Singer, songwriter and producer JVLY ’s new release carries a sense of familiarity and depth that will resonate beautifully with the C-Heads audience. The new single “SOUTH” has become another wonderfully chilled track, calm and mellow, flattering the senses with its smooth grooves and introspective lyricism. Reflecting on the cyclical nature of life, JVLY states, “I think as humans we will choose comfort over listening to that intuition a lot of the time, because you have to deal with the unknown, which is full of doubt… So it’s on us to not be gullible.”
Hailing from Newcastle, Australia, JVLY, real name Kayle Butler, blends elements of chilled R&B, soul, and indie pop in his music. With influences ranging from Tom Misch to Rhye, he creates tracks that feel deeply personal yet universally relatable. His musical journey began with the release of his debut EP Ache in 2018, which paved the way for future collaborations and projects. His latest single “SOUTH”, from the upcoming concept EP SUNDER, showcases his growth as an artist, exploring themes of introspection, the loops of life, and the human tendency to stay within our comfort zones.
In our quick chat, JVLY opens up about the inspiration behind his upcoming EP, his creative process, and how his music and visuals work together to tell a balanced story.
Photography by Mitch Treharne
Kayle, happy to talk to you again! How are you?
Hey Christine and Sigi, so good to speak to you again! I’m doing good, happy to be putting this project out into the world, hope you’re doing well!
Thank you! So, “SOUTH” is the first track from SUNDER, which is described as a concept EP. Can you tell us more about it?
There’s a narrative that runs through SUNDER. In the earlier stages of writing the songs I realised I had kind of been telling different parts and perspectives of the same story, so it felt like it should be a project at that point. I watched a movie around that time called Enter The Void, and visually it really just put an idea in my head about how I could create a world for the story to grow in and be told through, if that makes sense?
Let’s talk about the loops of life. “SOUTH” touches on “inevitable loops” we find ourselves in. I also feel trapped in situations where I know better, but still struggle to handle them. How do you personally break free from such cycles?
I think as humans we will choose comfort over listening to that intuition a lot of the time, because you have to deal with the unknown which is full of doubt, but it’s not really, that’s just what we convince ourselves so we can stay comfortable. So it’s on us to not be gullible.
“Listening to music just need it to evoke something. Whenever a song does resonate with you like that, the artist has done their job.”
You mentioned collaborating with Cal from daste. on this track. Can you explain a bit more about how you two worked together and what that process looked like?
I supported the daste. boys on tour a few years ago and we’ve been mates since. We worked on some music together then too. SOUTH started from an idea Cal had sent me a while back which I revisited and it’s ended up evolving into what it is now. I think we’re into a lot of the same kinds of music, so it was a pretty natural back and forth as it evolved.
You’ve taken charge of the artwork for your projects. So, designing your own visuals must give you more control over the project’s vision. How does your artwork complement the themes or vibe you’re creating in SUNDER?
With the project being so visually inspired, the artwork is a good way to help paint a picture of the narrative that’s running through it, and to bring you into the world I’m seeing for it.
What’s the first thing you do when starting a new song?
I write a short loop, a few bars, and play around with different sounds. Once I find that little glimpse that resonates with me, I know I’m onto something.
When you listen to music just for yourself, what do you look for? Emotion, groove, or something else?
It’s similar to the thing I’m looking for when I start a new song. There’s a thing that I can’t really put my finger on. I don’t know what it is because there’s no one thing really in a literal sense like words or sounds specifically, because my taste for that is all over the place. I just need it to evoke something. Whenever a song does resonate with you like that, the artist has done their job.
What’s the last movie that deeply impacted you?
I watched Midsommar recently, that’s not an easy one to forget.
‘SOUTH’ is available here; https://bfan.link/jvly-south
Follow JVLY for more:
soundcloud.com/jvlyxx
www.facebook.com/jvlymusic
twitter.com/jvlyxx
www.instagram.com/jvlymusic
www.tiktok.com/@jvlymusic
