Art+ Staff
Rising electronic artist, Jacob Mendoza who goes by the monicker “ThirstKid” releases a new single “Wake Up” featuring Chris Azanza of The Great Dane.
The song “Wake Up!” reminds to take breaks from thinking about the things we can’t control, or simply to wake up on time before class begins. How the single came to be gives us a peek into the personal life of this young artist.
“During my last college semester (cut short by the pandemic), my roommate, KDV and I, would always run to our morning class because we would wake up late and/or leave the condo 10 mins before class. This inspired me to write the lyrics to the song. Wake Up! was originally part of a 4-track EP entitled “Child of Tanha” that I produced for my college thesis,” ThirstKid shares.
Unlike his previous electronic singles which only contain vocal samples, “Wake Up!” features original lyrics and involved recording vocals by Chris Azanza of The Great Dane who co-wrote the single together with the artist.
Art+ chats with “ThirstKid” to get to know more about the artist.
Art+: Tell us little bit about yourself?
Jacob Mendoza: I am Jacob Mendoza, a 21-year old Producer and DJ who creates downtempo house music inspired by the ambiance of the country’s beaches. Taking inspiration from musicians such as FKJ, Bob Marley, and Jack Johnson, I try to bring as much diversity to my tracks in what I like to describe as “tie-dyed sounds”, in hopes of breaking the boundaries of mainstream music in the Philippines and the putting the country’s music scene on the map worldwide.
A+: For people who don’t know you, what have you done the past year/s in order to build up to now?
JM: Well, last September 2019 was the first time I officially released an original track titled ‘Tryna Fine’. For around six years, I have been DJing mainly in house parties, college events, and bars but eventually continued to play in clubs such as XX XX, The Apartment, Nokal, and Mao’s Den occasionally. 2019 was really a big year for me as I also founded an independent record label with my three other friends, called Know So.
A+: Where do you get inspiration from?
JM: I get a lot of inspiration from local artists and friends from UNKNWN, Transit Records, Contrast, Logiclub, BuwanBuwan Collective, Liga, and Orange Juice. Being a record label owner and producer myself, I share the same vision with them to push the local music scene by creating diversity while ensuring the quality of the music stays true to the artist.
A+: How did the name “ThirstKid” come about?
JM: I had to decide a name last minute before this rooftop party I hosted, and thought of two characteristics that describe me, which were: Thirsty and Childlike. However, it also has another meaning – it is a reminder that we’re all just kids thirsty and yearning for something.
A+: What kind of artist do you aspire to be?
JM: As long as I get to be an inspiration for positive change to others with a balance of having fun and being true to myself – okay na yun.
Listen to ThirstKid’s single here.
Follow ThirstKid:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thirstkid/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirstkid/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thirstkid
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/78YBWiXUTfUvA87nv9AUye?si=4gC2JWqIQT6arMwkNOAqCw
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j76gBFJ0wVE&list=PL0iLVu9Nm_zjSJIyu1PSgo0aG2VRWestx
