Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo’s “Savage Love” was one of the biggest songs of 2020 – hitting
No. 1 in more than 15 countries, sparking a viral TikTok dance and even a remix from
BTS.
I made it in July when just I came home from school one day.
I was only 16 when I just first started making beats and all that.
High schooler Joshua Nanai, better known as Jawsh 685, had no idea he’d made a global
hit when he produced the beat from his bedroom in Manurewa, New Zealand.
Genius News spoke to Jawsh 685 about how he brought the music of his neighborhood streets
to catch on around the world.
It was just last year in February. That's when I started playing around, making beats
just for fun on the side of school.
When Jawsh made the beat, he wasn’t trying to make a hit. He was actually making a "siren jam,"
a beat blasted through actual sirens...
...and used in siren battles to outdo competitors’ car or bike sound systems.
When the beat's about to drop on a song, they wait and as soon as the beat drops, they flip
the switch... so it just blasts on beat.
The style of music is a thriving part of youth culture in New Zealand and Australia, especially
among its many Polynesian communities.
You've got like Afro in it, you've got Moombahton, you've got Reggae. You've got a bunch of different
vibes and different styles combined to make a siren jam.
Jawsh is his music to bring attention to his own Samoan and Cook Island community and culture,
even with the number in his stage name, Jawsh 685, which is the calling code of Samoa.
A lot of people like to talk down on my area and all that.
I like to take the name up and put it on the higher pedestal, as much as I can.
Just five months into his beat-making hobby, after school one day, Jawsh uploaded a track
to his YouTube titled “Laxed (Siren Beat)”
I just thought I'd call it “Laxed” because it was relaxed.
It was someone else who uploaded the track to TikTok.
My mates were all messaging me “Look, your song is starting to blow
up on TikTok” and all that.
There, “Laxed” became the theme song of the “Culture Dance” with users celebrating
their heritage in traditional clothing and choreo synced to Jawsh’s beat.
Me, repping my culture at the same time, and just seeing my song blow up with people representing
theirs was just a blessing.
Jimmy Fallon, J-Lo, Lizzo, just seeing it was shocking,
so it just had me acting like a little fan boy.
Still, despite the attention his track was getting, Jawsh wasn’t getting the props
he deserved.
This other lady that had uploaded it, it wasn't me.
It said it was her use sound and all that, so no one really knew who I was.
As it grew, the instrumental caught the attention of a popular singer turned big-time TikTok
influencer.
Jason Derulo, I think he just came across it.
and just saw it blowing up, just wanted to put his own little twist to it.
I was able to track him down.
I was like, “I love the beat. I want to create a whole song to it.”
That’s how “Laxed –Siren Beat” became “Savage Love.”
The problem was that Derulo teased his new version of the track initially without crediting
Jawsh, which upset many fans online.
Reports say Derulo was already in talks to do a remix, but quote, “didn’t wait for
a sign-off and went ‘rogue.’”
I was pretty excited, but at the same time I was like, "Aw, man."
I didn't know he was going to release it that early, but just still glad on how it turned
out, to be honest.
Luckily, Derulo put out his version right as Jawsh was finalizing his contract with
Columbia, one of the many labels who tracked down Jawsh when his beat went viral.
They made sure Jawsh 685 and the title of his song were properly attributed across TikTok.
Derulo’s version of the song also received an official release.
Was it really important for you to get your name as one of the artist names, next to Jason?
Yeah, yeah, for sure. I made sure my name was on before his. Yeah.
The song went No. 1 on the Hot 100.
“Savage Love” has already been streamed more than a billion times and is 2020’s
top song on TikTok.
When it came time to shoot the music video, Jawsh used it as another opportunity to rep
where he's from.
Representing my cultures, representing my area, my neighborhood, had my friends and
my family in my video. Everything that I liked and loved and grew up around
all into one video, so I could take it to the world.
“Savage Love” went so global that even BTS, the biggest in K-Pop, did a remix.
More than anywhere, Jawsh has become a star in his South Auckland hometown.
It's just funny and pretty shocking that out of nowhere people want to have photos of you
going out in public.
A lot of teachers are more nicer now.
In September, Jawsh released another high-profile collaboration with electronic pop singer Lauv
and rapper Tyga called “Sweet & Sour.”
After a life-changing breakthrough in the industry, Jawsh’s proudest moment is achieving
a long-time goal unrelated to music.
Buy my family a home. Yeah. That's probably the first thing I've
ever wanted to do, even before all this music thing blew up. I was planning to just do what?
Like warehouse work.
That was my biggest achievement
for me, just getting a house for my family.
You're on that real rapper lifestyle now, you got your mom a house, man.
That's incredible, man. Good for you!
Thank you, man.
I’m Russel Abad with Genius News, bringing you the meaning and the knowledge behind the music.