Hendrik Joerges has been on our radar for a while now and to see him grow as an artist this year has been truly remarkable. From releases on labels such as Quality Goods Records and KUMO Collective, to collaborations with So Sus and METAHESH, the South African artist has been hard at work developing his own sound while simultaneously helping his peers thrive.
With recent tweets suggesting the arsenal of unreleased material was quickly stacking up, we figured it was due time to connect with Hendrik Joerges for a guest mix and interview. The former is a showcase of originals, of which ten have never been heard prior to today. As more of a display of what is to come as opposed to a DJ mix, the talented artist gives us a glimpse into his future vision, and it looks more promising than ever. We also chatted about juggling other life priorities, his fruitful year, the South African music scene and more. Don’t miss it below.
You are, like many artists, trying to make a living off music while still pursuing a degree and working odd jobs to pay the bills. What has been the most challenging aspect about balancing the three?
I’d say the most challenging is trying to stay sane. All three are extremely time consuming so finding a balance and making sure you take care of your mental health is vitally important. The most difficult thing for me to realize was that with so much on my plate, I need to be able to take time off and take breaks regularly. Because I already struggle with mental health issues, not taking these breaks would be detrimental to my mental state.
“Just keep pushing forward.”
Despite all of these obstacles, you’ve had impressive releases on major labels this year. What message would you give to other artists enduring the same struggles?
Just keep pushing forward. Even if you feel you’re taking longer than others around you because you need to pay your own bills, just know that every minute you put into your craft is another minute to add to your ‘10,000 hours’ (google the 10,000 hour theory), and eventually you’ll get to where you want to be if you just keep at it.
What did the upload of ‘Stressed’ to Trap Nation’s YouTube mean to you? How does this validation of your efforts motivate you to keep going?
I’ve been scoping Trap Nation for years as inspiration for the type of music I make as well as the type of music I’d play at festivals and so on. The fact that ‘Stressed’ made it on there made me feel very proud, because the song itself is not a typical record you’d heard on a “commercial” music channel or on the radio. I find it exciting that the world is becoming more open minded to cross-over genre tracks.
Do you think the music scene in South Africa is tailored to help you grow as an artist or is it holding you back?
It really depends on what avenue in music you find yourself in. If you’re in the afro-house/gqom scene and are making a name for yourself there, you’ll be doing incredibly. Black Coffee and DJ Lag, as an example, are two huge artists that have made a name for themselves internationally from their roots. However, people like myself and Jon Casey are focusing on the trap/electronic music scene and I know I for one am struggling to get gigs or recognition locally. If I stayed in the States, Canada or even England I’d possibly have a better chance at getting gigs and having my brand and music take off.
Who are some success stories to come out of South Africa that give you hope that your dream is not so far-fetched?
The biggest one for me currently is Chee, because it is really close to home. Him and myself are good friends, even before he moved to the States. Seeing the way he’s flourished there has shown me that my dream is definitely attainable, especially since he is in a very similar avenue of music that I’m in.
The most amazing lesson I’ve learned is to be true to your own sound.
You also write and produce for other artists. How do you balance working for someone else and working for yourself? Do you ever wish you could focus more on one but the other is restraining you?
I’m definitely on the fence on this one. On the one hand, working on mixing/mastering for alt rock bands, producing tracks for indie singers and rappers is fun and educational, but it’s also a task. At the end of the day, I do it to earn a little bit of extra money on the side. Unfortunately, it does hinder me from spending time on my own music. I’d be able to release twice as many original tracks if I didn’t have to produce for others.
With 2019 in the books, what’s in store for 2020? What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned over the last twelve months that will help guide you into new year?
The most amazing lesson I’ve learned is to be true to your own sound. I tried very hard to focus on one thing, but I really have just stopped caring about that. Every song I make now has a unique combination of genres and tells its own story, and that’s essentially everything I’ve ever wanted to do with my music.
You just tweeted that your EP is finished. Can you tell us a little bit about the project? What does this body of work mean to you?
This is a definite passion project for me. After ‘Stressed’ did so well, I really wanted to focus on making a follow-up of a similar style (which you will hear in the song ‘Enemy’), as well as show people that I can successfully make an EP with elements of lo-fi, future bass, drum & bass, RnB and pop in it.
What can we expect from your guest mix?
This mix is a showcase of my favourite projects in the last 18 months. I wanted to allow everyone to get an idea of who I am as an artist, what I have done, and what I have coming. This mix has 10 unreleased tracks in it, 9 of which are exclusives that haven’t been premiered anywhere before! As you can imagine, I am ecstatic to be sharing this mix and I hope I can take everyone that listens to it on a journey.
Tracklist:
Hendrik Joerges – Nihility
Evida ft. Timmy Knight – Back To You (Hendrik Joerges Remix)
Hendrik Joerges – ID
Metahesh & Hendrik Joerges – Home Alone
Hendrik Joerges & 17AD – ID
Hendrik Joerges ft. Ross Charles – ID
So Sus ft. Hendrik Joerges – Code (Me & U)
Hendrik Joerges – Winter (Love)
Hendrik Joerges – ID
Hendrik Joerges ft. 17AD – Stressed
Hendrik Joerges ft. Rhys Fataar – ID
Hendrik Joerges – ID
Hendrik Joerges – ID
ID & Hendrik Joerges – ID vs Hendrik Joerges – ID
Hendrik Joerges ft. Reece Le Roux – ID
Hendrik Joerges – Running From You
Synergy Sound ft. LoOF – Come To Life (Hendrik Joerges Remix)
