by emily harris
photo courtesy of jacob asher
Jacob Asher, the solo project of Ben Bailey, the vocals and keyboard of Joywave, is here. The New York based musician just released his newest single and its joining video — “Medusa.” The song is the beginning of his “new baby” and will only allow for him to grow even more. We had the pleasure to talk with him about the release!
Congrats on the announcement of your newest single, “Medusa!” Can you tell us a little bit about the backstory of the song?
Jacob Asher: “‘Medusa’ went through several iterations before finding its final form in the version you hear. The last incarnation is largely about texting and driving, how technology is increasingly distracting, and altering our perceptions.”
What was the recording process of this newest release like?
JA: “The song came to me, in its entirety, while I was falling asleep. Struggling to get up I sang all of its parts into my phone before I forgot them, grabbed my laptop, and made a demo as quickly as I could. The lyrics took some time to iron out, eventually enlisting help from my partner who helped me finish them at a cafe in Kansas City while she was visiting on tour. All of the instrumentation is analog, either from a piano, synth, or drum machine.”
The single artwork is quite unique, to say the least. Can you talk us through how you got this final product?
JA: “I felt the artwork I chose reflects the vibe of the song. Upon first glance it appears fun, but diving deeper it's quite dangerous. I took this photo in Reno, shoutout Mike Turzanski for the text/design.”
You shot the entire music video for “Medusa” on your iPhone. Can you tell us a little bit about the filming of it all?
JA: “Filming was an absolute breeze. It took two days with the help of some friends to capture everything. I tried to be as resourceful as I could with props and locations, filming on top of parking garages, at my parent's house, in my garage. Big thanks to Louis Trapani for co-directing/producing with me.”
What inspired you to create a solo project separate from that of our work within Joywave?
JA: “It was time for me to have my own baby.”
What do you want fans to take from this release?
JA: “I hope it inspires them in any possible way. Unless they are inspired to kill people.”