Boy band star Jordi Webber launches post-Titanium solo career

Jordi Webber says receiving a grant from New Zealand On Air has been a huge confidence boost.

Casting his boy band days behind him, Jordi Webber is preparing to launch his first solo single thanks to a funding grant from New Zealand On Air.

Webber, who shot to fame as a member of boy-band Titanium, is releasing his first single on September 30 thanks to a funding grant.

Speaking to the Rotorua Daily Post Webber said he had been busy writing and was thrilled to have his single coming out.

"I have been writing a lot. I want to start doing my own music."

He said the grant made it much easier to record the single and video. New Zealand On Air provided him with $8000 and he had to put up the extra $2000.

"It was a good leg up. "

He said it was also a good confidence boost, after some time out of the spotlight since he left Titanium.

"It's letting me know I can still do this."

It will be released on September 30.

"A lot of the music is real electronic and real new and all done on computers. I really wanted to take it back and include old school music."

He described his new single as funk with a Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake sound.

"A lot of my money and energy and time has gone into it.

"I really wanted to brand myself as an artist. It is the first time people will really see me on my own."

Webber said his goal with the new single was to make it on to the New Zealand iTunes chart.

"I'm very excited. I guess I am feeling confident. I'd like to chart but I'm not focused on the money."

He said it was a transition coming from the band "where everything was handed to us" to making it on his own and "fending for myself".

"It's a little bit like punching in the dark."

He said one of the biggest skills he'd learnt was the value of networking with anyone and everyone, and taking all the advice and information given on board.

Webber said he had also just landed a role in a US television series, although was unable to provide any more details.

"I always wanted to act but opportunities took me more musically."

Webber said to have both opportunities come up at the same time was a balancing act.

"It would have been nice to have them a bit spread out."

He said the two opportunities were a testament to his belief that when you put "everything in" you got the reward.

Titanium was formed in 2012 from the winners of The Edge radio station's competition to create New Zealand's first boy band.

In 2014 the group was named as one of the country's most promising musical acts by American website Billboard.com in an article titled Happy New Zealand Day! 10 NZ Artists Who Could Make A Lorde-Like Leap.

However Webber left the band at the end of 2014.