Easily one of the most unique and exciting artists of recent years, Boris Jelic has been burning a vibrant path through the European music scene, delivering his brilliant ‘Gay Hip-Hop’ style through releases like ‘Half God Half Devil’ and the seminal ‘Queen of Self-Destruction’. An artist who gleefully breaks all the unwritten rules of music, Boris is in a league of his very own, and now, with his latest single still fresh in our minds, we thought it was time we learned a little more about the rising icon.
Boris, wonderful to meet with you. It’s been a joy to follow your career so far, but where did it all begin?
“I started making music exactly ten years ago this year and started writing songs twelve years ago. I cannot imagine going through my life without writing songs about it, that is how it all started. I have always been a creative person and that came from having role models I looked up to who were always thinking outside the box with clever writing and poetic lyrics with catchy melodies. But I remember specifically why I started making music, and it was because I wanted to be like Britney Spears, a pop star.”
You’ve always been proud to blaze a trail, championing your own unique style. How would you describe your sound to those not yet familiar with it?
“My sound is inspired by so many different artists and music genres. Specifically heavy metal and rock, believe it or not. But what I make is obviously not rock, its hip-hop, pop, electronic pop, deep house, it's literally everything, but at the end of the day, you will always recognize a Boris Jelic song due to the lyrics and my vocal delivery in the track, no matter what genre.”
How do you go about creating something like that, do you have a set process?
“It's so different from song to song. Sometimes I want to make a really creative type of song like my latest release 'The Holy Trinity', which has a really cool twist in the lyrics, but sometimes I want to be more straightforward and write about important issues, just like in my song 'Freedom'. But I always write on my phone, I think over the twelve years I have written about seven hundred songs. Some songs can take years to be finished and some just over a day. But then I always re-visit the lyrics before I start recording so that the lyrics make sense and that it is well written.”
“I always come up with the title and the story behind the song first. I ask myself, what do I wanna say this time? Do I really want to sing about this experience that was so traumatizing? Sometimes I overshare in my lyrics, but then again, I'm glad that not a lot of people really think twice about what I've written since it's always in some type of metaphor.”
Is that what is most important for you when creating a new song?
“[It’s most important] That I feel like the lyrics can somehow maybe, if even a small possibility, change one's life. I write about real-life issues. I want people to feel like they are free spirits while listening to my music, or at least inspire them to become. I want to feel like every song I release that it has a purpose and a thought behind it, to make people think and question themselves and also to let them know they are not alone, dealing with the same issues as I have.”
What influences most define your music? Is there a particular artist you’re listening to right now?
“Artists like Marilyn Manson, In This Moment, Britney Spears, Mø, Tove Lo, Lady Gaga and so many more have always been huge influences to me. When they are all combined together, that's what defines my music. And also, the things I go through in life influence my art a lot.”
Your new single has dropped, and it’s quite rightfully causing a stir online. Can you tell us about it?
“My latest release is a song called 'The Holy Trinity'. It is one of the best songs I've ever done, and it has boosted my career big time. The song is about a new religion that I am the leader of; the religion is called 'Chaos' and it is all about freedom.”
“Obviously, I am not a cult leader or religious but I wrote it during the pandemic to remind myself about my freedom and the song was going to be released early last year but I didn't think it was the right time for it to be released, and I also had to re-write it the most times I've ever rewritten a song because it is written in such a creative and different way that I really needed to take time for it to not sound cheesy or to make the song to be something that it's not.”
What’s next for Boris Jelic? What can we expect?
“I just signed my first publishing deal with a record label which is awesome because the song that will be released through them is a total banger.”
One final question before you go, is there anything you would like to say to our audience?
“Whoever is reading this, don't give up on your dreams. It took me ten years to get a publishing deal while being rejected by so many record labels and managers and agents and whatnot. I also became a professional in 2018 so it took me six whole years to manage to live off my music.”
Diverse, impressive, and constantly innovating, Boris has become a rising star, and for good reason. Armed with a sound that is personal and eclectic, yet universal enough that we can all find our own truth within it, he’s an artist that demands and deserves all the attention he can get.
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