It’s been strange to work so hard on my debut album, and then to start what has ended up being the creation of another whole other piece of art, but rather than being in my room on my own, I’ve been doing it in public with you. 

SCENES has absorbed six months of my life. Six months of continuously updating the site, the language, its purpose, the purchase mechanisms, how people own it, reaching out to platforms to raise capital, reaching out to platforms to help highlight it. One of the most exhausting things has been purely explaining it to people, taking it from an idea in my head to the rest of the world. The initial experience of taking SCENES to an audience whose prime focus is speculation was incredibly hard and in hindsight if I started it again, I would’ve put all my energy into integrating myself into Art communities instead. To be honest, it’s been equally hard taking it to an audience that is used to connecting with music in a familiar, safe and simple language : like on socials, add to a playlist on Spotify. however when it, it really connects. It connects with those looking for more who are interested in technology, it connects with those who are looking for more from the current music system and it connects with those looking for more from both their online and physical life. It has cut through the noise of people’s lives as much as any music I’ve made, and I’ve received so many emotional messages about the value it has brought people. I’ve had people message me telling me how they visit the site for inspiration, for prompts to reflect, and even to get them out of writer's block. There are so many stories embedded in these photos and words, so many memories, so many feelings, so many experiences.

One of the most interesting things to look back on is that even though I was mainly focused on how this process leads people to the music, it's almost like my specific music is not the point anymore, it's bigger than that. Maybe in the long run all those that took part have a deeper connection with me, and that flows back to listening to the music, but really I just hope you are with me for the ride for the next project, and that during the last 6 months I have learnt your trust and brought something of value to your lives. SCENES became focussed on inviting people to stop and take a break from what has become the non-stop scrolling experience of social media, and it leaves a new experiment to explore, what becomes of these connections? What do they lead to? 

SCENES has bled into all the other things I do around music helping me understand and rethink my experience of creating content, reframing it in my mind as part of my creative output rather than a chore or an additional thing that I’m forced to do. It in the end has done for me what it ended up asking of those you took part. It asked me to pause, stop following the normal patterns, reflect on my own practice and look inside myself. As I head off on a break with my family for 2 weeks, it’s this last thought that will stay with me, and I can’t wait to pause for a bit and have some time to process this last year.

Speak soon

Jamie x

To support me, and the SCENES project collect all the songs on the site now!

And, don't forget to also collect your own scene at via Zora