Austen Jux-Chandler shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Austen, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Honestly, I’d like to say I’m an up at 4am-hit the gym-cold plunge-protein smoothie person ….but I’m just not that guy….I don’t want to “attack” my day.
I prefer a slower, smoother start. On a good day I’ll try to read/meditate for a short while before making coffee and taking my dog for a walk. But whatever I do I try and keep my phone away from me for as long as possible – I feel like I need a moment to work out my own thoughts before I get inundated with what the rest of the world wants me to think about.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
So first and foremost, I’m a Music Producer; specifically a Vocal Producer, which means my focus is on the artist, their voice, and how that’s presented. It’s a role that’s grown naturally through my work with vocalists like Adele and Lady Gaga.
Generally speaking, it’s the classic role of what most people would just call a “producer” but in a landscape where so much of the music is built using pre-made instrumentals sent in remotely, the specificity of “Vocal Producer” was a moniker that made sense to me.
Alongside that, I (almost inevitably) also DJ – though not in the traditional club sense. I started DJing at fitness competitions and gyms, mainly because I felt the music in those spaces wasn’t living up to its potential. For me, music isn’t just background noise – it drives everything I do, which includes training. So I started playing sets at my own gym, and the response was immediately really positive.
So much so that it directly inspired the launch of THE JUMP – a music-driven fitness and social event I launched this year. It brings the energy of a great night out into the daytime. It’s part workout, part day party, part mixer – designed to bring people together through music, movement, and community.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I think the simplest answer to this, from my own experience, is communication.
It feels like the thing that’s always lead to friction or the breakdown of a relationship when it’s missing – but when it’s good, it’s the thing that seems to be the basis for some of the strongest and deepest relationships I’ve had.
This feels like a universal truth whether the relationship is personal or professional.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
of course….I’m a freelancer in a highly competitive vocational career….there’s no definitive route to succeed, no HR department, no real goalposts to measure progress, a lot of opportunities for people to take advantage of you, or for you to make yourself vulnerable….so yes, during various difficult moments I have of course almost “given up.”
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
That more data/research/science will convince people of the truth.
People need human stories and a means to connect to what the data means and how it actually impacts them.
Numbers are meaningless if they don’t have context.
Storytelling is what shifts power.
Right now we’re seeing a global shift towards a different version of the world than I imagined/hoped I’d be living through because certain factions are much more adept at telling “stories” than others, and the opposition are not wise enough to grasp that.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
That I was somebody looking to build community and bring people together on a local scale with small gatherings of close friends, a regional scale with curated social events through THE JUMP and across a more global scale through music.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.austenjc.com
- Instagram: austenjc + thejump.movement
- Other: https://mixcloud.com/austenjc
Image Credits
Kylie Wong
Alessandro Bordoni
Jack Levick
