Interview: DAWSON

For DAWSON, the ambition has never been small.

The jazz house project of New Zealand producer and multi-instrumentalist Ethan Jupe has already clocked more than 15 million global streams, combining the energy of the dancefloor with the warmth, musicianship and melodic freedom of jazz.

Now, he’s thinking beyond streaming. With new music on the way, international touring in his sights and his own club night Need To Feel building a community around the sound, DAWSON is laying the foundations for something much bigger.

Ahead of Live Nation’s Ones To Watch, we caught up with Ethan to talk jazz house, going global, creating your own opportunities and why groove always comes first.

Take us back to the beginning. How did DAWSON come to life?

The idea for DAWSON happened simultaneously with making my debut track, “Gloria”, in Amsterdam in 2024. I had berlioz’s “open this wall” on heavy rotation as it had just been released, and what resulted was the perfect culmination of my love of dance music with elements of jazz through my trained musicality.

I’ve been playing instruments since I was three, having been taught guitar by my dad. The dream of having a successful career in music has been at the core of my being for as long as I can remember. Quite honestly, I don’t have any desire other than to do everything I can to make that happen.

I studied music and have done my ten thousand hours as a producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist for a multitude of other New Zealand artists. Now I’m relentlessly pursuing every possible avenue to develop DAWSON into a global touring and recording act.

Who first made you want to pick up an instrument and take music seriously?

My number one hero will always be John Mayer. He’s the reason I wanted to get good at playing guitar, and his music and songwriting are timelessly incredible.

Tom Misch is perhaps my earliest inspiration as a producer, and through Covid I learnt a lot from Disclosure’s Twitch music production streams.

My dad will always be my biggest inspiration, though. Without him, I’d never have been exposed to the possibility of developing such a passion for music.

If someone pressed play on DAWSON for the first time, what do you want them to feel?

I’d like the world of DAWSON to feel warm, inviting, accessible and groovy.

The music has an overarching sense of positivity and freedom. I want it to make the listener feel connected not only to the sonics and textures of what they’re hearing, but to their own emotions too.

Jazz and house might seem like two different worlds. What made you want to bring them together?

They’re my two biggest loves within music.

There’s the ability to make people dance and feel rhythmically energised, but also the opportunity to introduce people to my interpretation of melody and musical proficiency.

I am, and always will be, a player first and foremost. Packaging my love of electronic music production with jazz sensibilities felt like the perfect canvas to express my natural inclinations as a producer and musician.

What is it about artists like berlioz, Dublon, Tour-Maubourg and St. Germain that resonates with you?

Something all these artists share is an ability to introduce listeners to musical complexity in a way that still feels accessible through dance music.

Perhaps the title of one of berlioz’s biggest hits sums it up best: “Jazz is for ordinary people”.

Dance music can be a vessel for exposing listeners to a depth of musicianship they might not otherwise encounter through pop music. A four-to-the-floor kick is an anchor point that is universally understood, and from there we, as artists and producers, have permission to move away from a traditionally safe harmonic palette.

Jazz house has found a huge audience internationally. Why do you think people are connecting with the sound right now?

I think jazz has become far more accessible. People aren’t being led to believe it’s only meant for musical scholars or people with “superior taste”.

Jazz house has recontextualised jazz in a way that more people can understand and relate to. Modern dance music has always had an element of historical reflection, and jazz is part of that, but now the scope of dance music is diverse enough that people can celebrate more advanced musicianship within that context.

The possibilities of jazz are endless. Marrying that with dance music gives listeners a greater chance of discovering a combination of elements that feels new and exciting. I think that has helped enable the boom of jazz house, particularly post-Covid.

More than 15 million streams later, when did you realise DAWSON was reaching far beyond New Zealand?

Honestly, right from the jump.

I noticed this project was reaching more people outside New Zealand than anything I’d ever been involved with before, and that’s across more than 50 songs in my production credits catalogue.

The biggest thing to wrap my head around is the reality that my music is predominantly consumed internationally. It’s a pretty cool feeling seeing people from all corners of the world enjoying what I’m making.

It’s opened my mind to the possibility of “making it” on a global scale, and that is my primary goal.

Has that international response made you dream bigger?

Undoubtedly.

It’s empowered me to believe the opportunities are endless and that I can take DAWSON around the world.

I’ve never let the idea of being from a small country limit what I create. I’m inspired by such a broad range of artists from across the globe, so I make what I love in the moment.

I’m incredibly proud that it resonates with so many people internationally.

You’re not just releasing music anymore. What made you want to build your own club night, Need To Feel?

In New Zealand, opportunities to play existing club events are becoming increasingly limited. Venues are struggling more than ever, and the depth and diversity of genre niches suffer as a result.

Rather than let that threaten my goal of building a community around my music, I’ve been inspired to treat it as an opportunity.

The very nature of being an artist is that if something doesn’t exist, you create it. Right?

That’s exactly the ethos I’ve taken into becoming a promoter.

Ultimately, having a club night gives me the chance to connect with people wherever in the world I decide to take the brand. The strength of owning and building your community will always trump streaming numbers or social media followers.

Connecting with people who support and love what you do is the most powerful asset an artist can have nowadays. Launching Need To Feel is my first step towards creating an experience where people can come together and celebrate dance music, and hopefully discover DAWSON along the way.

It sounds like things aren’t slowing down anytime soon. What’s next?

Following Ones To Watch, I’m beginning a month-long writing stint for my upcoming EP.

I’m proud to have earned NZ On Air Project Funding, so I’m going to take advantage of having a few weeks in New Zealand to work on my first project.

I head off on tour again in mid-October to Australia before attending Amsterdam Dance Event with assistance from the NZ Music Commission’s Outward Sound grant.

After ADE, I’ll spend another couple of weeks in the UK, filling the calendar with industry meetings, writing sessions, networking opportunities and DJ sets in Amsterdam and London. Hopefully, I’ll also be running my first ever London headline show.

Before we let you go, build us your dream BurgerFuel burger.

A Backfire meets the Thunderbird.

Chicken, bacon, brie, jalapeños and chipotle aioli.

SOUND CHECK, VIBE CHECK

What song are you currently thrashing in the car?
“Get It Done” by Fouk. The groove is insane.

Who’s your favourite artist right now?
Tour-Maubourg. He’s a huge inspiration for the direction I want to evolve my music in.

One thing you can’t perform without?
A rhythm section. I hear and feel rhythm before anything else. Groove is my priority for any music, hands down.

Dream collaboration?
Liv East. Her voice and melodic songwriting are out of this world.

Go-to BurgerFuel order?
Burnout. If I’m really feeling it, I’ll double down and add Spuds and a Caramel Thickshake.

FIRE OR BACKFIRE?

Pickles in burgers: With beef, FIRE. Not so much with chicken.

Crocs: FIRE. Hell yeah, I need to get some.

Karaoke: FIRE, it’s a laugh for sure. But some people should just not.

BurgerFuel Aioli: FIRE. No other aioli comes close.

Acoustic performances: FIRE, depending on the artist. I love watching them.

NZ Music Month: FIRE. Undoubtedly. It should be every month.

Festivals: FIRE, but I think we need to bring it back to supporting smaller-scale, genre-specific events. Big line-ups are great, but festivals and large-scale events are fast becoming the only economically viable option for live music, which is terrible for the wider industry and grassroots artists.

Singing in the shower: FIRE. Go for gold. Underrated activity.

Pineapple on pizza: FIRE. Love a Hawaiian pizza, absolutely.

Supermarket in bare feet: FIRE. The epitome of Kiwi summer. Big yes.

Check out DAWSON's latest music HERE and stay up to date with him HERE.