Remember when Jawsh 685 went viral?
Five years on from his viral breathrough track 'Laxed - (Siren Beat)', Jawsh 685 sits down with The TAHI's So'omālō Iteni Schwalger to chat about what's next.
In 2020, South Auckland producer Joshua Nanai, better known as Jawsh 685, took the world by storm with his track 'Laxed (Siren Beat)'.
It even caught the attention of American rnb singer Jason Derulo, who collaborated on a remix of the track, dubbed 'Savage Love (Laxed -Siren Beat)'.
The song was an instant success, inspiring a viral dance trend on TikTok with participants like Lizzo, Jimmy Fallon, and Jessica Alba. Savage Love also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Jawsh 685's track's was used in over 30 million TikTok creations. Celebrities such as Lizzo, Jimmy Fallon and Jessica Alba all postedtheir own take of the dance challege that featured on the track.
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Nanai was just 17 years old at the time, still a student at Manurewa High and producing beats from a computer in his small bedroom.
CHAII and Jawsh 685 on THE TAHI
CHAII & Jawsh 685
"It still feels unreal to be honest," he tells Tahi host So'omālō Schwalger.
"I was 17 at the time, still in my last year of high school. It was hectic everyday, for the whole year, having international interviews on Zoom and stuff. Personally I didn't like it cause I was shy. Just being on camera wasn't my thing. I like being a behind-the-scenes kind of producer."
The siren beat sound that made Nanai viral is specific to Pasifika subculture in New Zealand, particularly in south Auckland where he grew up.
He says the power of siren beats is all in the energy it gives.
"You can see, from making little snippets of it on TikTok, how people just gradually move towards it and end up making moves, dances, all that. I think that's what I like about it, how everyone enjoys it."
TikTok has since become an element of Nanai's music strategy.
He says he likes to test the waters with new music online, releasing short snippets on TikTok to see how fans react and whether there's a desire to hear more.
"You get a rough 10 second clip, send it out and if it goes well, let the people talk. If they want someone on the track, they want it finished or they want more, that's how I do it anyway.
"Usually in the back of my head, I feel like I know what works with my audience, I know what people like. If I know something's good in my head, then I know it will work, it always turns out the way I want it to."
After the success of 'Laxed - Siren Beat', Nanai took a four year break from music, releasing just one other song at the end of 2020 called 'Sweet & Sour' with Tyga.
It was an unintentionally long break, he says.
"I wanted to be back even sooner, I wanted to be making songs even way before, right after Sweet & Sour. I had other songs lined up too, but there were some issues in the background."
Now, Nanai is finally back with new music. Upcoming collaborations include 'Make Me Happy' with Jason Derulo, and 'Light It Up' with Solomon Islands singer/songwriter Sean Rii.
