Jack Panther on his new EP ‘when i’m feeling better we could dream together’
New Zealand-born, London-based queer alt-pop alchemist Jack Panther paints a vivid sonic portrait of empowerment and introspection reflecting real-world emotions & moments with his latest project, taking you on a moving & blissful journey of raw, emotional storytelling.
HM: Hey Jack! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat to us about your new music! First of all, we'd like to start by asking - who were your main musical and creative influences growing up?
JP: Hey Hype Medium - of course, thank you for having me! Absolutely - I grew up listening such a range of music. My mum mostly played either pop or singer-songwriter like Blondie, Van Morrison and Duffy, whereas my dad played much darker, prog-rock music such as Depeche Mode, Genesis, and Glasvegas.
HM: Awesome! And congrats on your latest EP when i'm feeling better we could dream together! How did you land on the name of the EP and what themes were important for you to write about lyrically for this project?
JP: Thanks so much! I'm so so happy to have the project out. The title actually comes from the lyrics in first track I wrote for the project ‘Breathe’. ‘Breathe’ I wrote Oct 2021, when Auckland was in another lockdown. I was seeing someone at the time but because of lockdown, it was all virtual and I felt like because of the impacts it had on my mental health, it was loosing him. While still in lockdown I had a dream about him one night, and in it I was acting so shitty at him. I woke up from this dream laughing because in reality I had no reason to be shitty. What was my subconscious so pissed at him about? The title plays on that dream, but also plays on the struggle with coming to reality. Sometimes you can be with or want to be with someone but know you're not at your best. It's hard, but at the same time kind of hopeful. It's almost like 'not now, but maybe later'. That's essentially the meaning behind the project. Each track was individually ignited by a form of 'hope'. The EP at times weaves through themes of longing because naturally it just goes hand in hand with hope. I think hope can manifest itself in so many ways.
HM: Absolutely. And we love your track ‘Changes’! How did this song come about?
JP: I loved making this one! I finally brought my two favourite collaborators together in a room - Tarn PK & Goodwill! Tarn & I have probably made 20 demos together, all which I love and Will (Goodwill), I had just made ‘Breathe’ with. We managed to get a room at Big Fan to record out of, just before the studios had even opened. We went into this session completely fresh, with no preconceptions. At the top of my brain was how I was about to move to London and how hard it was going to be to leave all of my friends and family behind. The more we talked about it, the more I realised why I was really moving. It was an epiphany for me to realise that whether if I moved or stayed, things would change regardless. It hit me like a truck as we wrote it and it helped me a lot when I moved to London. It felt so MAIN CHARACTER to write and record. It's my favourite to play live!
HM: Yes! Plus another one of our favourites is ‘Just A Dog’! Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind this track?
JP: The inspiration behind ‘Just a Dog’ is craaazy. It was Pt. 2 to ‘Why Won't We’, which I wrote in New Zealand. About 9 months after writing ‘Why Won't We’, I was now living in London and the person I wrote it about happened to ALSO move to London. Clearly the scenario hadn't changed to much, but instead it was wintery, dark and you can hear it in this tune that I was really in the throws of UK winter.
HM: What were some of your main highlights making this EP?
JP: I think the process of receiving the final master was so so so reassuring and wholesome. Each song took about a year from start to finish to write, produce, mix and master. So much work when into it that when I received the final master I just started crying because it was finally done?!
HM: Yeah, it must be a huge weight off your shoulders after seeing all the hard work has finally paid off! And who are some of your favourite NZ artists right now and are there any songs in particular that you especially love?
JP: Always have a soft spot for BENEE, very excited for the new album! I adore CRYSTAL's ‘Perplexed’ and from the new tunes I've heard, it's going to be a big 2025 for her too! Goodwill is one of my fave musicians in general, I adore working with Will and adore his much so bloody much, he's a genius!
HM: Such good picks! Lastly, what have you got planned for the rest of 2025?
JP: Upcoming tour which is so crazy and fun!! Come see me and the band play Big Fan on Saturday May 10th! Lots, lots and lots more music coming in 2025 ⭐️
Thanks heaps Jack! Make sure to keep up with him on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Music & TikTok.
