Born out of Jukebox Music Academy – a lab for artists wanting to make their mark in the music industry – Kollideoscope was shaped from concept through to release by Eddie, One84k, Momen and CH with the support of their programme mentors, Kairese Hawkings and Cas, in weekly sessions across songwriting, production, recording and performance.  On striking the delicate balance between facilitating without taking over, Kairese said that the experience “sharpened my ability to listen, not just musically but creatively, understanding different styles, perspectives and what each artist needed to feel confident in their work”. Together, they found harmony in difference, honouring each distinct voice whilst presenting a united, singular vision through this mixtape with the artists at its core.

To celebrate this collaboration, JACK ARTS partnered with Jukebox Collective to take Kollideoscope and the four voices that colour it to the streets of Cardiff through a city-wide billboard takeover; turning the streets into their very own stage and echoing Jukebox Collective’s mission to build opportunity, visibility and equity for Wales’s emerging creatives. “Time is the biggest asset we have in order to connect with one another, but intention is required alongside time for it to be effective. The group taught me about patience and trust within the process”, says Cas.

We sat down with two of the artists behind Kollideoscope — Eddie and CH — to hear the story of the project and their time in Jukebox Music Academy in their own words.

Starting off as a dance company that now offers avenues for young people to express themselves through a variety of disciplines, Jukebox Collective is no stranger to innovation. How has being part of their Music Academy helped your artistry evolve – not just technically, but also in how you think about music and your place in it?

CH: Jukebox has put me in a position where I meet other artists. It’s a social thing between artists, networking, but also understanding other people’s creative styles, how to work with artists, how to work with the agency. My place within the music business basically, and how to understand and operate projects by myself and with other people.

Eddie: Instead of just having a group of yes men around me, I’ve had mentors who felt more like older siblings who are brutally honest and supportive, who have helped me step by step become the artist I am today.

As the UK’s first Music City, Cardiff is brimming with eclectic sounds and beats and continues to find ways to protect and nourish its music scene. Which moments in the city have had the biggest influence on the music you create?

CH: I’m not sure about in the city to be honest. My biggest inspiration was when we went to Wrexham for Focus Wales. Both of those trips were insane. Super inspirational. Being able to showcase ourselves as artists alongside the people we’ve been working with.

Eddie: Watching big time musicians come over to perform in Cardiff showed that there’s an opportunity for us to go and show out in other cities.

Talk to us about Kollideoscope – a 10-track digital mixtape that you all had full creative control over. Can you take us back to the moment you were given the opportunity to create something that speaks to you and what your creative sessions were like?

CH: Kollideoscope was basically starting a project from the start, learning all of the different aspects of what we would need to do if we were going to do this by ourselves in the future, but with the support of mentors. Having full creative control was really cool. Being able to have a full say in what happened in the project, and being able to adapt it to other people’s needs and wants as well. All four of us plus the mentors working together to create something was sick.

Eddie: I believe I was given this chance due to my loyalty to the company. I never missed out a single session and ever y time I showed up, I gave it all I can.

With four distinct voices coming together to produce Kollideoscope, how did you find a shared sound or vision whilst still keeping your individual identity in the music? And what made creating this as a collective more powerful than doing it solo?

CH: We’ve known each other for a while. We’ve kind of developed our music style together. Although it is different we work super well together. We’re all quite close friends so being able to say ‘I think this might sound more like you’ is natural because we’re comfortable with each other. The fact that we’re not all exactly the same artists actually helped the project so much. It’s highlighted all of our abilities together without anyone sacrificing t heir sound.

Eddie: Due to the fact we were all brothers before being put on the project together, means we built our bond easier and tried different ways to make it work better.

In drawing on your own stories and experiences to create this mixtape, was there a track you found challenging to make and what did you each feel most urgent to express?

CH: The spoken word song. I’d never done any spoken word before and it was tapping into more of the personal life. Not commercial music, so you have a lot more freedom just to speak about whatever you want. I found that really cool and challenging, and because it was challenging I obviously learned and developed my skills.

Eddie: I didn’t find a track challenging.

Why 10 tracks? Was there a reason behind the length of the mixtape, or did the project naturally find its own size? And how did the project find its name: Kollideoscope?

CH: I don’t think the number was massively planned. We kind of just listened to all the songs we’d done and thought how many of these deserve to be on this EP, plus we had a solo track each. The number naturally came about. For the name, we originally were going to call it Press to Exit because everybody always missed that green button to exit after the sessions. But then we came up with Kollideoscope. It’s like four mirrors coming together, four colours coming together into a mirror to create something different. A vibrant piece of music where t here’s not really a set way to listen to it. You can listen to it any way you want. Hence the randomisation of the kaleidoscope.

Eddie: We gave 10 tracks so people can have enough tracks to enjoy as an apology for all the time that. we didn’t have any songs out. To understand the concept you need to understand what a kaleidoscope is, which is random colours and shapes joining and creating something beautiful, just like us being artists from different backgrounds using our unique ideas to build the project. We’re all different in our own ways and we’re bringing in our lyrical abilities, using our own unique pasts to build us each a better future.

Kollideoscope is now out for all to experience. What does it mean to you to see this particular project interacting with the people of Cardiff through billboards?

CH: Seeing it on billboards and seeing that people can actually interact with it, man. It’s so sick. We’ve worked so hard on this project and our people will be able to take it in, listen to what we’ve been doing behind the scenes. I’m super happy the way it came out. I’m glad that people get to experience it in the way that we hoped they’d be able to, and that Jukebox has supported us through the whole thing and made sure that the project comes out exactly as we wanted it to be.

Eddie: To show the city t here’s more to this town than just rugby, football and boxing. There’s more talent looking to open doors for our city.

What’s one thing you learnt from each other and about yourself whilst working on this project?

CH: The main thing I learnt is how much you need to think everything through. If I was to do this myself I wouldn’t think of ever y single aspect that I would now think of, because I’ve been through the experience and seen how many things need to be on point. How you need to plan every single second of the event, every single second of everything. All of the listener experience. Now I’ve done it with you guys, I know how much detail I need to go into, and that will benefit me in future projects.

Eddie: I learnt that patience is key. One studio session won’t make you a millionaire. I learnt that I’m more than a rapper.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a young artist who is trying to find their voice and space to express themselves creatively?

CH: It’s not even really a music thing. I think it’s age. As time goes on you kind of learn yourself a bit better. And the more you know yourself the more you’re able to express yourself. So it’s just not trying to force yourself into a box. The best music comes from a true understanding of who you are, and t here’s only one of you. But if you’re tr ying to be someone else then you’re never able to express that. Knowing yourself is by far the biggest thing when being creative in any type of way.

Eddie: Make sure you’re not surrounded by yes men. You’re better to be with people who are brutally honest and want the best for you.