Exclusive Interview: Martin Solveig & Jax Jones discuss new ‘Europa’ project

Undoubtedly two of dance music’s biggest stars, Europa (aka Jax Jones and Martin Solveig) sit at the summit of the current electronic scene thanks to their insatiable blend of house-focused beats and groove-led floorfillers. With bonafide superstar Martin Solveig inviting Jax to play at his ‘My House’ events across the likes of Ibiza, London, Amsterdam Dance Event and many more, the latter’s own career has enjoyed a particularly meteoric surge in recent times after breakthrough hit ‘You Don’t Know Me’ racked up over 400 million Spotify streams. 

With Jax teaming up with a wide range of star-studded vocalists including Bebe Rexha, Years & Years, and Ina Wroldsen as part of his recent ‘Snacks’ album, the UK star’s blossoming friendship with Parisian maestro Solveig (famed for modern classics such as ‘All Stars’, ‘Places’, ‘Do It Right, ‘Intoxicated’, and ‘Hello’) has seen the duo now form a formidable pair known as ‘Europa’.

Following the release of their single ‘All Day and Night’ with Madison Beer, We Rave You caught up with Jax & Martin following their performance at AirBeat One Festival in Germany – only their second ever Europa show!

So guys, let’s take it back to the start! When did you first meet and when did you decide that working together would be a good idea?

Jax: “Well Martin and I met at his residency in Pacha Ibiza because he asked me to come and play as a support DJ, which was a great honour for me! That was 3 years ago, and since then, I’ve played many times for him. The friendship grew and so we decided to go into the studio to make a track but we realised very quickly that was gonna be more than one song so we got together to make a ‘band’!”

So why the name ‘Europa’ – Where did the idea come from?

Martin: “Can I say the word Brexit? Because it happened during the whole Brexit mess in 2016 and we were having a lot of fun with this idea because I live in Paris and he’s in London so we were joking about and saying it’s gonna be tough now because of Brexit – we will need passports to visit eachother now and everything! But also there was something very European about the music we were listening to in the studio. Something very 90s from our inspiration, and you can feel that on ‘All Day & Night’. So together, we are a Brit and a Frenchie with a very European sound!”

Your set here in Germany was filled with a lot of 90s classics, and early 2000s dance tracks – is that the aim? 

Jax: “Exactly! As Europa, we play a broad spectrum from european dance, old school techno, trance; old school house… everything really!”

So how does that differ from your own individuals sets?

Martin: “Well really it’s just a nice dose of fun without overthinking it! We play a lot of classics in a Europa set and I wouldn’t play so many classics in my own show as we focus on our songs, but with Europa we can have compete freedom and feel very free when we are up on stage!”

Jax – You’ve been playing your Ibiza Rocks pool party residency this summer in Ibiza. And Martin, you’re at Pacha again. So what’s coming up for Europa in terms of live shows this summer?

Jax: “We are at the notorious Tomorrowland, and also Ultra Europa! And then Boardmasters and SW4 in the UK, we need a France show actually to even it out!”

Martin: “Yes but it’s only a festival project so far!”

So aside from producing and DJing, what are your party tricks? Any special skills we should know about?

Martin: “I can cook! I can cook vegetables that’s my speciality I do stuff with vegetables! And Jax, you can smoke cigars! Not everyone can do that! I cannot do that.”

Jax: “Yeah I smoke cigars bro, that’s my superpower.”

back on stage with @martinsolveig yesterday #airbeatone2019 #europa pic.twitter.com/y7pdljKtRC

— JaxJones (@JaxJones) July 14, 2019