There’s few tastemakers as influential to modern UK music as Jamz Supernova. A DJ, podcaster, radio host, Mercury prize judge and label owner, Jamz is a seasoned industry professional, who has helped build the careers of some of the most quintessential contemporary musicians, providing early love for now mainstays like Greentea Peng and Pip Millett.

From Represent Radio to BBC Radio 1Xtra, the multi-disciplinarian has augmented her craft from the grassroots of radio. Now situated on BBC 6 Music, Supernova shares her knowledge of culture and wide-spanning musical styles, shining a light on scenes that are too often looked over by others.

Her label, Future Bounce, has just celebrated its fifth birthday. Formed to further the breadth of support that she can provide the artists that she loves, the core ideals of the label lie in community and taste, with the plethora of artists on her roster more curated and diverse than ever before.

We had the pleasure of connecting with Jamz, finding her in the midst of her DJ residency at Selfridges. She reflects on her roots in the industry, the increasing importance of radio on the wider industry, the ethos of Future Bounce, becoming a mother, and what you should be listening to.

Read the exclusive interview…

What initially drew you into the world of radio?
I’ve always listened to radio for as long as I can remember from the Dr. Fox chart show, recording it and getting ready for school on a Sunday, to pirate radio in the evenings to help me get to sleep. I think it’s such an immediate medium and intimate connection you have with the listener to share music. The first radio studio I saw was at 16 years old when I joined the BRIT school and it felt like something clicked in me, this is where I need to be. Straight out of college I decided instead of Uni I would work at the BBC and after a year I managed to get work experience there for 2 months and never left. Being there at 19 was like doing a degree and a masters, I worked behind the scenes on pretty much every BBC Radio 1 & 1Xtra show you could imagine until I got my own show in 2015. For me, it’s double-pronged. My love of music led me to want to share it, I am utterly obsessed with the craft of making a great radio show & the relationship with the listeners is what keeps me turning up every week.

Over the past few years, to us it seems that radio is having somewhat of a renaissance with the likes of NTS and BBC. What do you think has driven more listeners to tune in once again?
I think the pandemic played a massive part. The radio united people and helped everyone not to feel so alone. Even if you lived on your own there was a voice in the background connecting you to the outer world. I also think NTS & BBC and other community radio stations have such a specific offering that it creates a community and a tribe of people who want their taste to be validated and championed beyond themselves. Radio listenership ebbs and flows but despite amazing technological advancements like streaming we’re still here. I believe that’s due to the human aspect of what we crave away from our screens.

You’ve been an early and passionate supporter of many artists who are now flying high – from Greentea Peng to Pip Millett. Why is championing new talent so important to you?
It’s never been easier to release music, but it’s never been harder to be heard and cut through the noise. So I feel I have a duty to shout about and amplify artists as much as possible on my platform to ensure amazing talent doesn’t slip through the gaps and finds an audience. I also think it’s not just about playing the artists’ music but giving them space to talk about and give context to the music and who they are. This is what takes people from lean-back listeners into fans. I’ve been doing this job for over a decade now and there are always new artists to be excited about new sounds emerging, and people deconstructing what it means to be an artist. I think of finding these artists as a hobby, it’s my sport of choice and I get genuine fulfilment out of supporting them.

Who has caught your eye (and ear) this year as artists to watch out for?
How long have you got lol! But I’ll give you five:

Terra Kinn
Beautiful tender singer-songwriter from Glasgow, such a brilliant writer. She captures emotions through her words in ways that make you giggle or cry

Muva Of Earth
Some people’s talent feels divine and otherwordly and Muva Of Earth has that. It’s beautiful chaos. Through her harp and her vocals, she transcends you out of this world whilst grounding you with words of affirmations.

ALT BLK ERA
These teenage sisters are going to be massive, pure hardcore energy. I love seeing artists stand in their truth and it’s so important as people of colour to not be boxed in by people’s perception of what we should make. I don’t think these girls care one bit about that, they are loud & proud.

Fat Dog
Only one song in the world but if this doesn’t excite you I don’t know what will. It’s a brave seven minute debut which takes twists and turns in tempo & energy. I’m craving to hear more from them & I don’t think I’m the only one.

Tatyana Jane
It’s no stranger that I love club music and through my travels, I’m able to meet incredible producers. Tatyana makes fast-paced hard club music and throws some great parties in Paris. I really want to see her win, she has it.

When you listen to a new release, can you describe what it is that usually draws you towards it and makes you want to spin it / support it?
It’s taste. That may sound boring but really ultimately I want to love it or find something in it that I love. Sometimes it’s the complete sound, other times I love what they have tried to do. I get bored with things that sound the same, so I’m always looking to hear an artist who has pushed it one step further even if that may be challenging to the ear. I’m very picky with what I play and have to find the time in the week to not be distracted so I can really listen to my gut about how I feel about a song and if that persuades me to play it. All killer and no filler.

In terms of your DJ sound, how would you describe its essence and tone?
I like to think of it as a journey, I play across the board sound-wise and love that about my sets. But I’m exploring more and more how those sounds piece together and what story am I trying to tell or the feeling I am trying to draw out of you. I always have Euphoria as a word in mind when I’m piecing together my sets to bring you up, down & up again.

What prompted the creation of your Future Bounce label?
It’s another platform for me to shout about the artists I love. As mentioned it can be hard to get your music heard, this is just another way for me to help artists. The label got its kickstart because I went into a distributor to champion an artist and secure funds for them and they told me they would prefer to give me money to start a label instead. It was a hard deal to say no to even though I had no clue what I was doing.

Talk us through the ethos of the label? What are you attempting to do with it?
The ethos comes back to taste, I think of labels like Bluenote & XL, where it’s just one person’s taste. But with that, you can unite communities and share that love with like-minded people. I want to be a trusted label that you come to to discover artists the same way in which you do my radio shows. I want to elevate artists into that next chapter of their careers and be a part of their story. I also want to learn the business of the music industry through the label and try to be a force for good in what can be a murky industry for many artists.

The label is celebrating its fifth birthday, how does it feel to have achieved this milestone?
I feel invigorated to keep on going. Having stood the test of time for 5 years and seeing how the label has had different lives throughout that time, it makes me think of it as a lifelong endeavour, and if I think of it like that then actually we’re babies in this label game. I’m already thinking about how to level up over the next 5 years.

How do you juggle your responsibilities as a mother with your work in the creative fields?
I don’t juggle, it’s a constant battle, and sometimes I have to accept that not all plates can spin at the same time & some things negate the other. For me, it’s important that she has a strong community of caregivers around her for when I can’t physically be there. And when I’m not physically there I need to know that my absence is because I am providing for her. I also try to be boundaries with my time. For example, I have nine minutes to finish this interview and then I need to close the laptop, put my phone away and be mum and I can come back to this at 9pm if need be. It won’t be a battle forever and I try to be present in where we are right now so I don’t miss the amazing moments as they happen personally & professionally.

What are your personal goals for the future?
I would like to tour as a DJ, it’s an itch I would love to scratch before I have another child. It feels more feasible while she is young. I’d like to create more visual content expressing my love of music and travel in a different medium. I’d like to curate a festival or programme for a cultural institute. I’d like to afford myself the grace that not all of these things will happen at the same time or even when I would like them to happen, but I need to protect my self-belief that they will in time happen. I’m currently doing some personal work on myself and my imposter syndrome.

What else is to come from you this year?
I’m currently knee-deep into my Selfridges Residency, if you fancy a night out in town with great music or conversation then come through. I’ll be hitting up the US & Australia for a tour – tell your global friends to say hi! Also, wrapping up the 5th year of Future Bounce with two big projects and a vinyl release.