JASPER MUNOZ | INTERVIEW + TRACK REVIEW

For Jasper Munoz, music isn’t just a creative outlet—it’s an unfiltered reflection of who he really is. With the release of his debut album Hedonist, Jasper steps out from behind years of personas and aliases to finally create under his own name, embracing vulnerability and ditching expectations. Blending pop, rock, jazz, and hip-hop into a genre-defying journey, Hedonist doesn’t aim to be easy listening—it’s a challenge, an invitation to sit in discomfort, and an emotional unpacking of identity, indulgence, and self-reflection.

We caught up with Jasper ahead of the release to dive into the heart of the album, the joy and grief of finishing a project so personal, and what comes next for an artist finally stepping into his own name. This is a paid collaboration with 'Jasper Munoz'.

TRACK REVIEW

What an entrance. Alive kicks off with pulsing keys and a bassline that grooves straight into your chest, immediately setting a tone that feels both intimate and electrifying. There’s a raw emotional urgency to the track—a clear message to someone specific, yet relatable to anyone who’s ever wanted to shake someone back to life.

The chorus is a total standout—“make you feel alive” is delivered with such conviction and catchiness, it lingers long after the track ends. Jasper’s ability to craft a hook that feels both emotional and earworm-level memorable is seriously impressive.

And just when you think you’ve figured it out, the bridge flips the mood. The melody shifts, the production subtly evolves, and suddenly you’re somewhere new entirely—proof that Jasper knows exactly how to take his listeners on a journey.

It’s bold, heartfelt, and undeniably alive.

LISTEN HERE

Tell us about Hedonist, what does this album mean to you personally, and what inspired it?

For me, Hedonist is a confronting album. It asks the heavy question of the motivation behind my actions — is it for a pleasurable, self indulgent meaning? Or is it a selfless one? The constant sort of push and pull of what makes somebody alive, and the pros and cons of that really is the core of this album for me.

Life and what I dealt with for 3 years after the pandemic, my personal relationships, and my overall psyche was the defining inspiration behind Hedonist.

You’ve said releasing music under your real name feels like lifting the veil, what was holding you back from doing that before?

I thought I was being truthful, but in a way I was pretending to be someone else. A caricature of who "Jasper" was. That isn't being authentic, when you're trying so hard to be somebody else's ideal of what "you" are.

When people hit play on Hedonist, what kind of world are you hoping they step into?

One of confusion, to be honest. I don't want Hedonist to feel sort of an easy listen, I want it to challenge people. Either that be lyrically, emotionally, musically. Just like how when I was working on the album, I want that sort of "ah man I don't know what to make of this", to be someone's thoughts — I'd know if I did my job as a musician if I heard that!

Is there a particular lyric or moment on the album that feels like the most “you” you’ve ever been on a record?

It's hard to choose a single lyric or moment, and I'd like to say all of it! Truthfully though, there's a breakdown in He's Broken Darling, right before the final chorus, and the final track of the original album (there's two versions, the original 10 tracks, and the deluxe version with 16 — both out the same day). I'd say that's my defining moment, existing between one genre to the next :))

You’ve produced, composed, and written everything yourself, what does creative freedom mean to you in a world obsessed with genre?

To me it's total freedom in blending genres. You'll notice a lot of the album blends pop, rock, jazz, dance, and hip-hop even, to this weird mash of 10-16 tracks. Hopping from one emotion and point in time to the next. But they all form an overall narrative of not only myself as a songwriter wishing to do something different, but also to tell a story not bound by the constraints of genres or typical conventions.

What’s been the hardest part of making this record and what’s been the most fun?

I always say that towards the end of the process is the hardest because it's almost like saying goodbye. I don't enjoy saying farewell! The most fun would be the production phase, and runner up would be seeing people's reactions! :))

Can you tell us about a song on Hedonist that surprised you or took on a life of its own during the process?

Ease You would have to take that spot. It was the easiest song to write but also the most saddest. For song about battling addiction it sure is a comfort song when it's late at night, so it's no wonder that song kinda wrote itself when I was having trouble falling asleep.

Who or what outside of music has shaped the way you approach songwriting?

I have a lot of respect for a family friend, I bring him up a lot but he's the reason I'm a musician — he knows who he is.

Other than him, I'd say my teachers in Primary and High school; my time in a music program; and my teachers at my former university.

As someone intentionally stepping away from personas and aliases, what does success look like to you now?

Just writing, producing, and being in the industry as me. If I end up floating in outer space as just "that guy who did music", it's fine with me. I just wanna have fun!

Looking ahead, what’s next for Jasper Munoz after Hedonist, what do you hope people take away from this chapter?

What's next is another album or project. I really want to collaborate more with other artists and connect with them more too. So hopefully more works with other producers and musicians in the future!

I hope that people can see this new re-write of myself — that breaking free off what seems scary is hard, but it's also super rewarding too!

Thank you very much for reading :))

LISTEN HERE