‘I was longing for warmer days and wanted to give the feeling of trekking through a desert on an alien planet.’ | Oscar Jerome interviewed

In an exclusive interview, Oscar Jerome shares how The Fork reflects his journey of self-discovery, from Cairo’s spirituality to Berlin’s industrial influence on his sound.

Oscar Jerome The Fork

Oscar Jerome isn’t one for staying in one place too long, either musically or geographically. With upcoming album The Fork, he’s charting new ground, both in sound and in spirit. The track’s full of personal shifts, shaped by places like Cairo and Berlin, and it’s clear his experiences have a heavy influence on what he’s making now. It’s reflective, yes, but there’s a real forward-looking energy to it.

Ahead of his 2025 UK/EU tour and the release of The Fork on 4th April, we had a chat with Oscar about how life and travel are changing his music, and where he’s going next.


Oscar Jerome

whynow: You’ve said Desert Belly marks a new chapter for you. How did the song come together, and what were you trying to capture with it?

Oscar Jerome: It started off with me sampling some audio from a video of myself playing that I posted on Instagram. There was something about the guitar sound that felt nostalgic, so I built the song around that. I wrote the lyrics while looking at a tiny flower growing out of a plant pot in my garden. It was the first sign of spring after a pretty depressing winter. It felt like the beginning of a new chapter, planting seeds and watching them grow. I was longing for warmer days and wanted to capture that feeling of trekking through a desert on an alien planet. The synths helped to add that sci-fi vibe.

whynow: There’s definitely a sense of nostalgia in the track. Does that theme come up a lot in your music?

Oscar Jerome: Yeah, but it’s not something I consciously try to put into my music. Nostalgia’s not something you can actively create, it’s more like how a smell can take you back to a specific memory. Music can do that too, but I don’t aim for it. I just end up being drawn to sounds that carry that kind of feeling.

whynow: And what about the themes in the lyrics? Desert Belly feels very introspective. What was the story you were trying to tell?

Oscar Jerome: The name Desert Belly gave me this image of trekking through a desert, but not just any desert, it’s like a metaphor for life’s journey. As you get older, you realise that all these goals you set for yourself don’t always bring the satisfaction you thought they would. It’s more about finding peace and enjoying the process. That’s where the idea of focusing on what you enjoy and being grateful for the present comes in.

whynow: The Fork is the first album you’ve fully produced yourself. What was it like taking on that responsibility, and how do you think it’s shaped the sound and message of the record compared to your earlier work?

For a long time, I felt a level of imposter syndrome with production even though it’s something that I’ve always done. I used to make beats on Cubase when I was a kid but I didn’t know that was called producing. Beni Giles who helped me produce my last two albums and mixes all of my work was actually the one that gave me the confidence to do it. He said the demos I send him have a vibe about them which is often being lost when we work on it together so maybe I should just try developing them further myself and then getting him to mix them. So that’s what we did and it came out pretty great. It definitely meant I was able to hone the sound in a way that was more specific to my taste and in a lot of ways it feels more personal because it is mostly shaped by me. I’m not as technically proficient as some producers I’ve worked with but I have my way of doing things which I think gives me my own sound.

whynow: The short film gets stuck in to concepts like ego, connection, and trust. What inspired the visual narrative, and how do you hope it deepens listeners’ understanding of the song and album?

The Fork music video is a comment on the cult of the individual. It explores how we have been manipulated to only care about ourselves and believe the purpose of our existence is to serve a shallow expectation of us created by capitalism. Spiritually, artistically, socially and politically we have drifted away from the bigger picture. 

It’s very much based on how my own perspective has broadened over the last couple of years. I hope people can watch it and reflect on what really matters in their life and what truly deserves their attention, time and energy. 

whynow: That idea of finding peace resonates with the way you describe your approach to music. It sounds like there’s a constant tension between external pressures and creative freedom. How does that affect your songwriting?

Oscar Jerome: It’s definitely a balance. It’s easy to get caught up in the business side of things, how many people are listening, how to make a career. But music’s always been a way for me to connect to something bigger than myself. I try not to get too bogged down in all that stuff, and I think that helps me keep the emotional side of my music intact. There’s definitely tension there, but it’s also part of why I write. It’s a way to process all of that.

whynow: Let’s talk about the visuals for Desert Belly. That mysterious bunker house thing you’re sitting on in the promo shots. Where on earth is that?

Oscar Jerome: I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to say right now! It’s part of a wider thing that’s going on, so I can’t talk too much about it. But it’ll all become clear at the beginning of next year. That’s all I can say for now.

whynow: Fair enough! I’ll be looking forward to seeing how it all ties together. You’ve mentioned before that music helps you process personal emotions, like heartbreak and frustration. Do you start writing right after something happens, or do you wait a bit?

Oscar Jerome: It depends. I’m not the type of person who listens to sad music when I’m feeling down. It just takes me lower. So, I tend to sit with things for a while and process them before I start writing. I definitely use music as a form of therapy, but I can’t just jump straight into it. Sometimes, I’ll just have a melody come to me, and then it connects with something I’ve been going through, but it doesn’t always happen that way.

whynow: In our last interview, you spoke about how you’d been reflecting on Black music’s influence on your own sound. How do you feel about that now?

Oscar Jerome: It’s always been there for me. I’ve always been aware that black music has had a huge influence on my work, and I’m open about that. But I wouldn’t say I’m constantly thinking about it. I’m part of a very multicultural music scene in London, and I’m always open to working with whomever based on their abilities. But I wouldn’t say it’s something that defines what I do. It’s just a natural part of the music I make.

whynow: Beyond music, are there any societal issues that you’re passionate about, things that inspire you to act or speak up?

Oscar Jerome: As artists, we have a platform, and I think it’s important to use that voice for good. Music can make people feel things in a way that numbers and facts just can’t. That said, I think we have to be careful about just talking about things without actually doing anything about them. It’s easy to support a cause publicly, but what are you actually doing to help? The issues we face, poverty, inequality, are everywhere, and sometimes I think it’s more important to start close to home and look at what you can do in your own community.

whynow: It’s a delicate balance. On a personal note, you’ve spent time in some very different places, like Egypt. How did that experience shape you, both personally and creatively?

Oscar Jerome: I’ve spent some time in Egypt, and that’s definitely had a huge impact on me. Seeing how people there live, how their spirituality is such a huge part of their daily life. It’s something you don’t really experience growing up here. People greet each other with “salaam alaikum,” they pray five times a day. It’s all so connected to a higher way of being. It made me reflect a lot on how disconnected we are from that here. It was a humbling experience, and it definitely influenced my music.

whynow: That’s fascinating. Did being in Egypt influence your creativity or the way you think about music?

Oscar Jerome: For sure. I’ve been listening to a lot of oud music, and that’s really influenced my guitar playing. The microtonal sounds, the way it feels ancient. It really speaks to me. There’s a melancholy to it, but also a beauty. And just connecting with creatives from a different culture is something I really value. In the UK, we often think the best creatives have to be in places like London or New York, but I met some incredible photographers, musicians, and artists in Cairo. They’ve got their own thing going on, and it’s something I really respect.



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