Here is a short and by no means exhaustive list of 9lives collaborators: jnhygs; Kanii, on multiple occasions; Odetari; Trippie Redd; and Lil Nas X.
That’s a crew of co-signs that would make a seasoned veteran proud, but 9lives is barely out of his teens, attracting those big names to his side before he can legally drink in the US. Add in the fact that he hails from the musical backwater of Hawke’s Bay, not a spot exactly well-known for its electronic and hip-hop scenes, and you’ve got a young producer defying the odds.
But is he really though? Because the rapid rise of 9lives – otherwise known as Max Jardine – is a Gen Z success story, and a global success story too.
His bedroom beats have Platinum-selling rappers and multiple Grammy winners from the other side of the world falling over themselves to work with him; his future-facing production has tapped into a truly innovative sound, one which could only have been born out of this hyper-digital age, created by an eager musician soaking up the infinite sonic inspirations afforded to him at the flick of a button.
In just a few years, 9lives has racked up outrageous streaming figures, with multiple tracks being played hundreds of millions of times on Spotify alone. (His current most-streamed track, the Odetari collab “I LOVE YOU HOE,” has 250 million+ plays and counting.)
When he added to his growing collection of co-signs with the Rico Nasty-featuring “my way” (Kanii is also on the track) just last week, it’s quickly blasted past 300K Spotify streams. These aren’t normal figures for most artists, but they’re becoming the norm for 9lives.
When we compiled our ‘Future of Music’ series this year, selecting 25 of the most exciting artists from Australia and Aotearoa we believed were destined for the very top, 9lives just had to be included. Some of his peers may have had more publicity, some of his rivals may have had a more extensive discography, but none could compete with his remarkable consistency and ridiculous numbers.
“Did you know that one of the 2020’s most innovative artists hails from humble Hawke’s Bay? […] 9lives has caught the attention of US stars like Trippie Redd and Odetari… While the current ‘Big 3’ of rap bitterly bicker about their talent in a very public way, 9lives and the new generation of producers quietly go about their business, dropping endless streaming behemoths,” we wrote at the time.
Big collabs are nothing new to 9lives, and now big stages are arriving for him too.
Before a European tour next month, he’ll headline the third and final night of Rolling Stone House at SXSW Sydney this Friday, October 18th, ensuring our event goes out in style.
An air of mystery still surrounds 9lives, but some lucky fans are going to see why the hype is deserved up close this week.
To celebrate his forthcoming Rolling Stone House performance, we caught up with 9lives to find out more about his life, music, and inspirations. Read the full interview below.
SXSW Sydney badge holders will have priority access to Rolling Stone House, which opens its doors from October 16th-18th, in partnership with American Apparel, Cholula and Vinyl.com.
If you’re keen to experience the whole event and receive priority access, consider purchasing a badge or wristband here or register your interest for the guest list here.
9lives’ “my way” (ft. Rico Nasty & Kanii) is out now.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: Where did you grow up in New Zealand? And where are you based these days?
9lives: I grew up in Hastings, a small beach town on the east coast. It was chill living there but I was missing out on the urban city life. At the start of 2022 I decided to move up to Auckland, one of the biggest cities in New Zealand. I’ve been living there since!
What music were you exposed to growing up? Who were your favourite artists?
I grew up listening to whatever music my parents had playing in the house. A lot of gospel music, CeCe Winans, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston; the legends. My favourite artists as a kid were Michael Jackson, Daft Punk, Twista, Bow Wow, Kanye, The Neptunes; the list goes on.
Your numbers on streaming are incredible. Is that something you pay attention to?
I try not to as I don’t want it to influence how I perceive my music. I feel that people start seeing music purely as a job, but I want to continue seeing it as a source of fun and freedom as well. I see the numbers more as a personal achievement to show that I’m growing and evolving as a musician.
How does it feel to be on a remix with Trippie Redd?
Surreal. To be honest, I have listened to him a lot over the past few years in high school, and it is almost unbelievable that I have songs with him now. It’s always a weird feeling meeting and working with people that inspired or influenced you, so it’s hard to describe in words.
Did you get to meet him in person? If so, what was that like?
I did! I had a couple studio sessions with him in late September [2023], where we made some crazy songs together in Miami. I still can’t fathom the fact that I kicked it with him in person, but I’m blessed that I had the opportunity to. Meeting Trippie was a crazy feeling – it felt like meeting a childhood hero. Definitely one of the coolest experiences in my life.
And what about Odetari? When and how did you first link up with the Houston artist?
I met Odetari in late June [2023]! It was cool because I talked to him online for a while beforehand, so it was almost like meeting a friend. We met through our management reaching out to each other, which led to me and Odetari talking through DMs. He’s an amazing dude; super down to earth and cool to hang with.
Who’s on your dream collaborator list?
There’s too many to list! I’d love to work with my childhood legends: Pharrell, Kanye, Andre 3000, Zaytoven, the late Nujabes… the list goes on. Obviously my musical inspirations have changed quite a bit, so recently I’ve been listening to a lot of BNYX, Hardrock, a lot of K-Pop, Clara La San, Erykah Badu, ICYTWAT; all of whom I want to work with.
How important are visuals/fashion in your music and style?
I feel like music and fashion go hand in hand, from hip-hop and baggy clothes, punk and skinny jeans, even trap and street wear. I feel like my style is very chic and simple, but also a little bit mysterious and dark, which I think conveys my music style. Visuals are also very important as it attaches an aesthetic to the music. It paints a better picture in people’s heads as to what you want them to see and feel.
Tell us about “my way,” your new collab with Rico Nasty and Kanii. What’s this one about?
“My way” is a song for the younger generation, specifically the club scene. It has a Jersey bounce and it’s definitely going to get the youth moving. When I was in the studio with Rico I felt she would slide on this ethereal production because she’s fire in that melodic pocket. It feels to me that Rico is talking about her ex and that nothing is going to get in her way from moving on. I feel this is empowering for anyone who’s going through something right now.
Are you looking forward to playing Rolling Stone House at SXSW Sydney?
HELL YEA!
Have you spent much time in Sydney before? Anything you’re keen to do while you’re over there next week?
It’s my first time! I’ve been enjoying it so far, reminds me of Auckland a little bit. Always love shopping and eating so if you have any recommendations throw them my way!
If you were DJ’ing the biggest event of your life, which three songs would be at the top of your setlist?
“Location” – Playboi Carti
“MGMT” – Electric Feel
“Around the World” – Daft Punk
What does the rest of 2024 look like for you? Any releases/shows planned?
Europe tour!!! Heading over around mid/end of November, and I’m super excited to explore and play shows!
What’s coming up for you in 2025? If you could achieve one career goal next year, what would it be?
2025 feels like it will have a lot in store, to be honest, and I’m just gonna jump in head first. I want to collab with more artists that I like around the world, work on video game soundtracks, and play shows to fans around the world – it’s been wild to see where people have been listening from. One top career goal though: A.G Cook collab 🙂
