share feelings.
SXSWPOP: What inspired “Dreaming?”
Jeryko: The desire to make dreamers feel seen. It's a crazy thing to be a dreamer and live in a reality where you're doing something and sometimes no one else understands. It's an adventure that is more fun when other people get it.
SXSWPOP: What message do you hope listeners take away from it?
Jeryko: Keep dreaming.
SXSWPOP: How did you write the song? What was your process?
Jeryko: I worked with my good friend and produced Prince Fox and we go for drives and talk about life, then we get back into the studio and put those ideas into a song.
SXSWPOP: Do you ever run into a musical grey area where the music you want to make doesn’t coincide with religious beliefs?
Jeryko: Not really because I believe the religious thing is about being as real as possible too. I'm not trying to be a polished version of some antiquated image. So I'll share my darkness and my faults and my hard times and for me that's a part of it. Any religious practice that stops you from feeling is not for me.
SXSWPOP: What sort of feedback have you received since releasing “Dreaming”?
Jeryko: I think people like it.
SXSWPOP: What’s up next for you? New music? Tours?
Jeryko: Yes I'm continuing to release a new song every month, new song coming out next week called Two Kids and then going on tour in the summer all over the states. Come say hi.
SXSWPOP: Is there anything else you want listeners to know about you as a performer or person?
Jeryko: Come along for the ride it should be a good time.
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