I don’t think there’s an 80’s kid in South Africa who hasn’t screamed along to a JUST JINJER track at some point in their youth. Before the scene was the scene, before the Bellville explosion, before MTV, JUST JINJER was defining local music.

In fact, they still are.

They’re back with more insight, more honesty and more experience. Ladies and gentlemen, a round of applause for the return of Just Jinjer.

What was it like reuniting as a creative unit after such a long time apart?

We may have been busy with our individual goals and lives for the last few years since returning from our 6-year stint in the USA but we were never really apart or absent in each other’s lives. Coming together as a unified creative force for this album, was inspiring and euphoric and made us remember why we started doing it all in the first place.

'Wonderful world' has a very clear message of exploration – is this tied to your experiences as individuals and as a band?

You could say that, yes. It also has a broad scope look on how technology has become our lives, as opposed to simply aiding it. Taking time to 'stop and smell the roses' is essential to finding a deeper joy and fulfilment than what your phone’s screen can offer.

Few artists achieve the level of international exposure you have. What has the highlight of the band’s illustrious journey thus far been?

We have had a charmed career with many profound highlights. Picking one would be extremely hard! Without diminishing the countless other important moments, I’d have to say performing with U2 ranks up there!

The new album is almost here – what can we expect?

We hope that the people who hear this album, whether they are already fans or yet to be fans, will feel a real emotional connection and have an inspired response to these songs. The sound is arguably the freshest of our career, thus far, and we couldn’t be prouder!

How have you balanced familiarity with innovation as your sound has progressed?

That’s a great question. Once a band has had success, true creation becomes harder to implement because you become fearful of many factors. For the most part, good bands have a ‘sound' and no matter how far you try to push the stylistic and artistic boundaries, the essence will still shine through.

You’re launching the new album in London – is there a South African tour on the cards?

Absolutely! For all the details, please visit (and like) us on all the major social media platforms. Our universal handle is justjinjer. (Remember, all J’s.)

Do you still get that same thrill performing your older material?

We feel that we have made pretty timeless music, based on strong songwriting and musicianship, so it is easy to tap into the emotion of the songs every time because our audiences definitely do… whether they’ve been fans since the ’90s or just discovered us. 

What’s your favourite lyric off the new album?

“and if you love anyone, you may as well love yourself”

Your sound has inspired and touched a generation of people. What would you like to say to your almost uniquely loyal fans?

There are no words that could aptly articulate the depth of our gratitude for the career that our fans have afforded us. We hope that this album, and the albums that follow, will serve as a joyous gift and a humble ‘thank you’ from the 3 of us. Your support has carried us around the globe and we are forever grateful!

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