Planets align for Jupiter Project

With the chorus of their soon-to-be-released song Catch Me firmly lodged in my head, I spy the pair that isJupiter Project sitting at the entrance to newly established eatery Imperial Lane in downtown Auckland.

Fresh off a flight from Christchurch where they played to a packed crowd of Canterbury University students, Marty Rich and Correia still manage to look upbeat. And so they should, given they've just received news their second round of funding from NZ on Air has been confirmed and their first video - filmed in West Auckland - is about to be aired on Channel Four.

The duo met in 2009 while Marty was studying to become a chiropractor and Correia a lawyer. Despite heavy academic schedules, the then-students bonded over music. "That academic side gets a bit much, so jamming was a good outlet," says Ponsonby resident Marty, who has just graduated.

"I started off with music production, [Correia] has a whole different take on things with his metal background. It's unifying our sound that makes it unique."

And the name? "We just thought it sounded good," Correia says. "It's better than Uranus Project."

Now regulars on the local DJ circuit and part of the line-up at last year's Matakana Highlife festival, they define their sound as an amalgamation of hip-hop, rock, dance and electronic experimentation, influenced in part by their cultural backgrounds.

Tanzania-born Marty's first musical memories were the African sounds of musicians like Manu Dibango. "We moved a lot because of my dad's work, but I've been here four years, I'm pretty Kiwi. ... My first taste of hip-hop was in a taxi with my mum. It was Snoop Dogg. The driver said, 'Hey kid, if you like it that much, take the tape'."

Correia moved here from India when he was 8 and lives in Parnell. As a child, he remembers his parents playing Elvis and Frank Sinatra and, since then, has traipsed through everything from rock to Bollywood to hip-hop. Currently the pair are impressed with local artists like The Naked and Famous, Avalanche City, Alaska and Shotgun Alley.

When it comes to songwriting, they draw inspiration from where they're at in life. "Our music's really personal, it's talking about what we're going through or what we've been through," says Correia.

Their first single, Alive, is about trying to make the most of opportunities, while their next reflects on reaping the benefits of hard work. "We definitely believe in keeping it real," says Marty. "A lot of listeners relate to that."

The pair agree that social media is rapidly changing the way music is accessed and consumed. "The consumption rate of music is just so much higher," says Correia.

After pushing their music out into cyberspace, they were discovered by Rebel Rock Entertainment USA - producers of Beyonce, Kid Cudi and Kanye West - who offered to work with them on their tracks.

And while things look set to get busier for the pair, they are determined to continue working in their chosen fields alongside their music projects.

"I still work in a law firm; it requires a lot of time and energy," says Correia. Marty agrees: "For me, they're both big passions ... They balance each other out."

SPACE TRIP

Jupiter Project is playing Saturday March 10 at Basement Theatre, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland CBD

$10 entry, 8.30pm-midnight.

Tune in to Jupiter Project at www.facebook.com/jupiterproject