The Portsmouth-based emcee spits some mellow fire bars for your listening pleasure.
Hailing from Portsmouth, Jordan Duke is a breath of fresh air in the music industry, effortlessly blending hip-hop, pop, indie rock, and reggae to create a sound he has truly made his own. Attributing his musical versatility in part to varied exposure when he was growing up (including reggae, ska, country music, and pop punk), Duke has utilized this to great success, effortlessly blending genres as quickly as an artist blends colors on their palette.
An astute observer of the world around him, Duke was raised in a hardworking, working-class family on the South Coast. It’s easy to see how that shines through in his music; his wry, admittedly tongue-in-cheek sense of humor is tempered and simultaneously accentuated by a sense of pathos. These strike a harmonious balance that is both rare and, at times, awe-inspiring, evoking the struggles of the natural world and forging a connection to listeners with its relatability.
With his latest release, "Thought Of My Day," Duke manages to exceed the high bar he’s set for himself with previous releases. Over mellow, lo-fi, and jazzy instrumentals, Duke’s thoughtful, witty lyrics provide the perfect foil. “Thought Of My Day” is a testament to Duke’s undeniable talent as a singer and rapper, delivering relatable and introspective lyrics that hit you right in the heart.
Co-written by Jordan and his friend, jazz pianist Brady Lloyd, "Thought Of My Day" perfectly represents the balance between the excitement and doubts that come with the early stages of a relationship. If “Thought Of My Day” shows what Duke has in store, we can’t wait to see what he will hit us with next.
“Thought Of My Day” is a deliciously groovy testament to the abilities of an emcee operating at the height of his powers. Whether he’s a little doubtful (“Really be a pity if you hadn't been into me”) or grateful (“The thought of my day and I just wanna call you my girl”), Jordan Duke’s talent shines through.
Whenever you’re ready for fresh new music, tap in and stream “Thought Of My Day,” available now on all major streaming platforms.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Jordan Duke. We loved “Thought of My Day”; it was such a vibe, and the jazzy touches combined with your vocals make it feel so classy! We have to ask, what was your favorite part about bringing the vision for this song to life?
Thank you for having me; it’s an absolute pleasure! Ahh, I’m glad you like it. I’d have to say my favorite part was bringing an old project back to life, which could have been forgotten about. ‘Thought of my day’ was originally a generic boom bap, hip-hop beat I made to get feelings off my chest about an ex I was with. It was left half-finished/written in my hard drive without the intention of revisiting it until my friend and professional jazz pianist Brady Lloyd helped me bring it to life. Brady and I were booked for a live stream session at Mayfield Studios in my hometown of Portsmouth at the time, so we were rehearsing a set together when we realized we had come short of a song to fill the set. I pulled up a few projects I was working on, and Brady's ears perked up like a meerkat when I played "Thought of my day." I told him the chord progression, and he instantly made magic, which totally changed how I heard the track. He was playing these 4-floor bass notes which led me to scrap the boom-bap idea and go for a more Kaytranada/slow dance vibe. I finished the verse, wrote a hook, performed it the next day, and produced the track the following week.
You mentioned you grew up in Portsmouth with a highly diverse level of exposure to music. How did having those different influences influence who you are as an artist today?
I mean, I had all sorts of inspiration musically growing up. My nan was a country singer, so there was always country playing at family parties. I always found the lyrics and stories in-country grabbing my attention when I was younger and other music I’d enjoy because of how the music made me feel. From my dad's side, I was introduced to the sounds of house music (him being a raver in the late 80s rave scene) and the culture of Ska and reggae. Mutually around the house, my parents would listen to a lot of 80’s synth pop and 90’s power ballads. Hip hop played a massive part in my teens, being somewhat obsessed with the likes of Eminem, Dre, and Snoop in that era, but I always remember my first love for a music genre off my own back, pop punk, in the early 00s. I had just gotten into secondary school and attended a talent show where there was a band playing called ADS (Adam, Dane, and Seb). They covered Blink 182 songs and were instantly the most relaxed lads in the school to me. I knew from that moment I wanted to be a part of that, which led me to learn drums, guitar, and bass and pathed the way to being the artist I am today. So from the storytelling and lyricism of country to the energy of dance, the culture of ska and reggae, the attitude of hip hop added with the commercial element of 80’s synth-pop. I feel I’ve had enough significant influence around me to make a hit.
What drives you to make music, and what’s your favorite thing about making music?
Making music was always something I fell back on emotionally. I never really took it too seriously or had any consistency. Although I’ve always known I was good at it and would be told constantly by friends and family what I needed to pursue, I always just used it as an outlet when I needed to get something off my chest. I wasted much of my 20s being bombed out of my head, chasing cheap dopamine until 2019 when covid hit. It gave me time to sit and think about what I was doing with my life. During that time, I made a lot of music! BBC introduced spinning my tracks with multiple tracks of the week with ‘Bed Eyes,’ ‘Young Forever,’ and ‘Curious Minds,’ which led to a significant turning point in my life. I realized anxiety was holding me back from everything I wanted to achieve and the fear of rejection. From that point, I have never been so focused. I know entirely well to progress not just as an Artist but as a human, I have to put myself where I may not feel comfortable. My confidence has grown massively since committing myself to music. So my favorite part about making music is just bettering myself every day, pushing myself out of my comfort zone, relating with others who feel the same as me, and having an absolute blast in the meantime!
If you wanted fans to take one thing away from “Though of My Day,” what would it be?
It would be to try and stay present, whether in a relationship or just life in general. Digging up the past and worrying about the future will get you nowhere and will stop you in your tracks. Enjoy the journey, and you’ll hit milestones as a side effect. Now, I’m not saying I’ve mastered this in any shape or form, but I know full well that when I take the time to be present and mindful, I’ve never regretted it.
What’s next for Jordan Duke? Any big plans for the rest of the year, and can we expect to hear more new music soon?
I have enough music behind my belt to keep me going throughout the year, all bangers, may I add! This will include multiple singles and a couple of eps. This gives me a lot more time to focus on growing my brand, working with other artists, writers, and producers, and perfecting my live show. Plenty of shows and festivals are on the horizon, whether acoustic, with my DJ ‘Rotta’ or with a live band. 2023 is looking exciting, and I’m ready for it.