It was 2017 that saw Jayda G certifiably became a name to know in dance music. The Canadian DJ’s Boiler Room set at Dekmantel festival was full of lush soul and funky house energy that saw her bopping and singing along behind the decks. But beyond her famously fun, consistent shows (she did over 80 gigs in 2018), she’s also a producer: her debut album, Significant Changes, which came out earlier this year, is full of the light disco grooves her joyous, carefree DJ sets had hinted at.
Significant Changes also sees the Berlin-based artist bridge her career in music with her other work – science. Last year, G completed a Masters specialising in environmental toxicology, investigating the effects of various chemicals on the health of orcas off the coast of Vancouver. On the track “Missy Knows What’s Up”, she samples a radio talk from Canadian biologist, Misty Macduffee: “Why are these whales threatened, and what are we gonna do about it?”
In the future, G hopes to bring these two worlds together more and engage people in conversation around the subject that might not otherwise participate – something that she’s already started doing with her “JMG Talks” series in London, aimed at offering young scientists a platform to discuss their academic work and personal journeys.
Tara Joshi