Travelling the world, Eurovision and his new EP "HEARTSTRINGS": A conversation with Jude York in Hamburg
On Saturday, 24. May 2025, Australian pop artist Jude York payed Hamburg a visit, where he played his first ever solo show in Germany. Before he hit the stage, he met up with our writer Andy and photographer Romy for an interview.
Andy: Firstly, I wanted to thank you for taking your time to speak with us. Could you maybe introduce yourself to the readers who might not know you yet?
Jude: Yes, well I'm Jude York, I'm a pop artist from Australia, and I make music that's very dramatic and fun and has many different flavours and emotions packed into it, and I produce and write most of it all myself.
Andy: So, you just released your first EP called HEARTSTRINGS. Congratulations!
Jude: Thank you.
Andy: Could you tell us a bit about the EP-making process? Maybe a favourite memory while creating this project?
Jude: Yeah, I think the EP for this one - it unfolded very gradually. So, I kind of started the idea of it at the beginning of last year, and I've written maybe 50 songs to kind of find the seven that I really liked, and it was just very fun. I felt like each song introduced me to a slightly new sound that I wanted to explore.
Starting it with “Those Were The Days”, it was the first kind of track that exploded for me. I then wrote "Monaco" and "Whiplash!" and "That's Just Love", and it kind of happened gradually and very enjoyably. And I think maybe one of my favourite moments was producing Whiplash because that was just, it's just so fun.
Even though it was such a, like it's a very lonely process kind of creating it all by myself, I had so much fun just kind of being in the studio, experimenting with sounds, recording melodies, it really was just playing for a few days while I made it. So, it was fun.
Andy: Oh, that's really cool. You seem to have a strong visual identity as well. I looked up your Instagram & you said that you had this concept of like different hotel rooms on the EP cover art representing each song. How did you come up with that?
Jude: Well, I think it happened because I've been doing so much traveling over the last year that I just happened to stay in a lot of hotels.
The whole feeling of this EP is very international for me, like writing a song called "Monaco" and the song "Those Were The Days" has had so many different variations in different languages all over the world. It just feels like a very international album. As I was travelling around and making music videos and writing all of these songs kind of on the go, the idea of the hotel just sort of felt very natural to me.
And I started to think about all the different things that can happen in different hotel rooms and, you know, just creating a little world. I guess some people think of their songs as like colours, but I kind of see it more as like scenes in a room, you know, so different objects, different things like that. And it's become a really fun way to interact with fans as well, because I have sent them handwritten postcards from where I am, just to kind of update them and keep them up to date with everything.
So yeah, the idea of travel and hotels is just very intertwined with this whole body of work.
Andy: What was your favourite place that you travelled to?
Jude: Other than Hamburg? *laughs* I really did enjoy a little town in northern Italy called Tarvisio, which is where we filmed the video for "Those Were The Days".
That was just really beautiful and unique because it was like this mountainous sort of terrain and it was right on the border of Austria and Slovenia and just very cool people and unlike anything I'd ever seen. It was so rural, which is unusual because usually when you travel you're in cities all the time, but this was literally just in a cabin with the rolling hills and cows and rain and snow. It was very unique!
Andy: Would you say you're more of a rural kind of guy or like a big city with a lot going on kind of person? Which one do you prefer?
Jude: I am more inspired by cities.
I tend to write more when I'm traveling in cities because there's so much stimulation all the time and I'm a people person so I like that and I live in a city myself like I'm in the most touristy part of my whole state and I'm always surrounded by people and I love it, but nowadays I need a bit of relaxation in the woods, you know. I need to go and touch grass for a bit to like re-center myself because otherwise if it's just always cities it makes your head spin a little too much, but I love it. I love bookshops. I love good coffee. It's hard to find those things in nowhere.
Andy: Your EP closes with "Slipping Through My Fingers", a beautiful duet between you and your mother. Is there any other artist, living or dead, you would love to collaborate with?
Jude: Yeah, well obviously ABBA would be the dream.
I also really love AURORA. She's one of my favorite Norwegian artists…and very much alive! I saw her singing live in concert like a few months ago and Robyn as well is one of my tops from Sweden, so she's cool.
Stromae, another favorite. There's a lot of very cool people out there to collaborate with.
Lorde, One Day, even though she collaborates with like one person per 20 years, so…one day.
Andy: Thank you. We just talked about ABBA. Do you have another favorite song maybe besides "Slipping Through My Fingers"?
Jude: I think "Voulez-Vous" would be one of them for me. It's my jam. It's my pump-up song and I think that's it at the moment. I also really like "Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)" , obviously. "Our Last Summer" is beautiful.
There's so many beautiful songs in their discography and I love the writing of every single one and the production obviously, so kind of can't go wrong with ABBA.
Andy: And which one is your favorite Mamma Mia movie?
Jude: Ohh…The first one. *laughs*
Andy: You have been to Europe before but it’s your first time touring Europe, which means being far away from home, but you have some family on your side, right? I think your brother is touring with you.
Jude: Yes.
Andy: How does it feel to have such a musically gifted family? Your mother was an opera singer, right? And I think your dad does some producing. So how does it feel to have a family where everybody is having the same passion as you?
Jude: It feels very normal because I've always grown up with it. Whenever I think about that, it's hard to compare it to what it would be like to not have so much music around me. But I think it's beautiful.
It means that I can say things to my family and they'll immediately get it. After the first show in London, I said to my parents, like: “Oh, I might just go on vocal rest for a day.” And they were like, “Of course.”
They instantly knew. They prepared the herbal tea and gave the honey. And they just know that because mom and dad have had to work through mom's career in opera for decades. So they just understand what singers need.
And likewise, my dad, if I, we just bond in certain ways. After the show, he was like: “Yeah, I think you need to tame the sub 100 kilohertz frequencies on the kick drum” And I'm like: “Oh okay, that's fair. I'll go do that.” So it's super normal, but also really lovely and wholesome.
Andy: Our magazine is a lot about of belonging. Would you say that because you had a family that is so intertwined with music, that you always had this feeling of “Oh, I belong in here”? Or did you question yourself sometimes if you do belong?
Jude: I think I always felt like I belonged in our family, obviously. And I think I felt like music made it easier to feel connected to each other. Like, I never felt like I had to convince them that I wanted to do this thing, or like that they needed to believe in me, because they always just believed in me and still do.
You know, they're still so proud. And like I have been fortunate to not feel too much impostor syndrome, at least with my close friends and family about doing music. As things progress, there are a few moments where I will feel like I don't know if I'm ready for this, and maybe there's a bit of impostor syndrome. But with my friends and family, it's really warm and loving.
Andy: You grew up with classical music, right? Do you have like a piece of music that deeply influenced the change of your musical interests or a piece that really shaped your artistic vision?
Jude: I have a lot. Yeah. I have a whole classical playlist that I just play regularly. But a lot of my songs reference classical music because I listen to the melodies and think about how I can reference that in a totally new way. “Those Were The Days” as an interpolation of a 60s song, which is an interpolation of a song from the early 1900s, which even that melody arguably comes from the late 1800s. So that's kind of classical.
But then some other favorite songs are “Whiplash!” initially stems from a song called “Danse Macabre” from French composer in the 1800s Camille Saint-Saëns. And then I later sampled Vesti La Giubba.
Classical music is always popping up in surprising ways in my music. It just feels very natural. Plus, I play flute a little bit and usually incorporate that into my shows. I love collaborating with string orchestras. It's just very cozy, very familiar and it just stimulates my brain in a very nice way.
Andy: You have a little Eurovision history. Did you watch the competition this year, if so did you have a favorite?
Jude: Well, I did watch it, but it was not the full experience because I was traveling. So it's really hard to stay up to date. I was staying up till 1am after a show and trying to catch it and like, rewind it to get the early bits. But obviously I've been following along and I think my favorite was probably Switzerland this year! I really loved the song. I also loved Austria and I liked Estonia.
I liked a lot of them. Yeah, it was a good year. Oh, Germany as well. Yeah, it's beautiful. *hums Baller by Abor & Tynna* I mean, that was a funky song.
Andy: Oh yeah, I think it is very interesting. If you are German you can understand what she is singing about so for me it is a different experience. I can't imagine how it's like to experience the song from an outsider's point of view.
Jude: I always love it when the countries sing in their own languages. You know what I mean? Even if I don't understand it, it kind of means I can just focus on the melody and the production, you know? It is just another point of interest with each song. Like I haven't heard that many songs in German. Yeah, it's cool. I love the language.
Andy: What advice would you give people who are trying to step into the music industry or maybe in general, just trying to pursue their dreams? Some advice that you would give to your younger self even?
Jude: I think there's two equally important things. One is the self belief where you just have to kind of put aside any doubt and just say, I'm doing it. No plan B. But the second really important thing to make that work is to have at least somebody in your life to be brutally honest. Like, I think you kind of have to do both if you want to make it like, like have some success.
And for me, like I've had the self belief from my parents. And I've also had really great criticism from like my partner, from my manager, like there's, there's a lot of people around me to kind of be like: “Hey, that's not working” or “I think you need to try this.”
And sometimes I don't agree. And sometimes I'll battle against it and I'll be like “Love you, but no.” And other times I'll be like: “Yeah, that's really important advice, which I hate hearing, but I needed to hear.”
Andy: That’s amazing. I have one last question for you. The Unseen Magazine has a playlist with songs that come from artists that we adore. And I wanted to ask you, which songs you would like to add to that playlist? Maybe some songs you listen to a lot nowadays or all time favorites of yours.
Jude: Well, I talked about AURORA. My favorite from Aurora's new album is “When the Dark Dresses Lightly” That's one of my faves.
I talked about Stromae. My favorite song of his is Santé. I also like, this is a random one Australian 2000s song that has just been like, great for the car. I don't know why. Torn by Natalie Imbruglia. I don't know if it's reached Europe, but like in Australia, it was a huge hit and I think the UK as well. I'll put it on and I feel like the main character when I'm just like, kind of looking out the window. So it's good.
Andy: Thank you so much for the interview and for your time. I really appreciate it.
Jude: Thank you!
LISTEN TO JUDE'S REC'S HERE:
We also got some playlist-picks from support acts Jaschu, Finn and Danilo Timm! Here's what they have submitted:
Finn:
"Killing Time" by Magdalena Bay
Danilo Timm:
"The Orange Garden" by Faravaz
"BORDER SYNDROME" by Jamila & The Other Heroes
Jude is currently touring Europe as a headliner for the first time after releasing his newest EP titled "HEARTSTRINGS". In each stop, Jude and his team invite local artists to join the stage. We not only sat down with him, but also had the chance to be a part of this special night as well.
In Hamburg the night was kicked off by Jaschu, a familiar face for The Unseen Mag as he sat down with us for an interview prior to the release of his EP "Vielleicht" earlier this year. Alongside his collaborator Finn he performed five songs in order to hype up the crowd. Once again sprinkling little jokes, although some unintentional, he surely made some hearts melt with his charisma throughout his set with Finn. And like at his release concert back in April the crowd seemed to have a favorite: "Schnee von morgen".
Danilo Timm was next, entering the stage in the most stylish outfit. They are originally from Brazil but have been living in Europe, currently Berlin, for over 10 years now. Not only did they serve the crowd a big portion of energy, Danilo also instructed the audience to sing along during parts of the show, teaching them the lyrics and therefore turning part of their show to a choir.
It was then finally time for Jude. In the hour-long set he gave the audience everything he had - proving to himself but also the audience that this is where he belongs. From playing the flute to giving the crowd his best dance moves you couldn’t help yourself but to dance - or at least tap along.
Towards the middle of the show Jude performed his rendition of ABBA’s "Slipping Through My Fingers". Earlier this year Jude’s version - a beautiful duet with his mother - gathered millions of views and likes on Social Media with artists such as SZA and Demi Lovato showing their support. A fan at the front row seemed to be a big fan as she asked Jude if his mother would be joining him, which he denied since she wasn’t attending the show in Hamburg. However there was another special guest joining him: Danilo Timm.
My personal favorite moment of the show was a little switcheroo between Jude and his drummer Paul. With Paul on the mic, hyping the crowd up, Jude gave his fans a drum solo.
After the concert finished I got to chat with an audience member, Victoria, whom I’ve noticed during the show as she seemed to be a big fan. Her highlight of the night? "Monaco", which was also the song she first discovered Jude over. And apparently she was not the only one excited to hear that song. As Jude played "Monaco" the crowd went wild again, dancing and singing their hearts out.
Don't miss your chance to see Jude perform in Europe. Also make sure to check out Jude’s new EP "HEARTSTRINGS", which is out now.
INTERVIEW & PHOTOS BY
Want to see more of Jude and his tour stop in Hamburg?
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