JESUS
THE APOLLO dives into the psychology, symbolism, and cinematic energy behind
their new track “THE VILLAIN!”, exploring identity, creativity, and the
empowering rise of the so-called “villain era.”
1.
Let’s start with the story behind “THE VILLAIN!”. What inspired the concept of
this track and how did the idea of exploring the “villain era” come to life?
The track
is inspired by the way people are often perceived as "villains" when
they start setting boundaries and putting themselves first. I noticed a TikTok
trend around the time I wrote the track, where people were embracing their
so-called "Villain Era." I found it interesting because nothing they
were doing seemed villainous—they were simply prioritising themselves over
others. However, this behaviour appeared antagonistic to those who were used to
the "villains'" previous, overly compliant personas. At the time, I
could relate to this concept personally, as I was going through a period of
isolation, preparing myself for the next chapter of my life. I’ve observed
through analysing experiences of others, my own and pattern recognition that in
order to thrive as an individual, find peace within yourself and your own
company is to be your authentic self, which will always include disagreements.
This may get you shunned by others who are afraid to express their own thoughts
by not learning to disappoint others from time to time, you are constantly
disappointing with a background in counselling and psychology, my music often
focuses on real-world, person-centred issues.
2. Your
artistic vision feels deeply cinematic. You’ve mentioned Hitchcock as a major
influence—how do you translate his mastery of suspense and psychological
tension into your music and visuals?
Hitchcock's
work has profoundly influenced everything I create. His understanding of the
psychology of fear—how it’s invoked in viewers through specific frames, scenes,
the anticipation of the unknown, and exploration of the darker sides of human
nature—has shaped my approach. He played with audience expectations through
plot twists, and you can hear that influence in my productions, like the
unexpected electronic instrumental break after the first verse. When writing a
song, I constantly think about how a particular lyric or verse would look as a
film scene. What would the scene be? Who would the characters be? I see music
as an audiovisual experience.
3. The
song blends pop punk, nu-metal, and rap. How did you strike the balance between
these genres to create something that feels both nostalgic and fresh?
Pop Punk
instrumentals are bold and distinctive, blending heavy rhythms with gothic
elements. Punk and rap have always complemented each other, with striking
similarities in their historical context and what they represent. When I listen
to punk and nu-metal performances, like those by Sum 41 I hear a cadence that
resembles rap and spoken poetry, so it’s no surprise to see the rise of the
emo-rap genre—it’s exciting, too. These songs served as reference points for my
own performance, showing me how to merge a punk composition with hip-hop-style
rap effectively. I’ve learnt that reference tracks, whether from your own work
or from favourite artists, are a valuable guide to shaping a project. Every
form of art has its core influences; there’s really no such thing as a truly
unique idea. Recognizing this has helped me embrace seeking out influence from
my favourite mediums of art in my creative process.
4. The
message behind “THE VILLAIN!” is quite powerful, especially the idea of
reclaiming your voice and embracing the shadow self. How does this theme
connect to your own personal journey?
Walking on
the Moon holds deep meaning for me—not just for who I am now, but for the child
I once was. That younger version of me lived with her head tilted toward the
sky, dreaming big, believing without hesitation that one day she’d touch the
lunar dust with her own two feet. That childhood temperament—wildly
imaginative, stubbornly hopeful—became my compass. It kept me optimistic during
the darkest, most uncertain chapters of my life.
Now, having
recovered from the experiences that once threatened to dim my light, I carry a
renewed sense of possibility. I know, with unwavering clarity, that I can
achieve anything I set my mind to. I can rise above obstacles, transform doubt
into momentum, and use every ounce of negativity thrown my way as fuel to
propel me forward, the way a rocket needs resistance to lift off.
I’ve
learned, too, that growth often reveals more about the people around you than
it does about yourself. When you strive to progress, elevate your thinking,
improve your life, and aim for the stars, some people will feel threatened.
They’d rather you stay small, stay doubtful, or stay miserable—mirroring the
way they secretly feel about themselves. Instead of celebrating your desire to
fly, they may try to hold you back, keeping you tethered to the ground they’re
afraid to leave. And to reach the Moon—to reach any dream, really—you sometimes
have to release those anchors. You have to step away from the voices that
refuse to grow, even when it hurts. I’ve had to do that more than once on my
journey to self-discovery and exploration.
But that
letting-go has created space. Space for creation, space for inspiration, space
for the life I’ve always imagined. There is so much I want to build, record,
and share with the world during my time here on Earth—stories, sounds, ideas,
reflections. I want my journey to be a reminder that when you embrace who you
are, think for yourself, and recognise that your reality is shaped—at least in
part—by your own beliefs and choices, everything changes. You begin to
experience life differently. You begin to live in a way that honors both the
dreamer you were and the person you are becoming.
And when
you do that—when you truly trust yourself—you just might discover that walking
on the Moon isn’t as impossible as it once seemed. You might even find yourself
surfing across its surface, moving in harmony with your own orbit, finally
aligned with the rhythm of the universe and the path you were meant to follow
and reach an harmonic orbit
5. You
collaborated with Kafka for the music video. What was it like working with them
and how did their visual direction enhance the storytelling of the track?
The duo
were great to work with they took the time to ask me what I wanted from a video
created by them and the story that Oliver J Frisby came up with was fantastic,
both Oli and Jamie came up with a great set production that was on another
scale, I rented out a warehouse and we shot the music video throughout the day
and night. Oliver was also inspired by Hitchcock which was great as it helped
with the shadow realm aspect of the music video, so cinematic in its production
with great gnostic story telling.
6.
You’ve mentioned Tom Hazal’s role in mixing and mastering. What did his
contribution bring to the final sound, and how important was it for you to keep
the raw essence of your production intact?
His contribution was incredibly important, he’s a great mixing/mastering engineer and great at his profession. He took time and effort to make sure the song was mixed and mastered to a professional standard, he’s great to work with as he understands the essence of genre and what is needed when producing a song that esoteric in its nature, having a hip hop, gnostic and pop vibe to its production and story telling. He communicated back and forth until I was happy with the production which was brilliant.
7.
The track includes clever name-drops of pop culture villains like Thanos and
Darth Vader. What do these figures represent to you in the context of your
song?
I see
characters in films and shows as “Universal Downloads” for important aspects
within the universe, alluding to aspects and scenarios that exist or are “to
exist" within reality- with super heroes or super villains giving us a
glimpse into what it means to be human or events within our history past or
present. I put a flip on villains adding a hero aspect to them within the
track. With a villainous meeting hero, representing the sub-bass of our reality
and being (the shadow) and the upper realm (the inner hero) with a
healthy mix between the two being needed at times and we all appreciate a pop
culture reference. I’m a huge fan of horror and sci-fi, so I often end up
naming or referencing horror elements in my tracks, even unintentionally. John
Carpenter's Halloween theme is, to me, the greatest horror composition ever,
and I'm a big fan of the Halloween franchise—so naturally, I had to include a
nod to Michael Myers. Adding references when songwriting, especially in rap,
can really elevate relatability and create a sense of nostalgia for the
listener. I’ve always been drawn to villains and how they often gain more
cultural popularity than heroes; we tend to find their stories more intriguing
than the protagonist’s. Seeing characters turn into villains because of a
difficult past or mistreatment ties into the theme of “the villain.” Plus, I
love a good pop culture reference, like adding a famous surname after my middle
name.
8. You
recorded at both your home studio and Pirate Studios Manchester. Did the change
in environment affect your creativity or the sound you wanted to capture?
Pirate
Studios has a gritty, laid-back atmosphere, which I love. I’m not a big fan of
sleek, polished spaces—I prefer places with character, I need to feel
comfortable in a studio to perform at my best. Pirate was the perfect spot to
record a punk song like The Villain!. The creative process there was incredibly
quick. I recorded the entire song—layers, ad-libs, and a few extra takes of the
whole track—in just 30 minutes. We were late to the session, and Curtis Smith,
the recording engineer, had another commitment, so my mind was in full go-mode.
The track didn’t yet have a complete instrumental, just the electronic EDM
break in the middle, but I’d already experimented at home with different
structures and had settled on the one I wanted. I knew the tempo, rhythm, and
flow, so I recorded the whole song a cappella.
9. Your
lyrics and aesthetic suggest a strong psychological and spiritual dimension.
How does your background in counseling and psychology influence the way you
write and produce music?
Alter egos help me immensely on stage, allowing me to relax, ease my nerves, and get into character mode. With a background in acting and musical theatre, embodying characters while performing is essential for me—it brings out the true essence and meaning of the songs. I especially love performing The Villain!—it taps into my inner anti-hero and brings an intense energy to the stage. I can see the crowd’s energy light up when I perform the darker, more cinematic side of my tracks; they seem more engaged and attentive. Releasing The Villain! has been pivotal in my musical journey, helping me recognize that the cinematic and darker aspects of my music are where I’m most comfortable. I feel confident now in embracing that side of my artistry. “Apollo” represents the Moon and Sun, with the Moon representing Karmic & Harmonic revelations and the sun representing the full orbit between these two- spiritually, this represents walking “above” tribulations and reaching harmony, this song represents using the shadow to be harmonious and get through situations that require the ego and the utilization or karmic lessons to allow a situation to reach an harmonic orbit- The Moon & Sun, reaching an Apollo.
10. You mentioned that the track originally started with hip-hop and
horror soundtrack influences. What led you to shift toward pop punk, and how
did that decision change the energy of the song?
I sought to
summon the raw, untamed current that flows through the spirit of pop-punk—a
current born of rebellion, initiation, and inner fire—and merge it with the
ancestral echoes of rap’s last five decades. In weaving these lineages
together, I wasn’t just blending sounds; I was performing an alchemical
marriage of traditions, distilling their essence to reveal the hidden sparks
that have always spoken to me.
My shifting
flows and animated cadences act as incantations, movements of breath and will.
The horror-inspired techniques—drawn from the occult architecture of film—serve
as shadow-work, guiding listeners to confront the specters within themselves.
Layered with my personal affinities for gothic symbolism and science-fiction
mythos, the soundscape becomes a liminal space: part cathedral, part starship,
part dream.
This fusion
invites listeners to traverse time as initiates—reliving the familiar
frequencies of the past while awakening to the charged immediacy of the
present. By blending these elements, my intention was to breathe new life into
the pop-punk current, creating a portal where the nostalgia of the 2000s
converges with the innovation of today. In this, the music becomes more than a
genre; it becomes a rite of passage, a reminder that every era, like every
soul, holds both ancient memory and ever-unfolding potential.
11.
Apricot Magazine described your work as “a galaxy where sound and emotion
collide.” How do you feel about that description, and does it capture your
artistic mission?
A great
description for all things JESUS THE APOLLO. My music entails a variety of
emotion and honesty, showing all that it's important to honor and delve into
the harmonic orbit scale- embracing the moon, sun and all things gnostic. My
mission is to show all that when you embrace all parts of yourself; you can
walk on water.
12. Finally,
what’s next for you? Can we expect more releases or live performances in the
near future, and how do you see your creative direction evolving from here?
I’ll be releasing more books/scrolls and albums. I'm currently working towards planning an album production stage where I start putting together my next project which will cover 80s pop and traditional music.
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