Podcast Summary: All Of It (WNYC) — Jordan Rakei Previews His New Album, 'The Loop'
Date: April 17, 2024
Host: Kusha Navadar (in for Alison Stewart)
Guest: Jordan Rakei, New Zealand-Australian musician

Overview

This episode of All Of It shines a spotlight on celebrated soul-jazz-R&B musician Jordan Rakei as he previews his upcoming fifth studio album, The Loop (releasing May 10, 2024). The discussion explores fatherhood as artistic inspiration, the challenges and joys of balancing music-making with parenting, and Rakei's deliberate pursuit of vulnerability and raw acoustic musicianship in his latest work.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Album Concept: The Cycle of Parenthood

[03:07–04:27]

• Meaning of "The Loop":
  Rakei explains the album is a meditation on the cycle of life and parenthood, inspired directly by becoming a father:

  “The whole album was a story about my reflection on my parents and my reflection of becoming a new father. … It’s like the cycle of life. We’re sort of rolling through this life, and, you know, my child might have a child, that child might have a child, and we’re just sort of on this journey, and I’m surrendering to that moment.” (Jordan Rakei, 03:11)

• Genesis of the Album:
  The birth of his son prompted Rakei to take four months off, during which the initial themes and songwriting began. The creative process solidified around fatherhood and vulnerability.

  “After writing the fifth, sixth, seventh song, it became clear that the whole album was going to be about sort of me becoming a father and me learning about all elements of parenthood.” (Jordan Rakei, 04:15)

Creative Challenges: Vulnerability & Acoustic Realism

[04:27–06:16]

• Self-Imposed Rules:
  Rakei set two primary challenges:

  • To be as “vulnerable and honest as possible” in lyrics and storytelling.
  • To embrace acoustic, live instruments and real-time performances, moving away from the computerized, “regimented” sound of contemporary music.

  “I really wanted to embrace acoustic instruments again in a room … live energy again, because I feel like music these days … can become very computerized, and I want[ed] to sort of humanize music for me.” (Jordan Rakei, 04:44)

• New Techniques:

  • Avoided using click tracks, letting tempo shift naturally.

  • Swapped synthesizers for natural orchestras and horn sections to achieve a more “acoustic sound.”

    “I was just trying to basically create the most acoustic sound I could.” (Jordan Rakei, 05:43)

Song Preview: "Learning"

[06:16–08:15]

• The track “Learning” showcases a “heart-tugging orchestral section” and “haunting choral backup” (per KCRW). Lyrics and arrangement reflect the album’s core themes.

Fatherhood’s Impact on Music & Life

[08:47–11:32]

• Personal Change:
  Fatherhood has “calibrated” his motivations:

  “…Having a son sort of really calibrated my mindset, being like, I only have to really … be myself to … if you know what I mean, other than. Obviously other than my wife. But it’s like being more true and honest was a big thing.” (Jordan Rakei, 08:52)

• Work-Life Balance:
  Rakei juggles creative work with childcare, using boundaries and routines to ensure active presence with his family and efficient songwriting.

  “...when the day had ended. On the music side of things, there was. I wasn’t allowed to think about it or do any emails ... I really just wanted to try and live that hybrid lifestyle … like, creating those boundaries and routines really helped me.” (Jordan Rakei, 10:25)

Exploring Vulnerability in Songwriting

[11:32–13:09]

• Rakei recounts writing a deeply personal song tracing his life, love, and fatherhood, describing the struggle and catharsis of confronting open vulnerability.

  “...When I was singing them, I was getting, like, emotional and thinking I’d never really had that experience before ... when I wrote it, I felt so connected to the song … And then I had this sort of epiphany like, oh, damn, this has to be released and now shared …” (Jordan Rakei, 11:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Revisiting Musical Roots

[15:41–16:40]

• Rakei advises listeners to dig into music’s past:

  “If you’re struggling for new music, go and research your idol’s influences… there’s so much music backwards sometimes you’re looking for new music a lot, but there’s so much old music to discover...” (Jordan Rakei, 15:41)

Influence of Musical Idols

• Mentions growing up on D’Angelo and discovering influences like Prince, Sly & The Family Stone, and Parliament-Funkadelic as a way to trace musical lineage.

Live Performance & NYC Plans

[21:16–21:50]

• Rakei expresses excitement about his upcoming tour and plans to return to New York, accepting an invitation to perform at WNYC’s Studio 5.

  “Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. Any track you want me to play, any setup, we’ll do it for sure.” (Jordan Rakei, 21:43)

Musical Excerpts Highlighted

[02:12] – “Mind's Eye” (brief sample from earlier work, ’Origins’, 2019)
[06:58] – “Learning” (from The Loop; orchestral/choral arrangement)
[14:35] – “Freedom” (upbeat, choir- and clap-driven track about inner child and liberation)
[17:09] – “Friend or Foe” (brass-laden, 60s/70s influences)
[22:11] – “Flowers” (segment played to close the interview)

Other Key Segments and Timestamps

• [18:36] — Rakei discusses his first instrument: “It was piano … my neighbor was going to get rid of it and my dad just asked if we could have it … that was the start of it all.”
• [18:55–19:53] — Talks about playing multiple instruments and value in self-producing his albums.
• [19:53–21:12] — Lessons from moving internationally; the “London attitude” of collaboration and releasing work regularly without perfectionistic delay.

In Jordan Rakei’s Own Words

“Having a son sort of really calibrated my mindset, being like, I only have to really … be myself.” (08:52)
“I really wanted to embrace acoustic instruments again … because I feel like music these days … can become very computerized, and I wanted to sort of humanize music for me.” (04:44)
“If you’re struggling for new music, go and research your idol’s influences.” (15:41)

Summary:
This engaging interview traces how Jordan Rakei’s transition into fatherhood fuses with his creative evolution, resulting in a new album that foregrounds vulnerability, the warmth of acoustic collaboration, and reconnection with the cycles of life. Rakei’s thoughtful insights on artistic process, work-life balance, and musical discovery make this episode a compelling listen for fans and newcomers alike.