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Sofa Session: Jordan Rakei

Jordan Rakei plays a Sofa Session for Jo, including music from his new album 鈥榃hat We Call Life鈥�.

Jordan Rakei plays a Sofa Session for Jo, including music from his new album 鈥榃hat We Call Life鈥�.

鈥榃hat We Call Life鈥� is Jordan Rakei鈥檚 most vulnerable and intimate album to date. Its lyrics concern the lessons that the New Zealand-born, Australia-raised, and London-based artist learned about himself during therapy, a journey that began two years ago when he started reading about the 鈥榩ositive psychology鈥� movement. These themes manifest on songs like lead single 鈥淔amily鈥�, which Rakei says is 鈥渢he most personal鈥� he鈥檚 ever been with his lyrics. 鈥淚 wanted to hit my vulnerability barrier and be really honest. It鈥檚 about my parents鈥� divorce in my mid-teens but still having love for them no matter what,鈥� he explains.

Rakei, already a practitioner of meditation and mindfulness, was curious about the potential of using therapy for further self-discovery. During the process, he began to learn more about his behaviour patterns and anxieties, and addressed his long-standing irrational phobia of birds 鈥� a fear often associated with the unpredictable and the unknown, and something explored in the album鈥檚 creative direction and visuals.

鈥淎s we worked through it, it made me realise I would love to talk about the different lessons I learned from therapy in my music: about my early childhood, my relationship with my parents and siblings, becoming independent in London, being in a new marriage, understanding how my marriage compares to the relationship my parents had,鈥� Rakei says.

The melancholic album artwork images reflect the title of the record, a question that Rakei would sometimes ask himself during a period of his childhood in which he suffered a great deal of anxiety: Is this what we call life? Rather than accepting defeat, the title is today a commentary on the more happy, confident, and assured person and artist that Jordan Rakei is today.

1 hour, 30 minutes

Last on

Wed 20 Oct 2021 19:30
麻豆约拍 Radio 2

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Music Played

  • Billy Porter

    Children

    • Children.
    • Island Records.
    • 1.

  • Gomez

    Whippin' Piccadilly

    • Hut Music.

  • Lil Nas X

    THATS WHAT I WANT

    • MONTERO.
    • Columbia.

  • Michael Kiwanuka

    Beautiful Life

    • CD Single.
    • Polydor.

  • Bob & Marcia

    Young Gifted & Black

    • Young Gifted & Black (Various).
    • Trojan.

  • My Chemical Romance

    Welcome To The Black Parade

    • Welcome To The Black Parade.
    • Warner Music UK Limited.
    • 2.

  • Coldplay & Selena Gomez

    Let Somebody Go

    • Music Of The Spheres.
    • Parlophone.

  • Finley Quaye

    Even After All

    • Huge Hits 1997 (Various Artists).
    • Global Television.

  • Villagers

    So Simpatico

    • Domino Record Co.

  • Prince

    Musicology

    • (CD Single).
    • Columbia.

  • Jordan Rakei

    Family (Radio 2 Session, 22 Sept 2021)

  • Jordan Rakei

    The Flood (Radio 2 Session, 22 Sept 2021)

  • Jordan Rakei

    You Are The Sunshine Of My Life (Radio 2 Session, 22 Sep 2021)

  • Bob Marley & The Wailers

    Waiting In Vain

    • Bob Marley & The Wailers - Legend.
    • Island.

  • Lady Blackbird

    It's Not That Easy

    • Black Acid Soul.
    • Foundation Music/BMG.
    • 2.

  • Beck

    The New Pollution

    • Odelay.
    • DGC Records.
    • 4.

  • Bonobo

    Rosewood

    • Ninja Tune.

  • Lucy Rose

    Floral Dresses (feat. The Staves)

    • Something's Changing.
    • Communion Group.
    • 4.

  • Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

    Into My Arms

    • Mute.

Broadcast

  • Wed 20 Oct 2021 19:30
    麻豆约拍 Radio 2