Today, Sydney based producer, singer and DJ Karmel Jäger has unleashed her latest single, ‘Nowhere To Go’. The track is an introspective meditation on the loneliness and yearning for communication that many of us felt during the period of isolation.

Jazzy riffs and deep, danceable grooves cradle Jäger’s smoky, frenetic vocals. ‘Nowhere To Go’ is a testament to Karmel Jäger’s ability to confidently and comfortably ebb and flow between deep house, house, minimal, progressive, techno and Rn’B. 

To celebrate the release of the song, we asked Karmel about five of the most important revelations she’s learned through her period of isolation. So pop on the succulent track below and see what she had to say for herself.

Check out ‘Nowhere To Go’ by Karmel Jäger:

The most important relationship is the one you have with yourself

I’m not used to spending this much time with myself. I’ve spent my free time either hanging out with friends or losing myself in the world of music. Despite the countless walks and extra-long chats with friends over the phone during this time, I’ve still had more time with myself than ever before. I‘ve found this pretty confronting tbh and it has forced me to really look at myself and face the things I’ve been able to avoid in the past, purely by keeping busy. The other day a friend told me that we’re supposed to be able to go to a mirror and look at ourselves in the eyes for ten minutes every day.. which just sounds like a total nightmare to me! But it does sound like something worth trying to build up to. I’ve made it to 4 seconds so far! So, I’m not saying I’ve made a particularly impressive amount of progress in this area during this time, but I’ve realised that I want to fully accept and enjoy the person I am, before I take her back out into the world.

You are not your job

Most of us identify very strongly with our work. It’s what we spend most of our time doing and the very first question you ask someone when you meet them is, “So, what do you do?” This period of not working has been really hard for me. I love what I do and I could probably be described as a workaholic. I’ve always made music my career, and even whilst I was building that career I was working in other sectors of the arts. When people ask me what I’ve been doing in isolation, am I working etc, it feels really awful to say that no, I’m not working. Of course, I have actually been working in that I’ve been writing and producing music, working towards releasing my new track and a bunch of other tracks to come, organising my music for potential future DJ sets, with as-yet-unknown dates. But all this time and effort spent doesn’t really count as ‘work’ in the eyes of the world. If my music is well received and money comes in, then sure, it did count as ‘real’ work, retrospectively.. and sometimes this all messes with your head a bit! But whilst all of this is going on, I’m still me. I’m still a person existing and trying to contribute to the world around me, despite not currently being able to quantifiably identify myself as a professional musician. I’m still the same person and have the same values I always have had. I’m hoping that when I’m able to go back to work I will see it in a new light and not let it define me.

Hobbies are valuable

I’d never really considered the value of a hobby until recently. I’d managed to make my passion my job. It was something that consumed me, and left me with little desire to spend time practising something that seemingly had no ‘purpose’.

Love Music?

Get your daily dose of metal, rock, indie, pop, and everything else in between.

Late last year, however, I got inspired to pick up skateboarding. I’d been taught briefly at a party when I was 12, but now I got my own board and started really practising for the first time. I felt an immediate connection with it and loved that I was doing something just for the pure enjoyment, with no thought or pressure to get better for anyone except myself. This was something that was all mine.

During isolation this hobby became especially valuable. Having something which was just for me, that couldn’t be taken away, as so many other things had been felt strangely empowering. There’s a sort of comfort in having something that’s just for you. One of the main values of a hobby is that, regardless of how work or personal relationships are going, your hobby will always be there, waiting for you.

I’m sure numerous others have developed hobbies during this time also, and I hope we keep them up and continue to see their value, as we start to return to ‘normal’ life.

Good friendships are invaluable

Like so many people these days, I have a lot of friends. It’s not 2,500, but it’s over the 1,000 mark.. (on FB) Deciding which are the few really good friendships, which the not quite so good, but still good friendships, for whom you have time, but slightly less time.. isn’t always a straightforward task!

The friendships I attempt to maintain are not only spread out across Australia, but the world, and keeping up with all of them sometimes feels impossible. Add work and clubbing to that and there’s basically no time left! Seriously though, during this time it’s been really interesting to see who I’ve made time for – to video chat with or go for a walk with, and who’s also made that time for me.

Oftentimes we’re happy to hang with people at parties, and perhaps not really miss them or make an effort to see them when no longer thrown together circumstantially – something we’ve been able to realise fully during this time, like never before and, well, it’s just been interesting. Recently, I decided to print out photos of all the friends with whom I’ve kept in touch during this time, to remind me to make sure those people are prioritised over people who might just really be party friends in the end. And omg I’m not diminishing those friendships – I love them and I need them! There just aren’t infinite hours in the day for everyone..

I’m stronger than I thought

When isolation hit, it straight up knocked me on my arse. I’d only recently made the switch from classical to electronic music, leaving behind my classical singing career in London, and building a new one as a DJ and producer here in Sydney. Then, suddenly, this career was gone also! Combined with not socialising, and not laughing and dancing around like a maniac all night.. I guess these felt like quite sudden and unexpected lifestyle changes for me. As the emails canceling future gigs rolled in, unemployment and the sense of uselessness that followed felt pretty grim.

But life manages to find a way, and after I’d spent some time feeling sorry for myself, I started getting creative again. I began DJing at home more, doing spontaneous live streams and grinning broadly as I saw my friends tune in and support me.

I was also inspired by Charli XCX as she made an entire album during isolation, and decided to make a new track reflecting my experience. I’m keen to release more music soon and to collaborate with friends more as isolation laws are lifting. I’ve a few new projects in the cooker already..