Tempo Talks: A Conversation with Janita
THE RELEASE
Janita Maria is a New York-based, Finnish-born American singer-songwriter, simply known as Janita, on stage. For over two decades, she has amassed fans across the world thanks to her wondrous and fantastic musical adventure, which is an echo of her vocals, songwriting, and multi-instrumental talents. She stuns the world again in anticipation of her tenth album, “Mad Equation,” expected in May 2025 with the release of her latest single, “Real Deal,” which is a testament to her longevity.
Her latest single is a very good record, which validates the phrase “ages like fine wine” as she delivers yet again, as she has always done consistently for two decades. The indie pop is blended with alt-rock and gives an outstanding result as it builds high anticipation for what's to come, making everyone curious about what else she will be doing. The artist perfectly fused a perfectly storied career into a single anthem, which will leave you in awe.
Melodically, “Real Deal” is a quiet and confident track that opens with a cadence that flows throughout the track. From the undertones of the guitar and the American-styled chorus to nice bass, this track is a result of a successful fusion of genres illustrating Janita’s intellect and brilliance when it comes to making music. The song's natural nostalgic feel doesn't keep fans out of place with time as they enjoy her timeless vocals, which have endured the test of time. We are excited for what she has on the horizon!
THE INTERVIEW
You mentioned this track is inspired by the rebellious nature of two movie characters. Can you tell us about any specific characteristics you used in the writing or production of this single that were directly correlated to this source of inspiration?
The song ‘Real Deal’ is inspired by two films actually—400 Blows and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I identified strongly with the main characters of both films and their off-the-grid lifestyles, because of the unpredictability of my own life as an artist. To be an artist is inherently to go against the grain in the world, and there’s real danger and risk involved with that. Butch and Sundance, and 400 Blows’ Antoine Doinel symbolically represent what I’ve experienced in my own life, and I kept the spirit of those characters alive in my mind as I was writing the lyrics.
Were there any challenges you had to overcome while creating “Real Deal?”
Musically, I was working on this song-idea for a while before it clicked into place completely. Sometimes you have to “Frankenstein” a bit in the process of songwriting. Not every piece of a song survives lengthy scrutiny, and lyrics get changed, parts get stripped, you keep this, you discard that. I just watched The Beatles’ “Get Back” for the third time (!) and I saw that they did exactly the same thing with some of their songs. And John Lennon’s “Road to Marrakesh”, for example, becomes “Jealous Guy” at some later point in time. You gotta massage the thing, and discover what it really wants to be. That was my challenge with this song, but in truth it’s really not a challenge. It’s simply a part of songwriting. You have to know when you’ve still got work to do, and also when you’re done.
What was it like collaborating with an incredible producer like Blake Morgan on this release?
I’ve worked with Blake Morgan since 2010 and we’re partners in life too—we co-own ECR Music Group together. Our collaboration as musicians, as artists, as label-owners, and as partners is ever deepening. We spark each other, and always push each other to reach a little further and dig a little deeper. I think that’s why my upcoming album, Mad Equation, is the best work we’ve done together yet.
You made an open challenge in the track, saying “Catch me if you can,” The question is, where have you gotten this confidence from, and how have you been able to wield it so well?
There’s so much information coming at us all the time in today’s landscape, with social media, etc. It’s really important to me that I choose wisely about what I interact with—to mindfully steer myself away from the banal, the mundane, and the stupid, and to make an effort to connect with people and things that are meaningful and interesting to me. That keeps me moving in the right direction. I feel confident knowing that I’m not wasting my precious time on this Earth. That I’m who I want to be, and I’m making a conscious choice about it, not getting distracted. As it happens, success also helps. Validation that I’m doing something that’s valuable is essential for my motivation.
What kind of energy or approach can we expect from the album in 2025, and how excited are you for the release of “Mad Equation?”
Like my new single says: “I’m all in, all the way.” I’m fully invested in this music, in Mad Equation, and I’m going to do my damndest in support of it. I’ve been a professional musician since I was 13 years old, but I’ve never felt quite like this before—I feel like I’m at the height of my powers now, and with what’s going on in the world at this moment politically, I feel like music and art are more important than ever. We have to find our courage and our resolve from somewhere, and for me that’s music. It’s always been music. I’m right where I need to be.
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