Interview: GoodSpace

Let's take it all the way back to the begining to know how this passion for music started and how Goodspace came to be;

"I can’t pinpoint an exact moment in my childhood but I spent 2-3 years backpacking around the world - Europe and then to India and there was a moment in Nepal, maybe 2 and a half years in, that I was like I just want to do music. I’d been traveling with my guitar, writing as I was traveling, and I had just been running from place to place, not realising I had just been running away from life."

"So, I booked a flight to come home and finally focus on my music. For the last 4 years I’ve just been working on Goodspace and I’m glad I jumped on that impulse because I think it was correct."

So who are your music inspirations? 

"I’d say my first inspirations are those that I work closely with like my homie Quentin Lind, one of my favourite artists ever – a close collaborator plus my flatmate so it’s an ideal situation. And then going a little less local, JPEGMAFIA and IDLES."

Talking about his idols, Goodspace said;

"Someone like Rodriguez, ‘Searching for Sugarman’ is a great documentary about him. I think his music is very simple and cuts straight to the essence of music and storytelling. If I could bring him back to life and have a cup of tea with him that would be amazing."

So, what keeps him motivated? 

"I think it’s kind of tied into the creative approach of Goodspace: music from a good space is the underlining, simple one liner of it all. And what it essentially means is making music from a good space, a place of acceptance, but it's not music from a nice space, it’s not easy listening. Part of it is debunking the tortured artist myth, I’m not willing to deeply, deeply suffer for my art."

"I think I can find a way to make art where well-being and artistry can evolve at the same time. So, sticking to that value is a big motivation for me."

Talking about his music process, we dig a little deeper into how he really feels about it all. 

"At heart I love all aspects of the music hustle, the performance, being in the studio and meeting other musicians. My real happy place is just writing, tapping into some idea or some vein, and really realising it and bringing it to life. That can be something as simple as just having a piece of paper with my guitar where I’m like yeah I’ve got the song, or in the studio writing a demo which actually ends up being the final track."

I asked Goodspace about his creative process when making music videos to perfectly encapsulate the music;

"I’m a fairly resourceful artist and like working with what’s at hand. With my most recent music video for ‘You Only Give What You Leave’, there was a dilapidated house (right next to the studio) ruined by the Auckland floods that was being demolished to be re-built. The only access to the house was over the fence, so we jumped it with our equipment and with dancer Zoe White in tow, and made it happen."

"We felt it just perfectly captured the tone of the song which is quite sweet, uplifting and ethereal but also explicitly about death and decay. I tend to jump on what’s there, I often find things are hidden in plain sight, you just need to dig a little deeper."

Let’s talk about your newest release, ‘You Only Give What You Leave’;

"It’s got this tension of being sweet and uplifting but if you look into the lyrics, it’s explicitly about death, about someone close to me passing away, there’s a heaviness and somberness to it, juxtaposed with sparkling sonics. Essentially it’s reframing death by saying: when you die, you only give what you leave behind. I’m not saying the whole album is like this but it’s just this idea that all you leave behind are things - material and immaterial - and I just think it’s kind of crazy."

How did the concept come about for a weeklong album release, what was the inspiration/ what was the message you wanted to get across.

"I think the album itself is very unconventional, very eclectic but cohesive, it has lots of flavours, textures and colours and is designed to be experienced as a full ten course meal, so to speak. At the same time, I’ve always wanted to do an activation through performance in Lim Chhour food court. So some friends and I joined the dots at some point and came up with this concept of VENDOR – where the album is the menu, the songs are the dishes, and the music is the meal. It just made sense."

What do you having coming up that you can share with us?

​"My vinyl is currently being pressed, I’m really chuffed with it so I cannot wait for it to be out. I’m also looking forward to creating some new music."

And to finish off we had to do a round of quick fire questions; 

1. What is your go to song to Jam out to in the car?
   1. JPEGMAFIA, any song off his album Veteran
2. Who is your favourite artist at the moment?
   1. Luke Temple
3. One thing you can’t perform without?
   1. My fingers
4. One artist or band you would love to co-lab with?
   Jonny Greenwood
5. Go to BurgerFuel order?
   V-Twin Vege, Thickshake and Spud Fries.