PARTYOF2, made up of childhood besties Jadagrace and SWIM, is redefining what the next wave of hip-hop can sound like. Listening to their music feels like stepping into a love letter to hip-hop: nostalgic yet fresh, with an old-school spirit and a new-school pulse. They nod to hip-hop history while weaving in flashes of 90s electronica, R&B, and EDM. From Easter eggs and historical references to political undertones, their music examines what it means to create as Black Americans, to exist, to resist, and to celebrate in a country that they shape and simultaneously shapes and shadows them. Their music is as multilayered as they are, turning listening itself into a journey, as songs that start in one genre twist into another, taking you somewhere you didn’t see coming.

TUSH-Editor Fiona Frommelt talked to them about their sound, their message, and what it means to create music that moves both body and mind. Their debut album, AMERIKA’S NEXT TOP PARTY!, is only the beginning. The only question left is: are you joining the Party?

TUSH: From making music by yourself, to being part of grouptherapy., to now, creating music as PARTYOF2, how would you say your style of music has evolved?
JADAGRACE: When we first started, we were honestly just experimenting and having fun as kids. We didn’t initially intend to release our music. It sort of just fell together. We became a group, and we had all these fire songs. So we thought: “Let’s just release them.” When SWIM and I became PARTYOF2, we had a lot of time to really build out our brand, our sound, and get to understand who we are as musicians and as a duo. 

SWIM: We both started making music at a very young age, and as we continue to discover ourselves, our music evolves alongside us. When you’re authentic, honest, and vulnerable within your music, it grows with you as a person. Now, as PARTYOF2, our approach is more focused, intentional, and meticulous than ever before, from every word to every sound. 

Next to your musical evolution, your style has changed, especially yours, Jadagrace. You cut your hair very, very short. What did that change mean to you? Was it the beginning of a new era?
JADAGRACE: Yes, it really was! When we released the grouptherapy. album, that’s when I cut my hair off. I used to have such big hair, for which I’ve been known for my entire life. As I grew older, I was ready for a change, because I had been almost hiding behind it. So I cut it all off. It was such an important moment for me, as it allowed me to focus on and discover myself in new ways. 

What is your goal with your debut album and your music in general?
SWIM: The goal with this album is to build the foundation for PARTYOF2. It’s about building the world, our brand, and for people to get to know us better. We want to show them how diverse and dynamic our sound can be, which is our superpower. 

JADAGRACE: I don’t know if we’ll ever make the same song twice. We don’t want our music to be predictable at all. Even within the first three album singles that we released, POSER, FRIENDLY FIRE, and JUST DANCE 2, we show that there are so many different colours and influences in our music. This album is a testament to our experimentation and how we merge individual influences into our take on hip-hop.

 

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The album is called “AMERIKA’S NEXT TOP PARTY!”. Why did you choose to write “AMERIKA’S” with a „K“ instead of a „C“?
SWIM: The „K“ is our mark of rebellion, our way of showing people that this album isn’t patriotic; it isn’t about championing or celebrating America. It is, more so, a reflection of the America that we see, experience, and what it means for us to be a Black American. For example, in the song VANESSA WILLIAMS, we explore what it feels like to be a black person in America who pushes culture forward, yet does not necessarily receive the respect or love that they and we deserve.

What is the inspiration behind your name, PARTYOF2?
SWIM: With our name, we play with the notion of the party system in America. However, we want people to come together despite their differences, even if they don’t see eye-to-eye with each other, as one can find something special and new within that. This also reflects our creative relationship, where we lean into the things that make us different, because that’s where the magic happens. 

JADAGRACE: Even by being a man and a woman, we have so many different perspectives. The community we created, our fans, whom we call the party, is genuinely diverse. It’s been beautiful to see all these different people at our shows. It’s about everybody joining in and having fun, with a political message underlying it.

Are the red and blue colour references in your logo, makeup, and videos a hint at the political parties as well?
SWIM: Absolutely, yes. It’s a reflection of it. On the surface, we want people to enjoy the music without having to think too much about it. However, if you were to read into it and listen to it on a deeper level, you can uncover the hints and easter eggs. 

JADAGRACE: Even our fashion and how we dress is inspired by the Black Panther Party.

Your logo has that undertone as well, Orthus, the two-headed hound, that serves as a guard and symbolises loyalty, strength…
SWIM: It started with Cerberus, which is the three-headed guard dog, with a different symbolism behind it. We then, however, discovered Orthus, and that really blew my mind. 

JADAGRACE: Discovering Orthus and the symbolism behind it just felt right for us, and now it has become the foundation of what we do. 

A lot of your songs start one way and, perhaps even in one genre, and then end in a different one. How did you develop your specific sound?
JADAGRACE: It’s been really fun to have the space to experiment. When we had to go through the rebrand, we just embraced it and took the time to figure out what we wanted to do sonically, and we pushed our boundaries even further. This album features so many different sounds, yet we still wanted it to be cohesive, so we collaborated with several additional producers. 

SWIM: JUST DANCE 2 is a good example of this, as most artists would have made each section into a different song. That’s the beauty of what we do: we refuse to be put in a box. That song almost feels like a DJ set. Not everyone will get it. Not everyone will enjoy it, but it’s one of my favourite things we’ve ever done. It’s just about trusting the process, trusting your taste, and trusting yourself. The beauty of music is that it can be anything. We never cater to anybody when it comes to our music. It’s really about us; we just have to love it.

JADAGRACE: As a result, this album is a big step up for us. When we listen to it, we are shocked by how it sounds and by what we created, which really was the goal.

How do you come up with the topics of your songs?
SWIM:  Inspiration is everywhere. It depends on how you use the lens that you choose to look at life through. Our topics are things that we’ve known, wrestled with and dealt with. As an American artist, it is very hard not to reflect on what’s happening in America. We had actually made a list of samples and references that really resonated with us. One of them included the chorus of Miss America Stand Up by White Family Band (1972), which then inspired our song VANESSA WILLIAMS.

JADAGRACE: If you hear the sample, it’s quite jazzy. We were able to make it our own and put our own hip-hop twist on it. Creating that song was essential for the concept of the album and really ties the whole thing together.

 

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In POSER, you sing about being a poser, and then you promote the video on Instagram, which is quite self-ironic. How do you approach self-irony in your music?
SWIM: There is even irony in the concept of the album AMERIKA’S NEXT TOP PARTY!. It feels weird to promote your album during a time when there’s so much happening in the world. At the same time, this is our passion. This is what we love to do. And also, what would the world be like without art?

JADAGRACE: This is our way of coping, of surviving.

SWIM: Yes, exactly. It’s about embracing it and saying: „We know this is weird, we know this feels strange, but also, this is our story, our message, this is our perspective on what’s happening right now.“

What is next for PARTYOF2?
JADAGRACE: We are currently very focused on promoting this album, and we’re thrilled about the tour, as it marks our first headline tour ever. Afterwards, we will get right back in the studio and begin working on the next album. It is a really exciting time for us to perform these new songs and to have a musical catalogue with us as a duo.

Editor: Fiona Frommelt
Photos: Bonnie Nicholads