DOWNLOAD EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: EUGENE OF JINJER

CHARLOTTE: Welcome to Download! You’ve literally just come off stage, and this is your second time here, so how’s it been so far? And is it any different to the last time you were here?

EUGENE: It’s a special day today. It’s a special day. I’m sorry I just cannot hold my emotions, but, I think what happened today is way above everything we achieved before, because, a couple of minutes we started the set, there was James Hek waiting for our set to star, and then Lars showed up and then, and then I was playing, I think the third song of the setlist and I turned to the right and I saw Rob watching and it was something absolutely extraordinary. Extraordinary. Yeah. And then just realizing all these people, thousands of people in front of me download and main stage download feels different from everything else because of the, a bit of empathy at the shape of everything around. So you can really see how many people are there and damn, it’s a special day. Incredible.

C: Of course! Download is just one of the many appearances that you’ve made this year. I know you’ve been touring quite a lot this year already and supporting Bullet For My Valentine and Atreyu. What have been some of the highlights for you? So obviously Download today has been a pretty big one, but from some of the previous performances this year?

E: We just came here from, uh, Rockham Park and Rock and Ring, and it’s another pinnacle in the Korea ever musician who manages to get there. So, uh, and, uh, if we’re talking, let’s say about four, let’s say four or five biggest festival experiences so far, for me personally, so it’ll be download today, it’ll be a rock and ring in rock and park, and hell fest.

C: Incredible. Wow. And touring with Bullet For My Valentine and Atreyu, how was that experience?

E: Great experience, fantastic people, just awesome shows, especially here in the UK because we didn’t have a chance to tour around the UK since 2019 because of Covid and various visa issues. So after four years, coming back here and playing for such huge amounts of people was definitely super cool. Super cool.

C: Am I right saying you were granted special exsemption to exit Ukraine in order to perform?

E: Yeah, this is the deal. Let’s say we make money and we donate. This is how it works. We donate in favour of people who are in need at the moment. And I don’t know if it really matters, but really we were able to a accumulate and send exactly what is needed at the moment.

C: I know that you did some merch to help towards your fundraising. What were the kind of things did you do?

E: That’s exactly what we did during the first week of war. We didn’t hesitate, we have a huge fan base, worldwide, and people are so dedicated to the music of Jinjer that they just cannot stay indifferent. And this is what happened. We set up this charity design online, for sale and within a couple of days we made tons of money. I think it was 130,000 euros or something like that. Yeah. Just during the first days.

C: That’s incredible. And what is your view and opinion of how it’s progressing and where we’re at now?

E: It’s very hard for me to speak about this, especially considering what happened just a couple of days ago in Nova region. I am devastated to be honest. Cause nobody’s seen the end of this. And this is the most horrible thing. The longer it lasts, the more disasters like the dam devastation will happen. And it’s just, it’s all happening on the land of my country and average people are suffering. And again, seeing no end to this is, is the most horrible,

C: I’m so sorry. Like you said, you’ve got the support of worldwide fanbase….

E: And we, and we are doing our best to direct this support to Ukraine.

C: An amazing thing to do for your country. In brighter lights, has this influencedor encouraged any new music from you?
Honestly, we never stopped writing music. It seems like during the first months of war and later on, when things kind of come down in the capitol, we wrote a bunch of songs. I wrote a couple of songs. So we already have most of the upcoming album already. And of course, it’s a thing which you cannot avoid. It’s there, it’s always on your mind. You even being out of Ukraine far away from the things happening, you are connected to this. You cannot avoid this. It’s always there. It’s a thing which we go to bed and which we wake up with and it just keeps drilling you, keeps drilling you constantly. And, uh, it, it, it of course has an impact on music. Yeah.

C: So it’s given you more of a push to be creative?

E: You can, you cannot scream standing in the middle of the street, let’s say. Yeah, Everybody will consider you to be going nuts. But it’s how we fail and the only reasonable way to direct these emotions is music.

C: When can we look forward to this new music?
It’s hard to say, let us finish the touring and then, then it comes to studio. Yeah.

C: And where are you off next on your tour?
We are going to France tomorrow. After tomorrow is a show in Lil, if I’m not mistaken. Yeah, we’re playing in Lil and then up to the end of June we will be touring around Europe, various festivals in the middle of July we start a tour with Disturbed around the US. So, touring, potentially music, all that kinda stuff for the rest of the year. That’s our plans.

C: Well Eugene, thank so much for your time.

E: You’re welcome

Interview Conducted by Charlotte Hooper