Keeping travel dreams alive and setting goals has never felt more important. We can all agree that 2020 has been an unfortunate year so far, and almost every facet of daily life has been wrought by this ongoing global pandemic, the start of which now feels like forever ago. The arts has been one of the hardest hit areas, so The AU Review has kickstarted a Q&A series “looking past the pandemic”, encouraging creatives from around the world to share their travel hopes, dreams, and the thoughts or things that are getting them through 2020, while also highlighting essential experiences in their own country.
Jaguar Jonze (Brisbane, Australia)
The swift, percussive rush of “Deadalive”, the latest single from Brissy musician Jaguar Jonze, is much more upbeat than the situation that inspired it. And it’s not a situation that’s particularly exclusive to the beloved artist either; since the world world has gone through, and is going through it. With the COVID-19 pandemic pulling the collective rug flush out from under us, the feeling of being halfway between dead and alive is something hyper-relatable, and it just so happens it’s being met with one of the Jonze’s finest pieces of work to date. And if it’s more dramatic than you expect – that’s by design; Jonze actually caught COVID and was hospitalized, during which she finished writing the song, which is why it has that extra, palpable layer of anxiety. Luckily, she’s recovered, and has even since become the face – along with fellow Aussies Becca Hatch and Tarah Jane Scott – of Reebok’s latest “Not Your Princess” campaign, a sequel of sorts to their bold, brave and boundary-breaking “It’s a Woman’s World” campaign from 2001.
We caught up with Jaguar Jonez to look past the pandemic.
When travel opens up completely, the first place in Australia I’m going is…
Sydney, it’s my second home and I terribly miss the food and the people.
Three spots in Australia I think everyone should visit at least once in their life…
Whitsunday Islands
Uluru
Rottnest Island
Whenever I have a visitor in my city/town and I want to show them a good night out, the first place I take them is…
The Beat in Fortitude Valley, that’s a historic place of so, so, so much fun no matter your sexuality
We’d end the night at….
Brunswick St, outside McDonalds, demanding fresh hot chips and trading chicken nuggets with others on the street where everyone tends to end up after a night out in Brisbane.
Most memorable thing I’ve eaten on the road…
Camel pie, I didn’t even think that was a thing.
The one international venue I’ve always wanted to play….
The one international destination I’m yet to visit but have always dreamed of…
The three things or thoughts that are getting me through this pandemic….
Internet
Creativity
That it is just a little bit of suffering to save a whole lot of suffering
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For more on Jaguar Jonze head to her Facebook here, and to learn more about Reebok’s Not Your Princess campaign head here.
