Words by Aaliyah Lambert
Indie Rock collides with Rap as Tommy Newport and Toronto rap legend Jazz Cartier drop an electric genre-bending single, “Jackpot.” Known for his enticing falsetto-steeped indie anthems, Newport showcases his musical fluidity by merging two sounds into a tune that takes one on a euphoric listening experience. “Jackpot” begins with Newport’s eccentric voice singing: “Ooh, I, yes, I’m in love / You know I can feel it, feel it enough,” setting listeners up for a passionate song about a romance as he goes on to sing: “This life is tooth decay / We’re watchin’ you wither away / The livin’ is sweet in L.A / We’re makin it through the days,” hinting at a paralleled relationship with Los Angeles and the luck it takes to keep that relationship alive.
Cartier slides in on verse two with a melodic flow over the psychedelic pop basslines adding to the essence of the vibey tune. The matchup between Newport and Cartier doesn’t come as a surprise to the duo considering their long-standing relationship. Newport explains, “Jazz was there for my first show ever at the Fonda in LA and was introduced to me by 4th Pyramid from day 1 so it felt like creating something together has been in the books for a while. I’ve always loved the idea of merging indie/rock and rap ever since hearing Mark Ronson pairing Action Bronson and Dan Auerbach together in 2016.”
Newport isn’t new to fusing indie/rock and rap, he collaborated with Grammy nominees EARTHGANG on their track “Stargazer” which can be found on Newport’s 2021 Liquid EP. Newport is bringing inimitable sounds and musical capabilities to the industry as seen with “Jackpot.” He’s making his mark with an impressive catalog and proving himself to be one to watch.