Formula Indie Sessions _ Interview with Jokūbas Jankauskas
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
I remember singing folk songs in preschool. We used to travel around Lithuania for various concerts and singing competitions like “Dainų dainelė 2008” and “Giesk lakštingalėle”. I also had an amazing teacher, Judita, who encouraged me and helped shape the person and artist I am today.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
I wanted to find a way to release my thoughts and emotions. There’s a saying that “paper accepts everything,” and that’s exactly how songwriting feels to me. After writing lyrics, I feel emotionally lighter, almost like an empty plate. Most of the time, I write sitting next to my piano — that’s where it all began.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Currently, I’m working with Medonas on a song called “Laikyk.” It’s about love, hope, and holding on to the people you care about, even when everything feels hopeless. The song also touches on false hope, emotional struggles, and battles with addiction from both perspectives in a relationship.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
I’d describe my sound like a sauce that tastes different every time you try it. I’m going through a musical journey both emotionally and stylistically, constantly exploring what feels most authentic to me. My album Vidaus Oazė was mostly classical rock, then I experimented with electronic music for Eurovision Song Contest. Also electro-folk project together with Uraganius. Right now, I’m leaning more toward pop and pop-rock.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
I realized that just because I understand the meaning behind my songs doesn’t mean everyone else will. Because of that, I try to write more direct and relatable lyrics instead of relying too heavily on metaphors that people can easily get lost in.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
Piano, a laptop, and my notes are the essentials. I usually start acoustically, writing melodies and lyrics on my own, and then producers come in later with the software and production side of the process.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
Good Thing by SURE SURE.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
Mostly through my lyrics and my understanding of the music business. In university, I probably learned more about what not to do than what to do. Meeting new people, discovering different songs and styles, and working with various artists taught me not to be too narrow-minded or believe that my own opinion is always the right one.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
I hope listeners take away positive emotions — the kind that help them get through difficult periods, including withdrawals not only from substances, but also from relationships and emotional attachment. For me, music is like visual art: people take from it what they need most at that moment. In a way, I see it similarly to how religion can be interpreted — everyone finds their own meaning and comfort in it.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Music has taught me to observe and perceive the world more deeply. To look at things from different perspectives and notice details that might seem unimportant at first glance, but actually carry a lot of meaning. Those small details are often what help you move forward, both in music and in life.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
I would love to perform on big stages around the world — places like Hyde Park in London, venues in Los Angeles, or stadiums like Dodger Stadium. Big, iconic stages that carry history and energy.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would choose Elton John, John Farnham, Freddie Mercury, and Klaus Meine from Scorpions, among others. These artists have had a huge influence on my musical taste, especially in vocals and emotional delivery. Collaborating with them would be a way to learn from the voices and styles that shaped me as an artist.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links)
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
Find the balance between what i like and what people from my music
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
That deep down inside iam truly empathic
