DJ and producer Jayda G is far from a one-trick pony. Having built up an incredibly successful career in the music industry, which sees her jet off to all corners of the world to greet hefty crowds who swarm to hear her bouncy mix of disco, house and funk, she is now turning her attention to her other passion; environmental activism. Utilising her background as a toxicologist and biologist, Jayda G has teamed up with production company Make Waves and Wu-Tang Clan’s Rza to create a new documentary entitled Blue Carbon. Now available to view on WaterBear, the film explores the potential of saltmarshes, seagrasses and mangroves as a means to absorb carbon and house offsets from big corporations. We sat down with Jayda to ask her how the film came about, what it was like working with Rza and what she hopes viewers will take away.
Can you explain how the idea for the documentary came about? When did you first decide you wanted to do this project?
So, the idea actually came from the production team Make Waves. They approached me to do the documentary, which was amazing because I’ve done a lot of environmental work in the past. My background is as a biologist and toxicologist and I’ve been blending my music and my science background together for many years now, so it seemed like a good fit for me to be part of this film. I’m excited about it.
What do you hope viewers will take away from the documentary?
Honestly, the biggest thing to want people to take away from the documentary Is that there is hope. I really want people to feel, that even though there’s a lot of doom and gloom with climate change, there are a lot of amazing stories out there that are changing things and I want those to be in the front of people’s minds. I really believe that if you have hope, it will galvanise you to actually get up and make a change when it comes to climate change.
How did your two careers, as a DJ and a Toxicologist complement each other when it came to this project?
In a lot of ways it was perfect. I was able to use my DJ career as a platform because people like me DJing. So I have fans who are interested in me as a DJ. Then my knowledge as a toxicologist and a biologist, it really helped me feel solid when going out to explore all the things about this film.
A lot of the things I was learning were either things that I did know already or were just extra fascinating to me and just was able to show my interest in a very genuine way. Because I love science. I’m a big nerd.
The film features original music by Wu-Tang Clan’s Rza. How does it feel to have worked on a project alongside Rza, and what role does music play in conveying the film’s message?
It was honestly amazing to have Rza here doing the score for the film. He’s legendary. He’s part of the Wu Tang Clan. Anyone who loves hip hop knows Rza. It was truly an honor to have him on board and get his vision when it came to the film. I was really pumped.
How do you plan to continue raising awareness about environmental awareness beyond Blue Carbon? Are there any specific causes or initiatives you’re passionate about?
The biggest thing is really just trying to blend music and my environmentalism together. The thing when it comes to environmentalism or just fighting climate change in general, it tends to be a bit of an echo chamber. So, a lot of people who are fighting climate change are just talking to other people who are fighting climate change. That’s something that I really think I can give to the environmental community. I really feel like I can be a bridge between those two worlds and that’s my main goal.
Photography courtesy of Make Waves. Discover ‘Blue Carbon’ here.
