Jonathan Percy Starker "JP" Saxe (born March 23, 1993) is a Canadian singer and musician. He is best known for his collaboration with American singer
Julia Michaels
Julia Carin Michaels (''Birth name, née'' Cavazos; born November 13, 1993) is an American singer and songwriter. She has received six Grammy Award nominations, including twice for Grammy Award for Song of the Year, Song of the Year and Grammy A ...
titled "
If the World Was Ending" which was released in 2019. The song was nominated for a 2021
Grammy
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
. His "hero" grandfather, noted cellist
János Starker
János Starker (; ; July 5, 1924 – April 28, 2013) was a Hungarian-American cellist. From 1958 until his death, he taught at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he held the title of Distinguished Professor. Starker is conside ...
, was a multiple nominee and Grammy winner.
Career
2017–2018: ''Both Can Be True: Part 1''
Between April 2017 and March 2018, Saxe released the singles, "Changed", "Anybody Else" and "The Few Things". In November 2018, he released "25 in Barcelona" as the lead single from his debut EP. He released his debut EP, ''Both Can Be True: Part 1'', on November 8, 2018.
2019–2021: ''Hold It Together'' and ''Dangerous Levels of Introspection''
Saxe released the singles "Same Room" and "Women Who Look Like You" between June and August 2019. He released "
If the World Was Ending" featuring
Julia Michaels
Julia Carin Michaels (''Birth name, née'' Cavazos; born November 13, 1993) is an American singer and songwriter. She has received six Grammy Award nominations, including twice for Grammy Award for Song of the Year, Song of the Year and Grammy A ...
as the lead single from his second EP. He released "Sad Corny Fuck" as the second single from his second EP, in February 2020. He released his second EP, ''
Hold It Together'', on February 7, 2020. It peaked at number 53 on the
Canadian Albums Chart
The ''Billboard'' Canadian Albums is the official record chart
A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of Sound recording and reproduction, recorded music according to certain criteria during a given ...
. He features on
Lennon Stella
Lennon Ray Louise Stella is a Canadian singer and actress. She portrayed Maddie Conrad on the musical-drama series ''Nashville'' (2012–2018). Before going solo in 2018, Stella performed with her sister as the duo Lennon & Maisy. Stella rele ...
's single "Golf on TV".
In April 2020, Saxe and Michaels re-released "If the World Was Ending" with other artists including
Sam Smith
Samuel Frederick Smith (born 19 May 1992) is an English singer and songwriter. In 2012, they rose to prominence when they featured on Disclosure (band), Disclosure's breakthrough single "Latch (song), Latch", which peaked at number eleven on ...
,
H.E.R.
Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson (born June 27, 1997), known professionally as H.E.R. (pronounced "her" and standing for "Having Everything Revealed") is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B singer. She has won an Academy Awards, Academy Award, a Child ...
,
Alessia Cara
Alessia Caracciolo (born July 11, 1996), known professionally as Alessia Cara (), is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She began posting covers of songs on YouTube at age 13. After uploading acoustic covers of songs such as " Love Yourself" and ...
,
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Annlynn Carpenter (born May 11, 1999) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She first gained prominence starring on the Disney Channel series ''Girl Meets World'' (2014–2017). She signed with the Disney Music Group, Disney ...
,
Niall Horan
Niall James Horan ( ; born 13 September 1993) is an Irish singer-songwriter. He rose to prominence as a member of the boy band One Direction, formed in 2010 on the singing competition ''The X Factor (British TV series), The X Factor''. The gr ...
,
Keith Urban
Keith Lionel Urban ( né Urbahn; 26 October 1967) is an Australian and American country singer, songwriter and guitarist. Recognised with four Grammy Awards, he has also received 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, including the Jim Reeves Int ...
and
Finneas O'Connell
Finneas Baird O'Connell (born July 30, 1997), also known mononymously by his first name (sometimes stylized in all caps), is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, he has written and pro ...
, who produced the song. Each artist filmed their part on their phones from their homes while self-isolating and features on the music video. Saxe explained that the collaboration was inspired by covers of the song he saw online, and he then texted the featured artists to ask if they'd want to get involved.
All proceeds benefit
Doctors Without Borders
Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to:
Titles and occupations
* Physician, a medical practitioner
* Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree
** Doctorate
** List of doctoral degrees awarded ...
, where one of Saxe's friends worked, and the video ends with a special message from a participating doctor about the impact of
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
on countries where many of the doctors are stationed.
In a statement, Saxe and Michaels said, "We are so grateful for the incredible work being done by those on the frontlines during this global pandemic. At a time when it can sometimes feel like 'the world is ending', we thank all of the healthcare workers, first responders, and essential workers who are helping so many people in need. Please stay home, stay safe (and don't actually go over!)"
His song "Same Room" was shortlisted for the 2020
SOCAN Songwriting Prize
The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada, SOCAN Songwriting Prize, formerly known as the ECHO Songwriting Prize, was an annual competition recognizing the best in Canadian emerging music, both anglophone and francophone, fro ...
.
He released his debut studio album ''Dangerous Levels of Introspection'' on June 25, 2021.
2022–present: ''A Grey Area''
In 2023, Saxe participated in an all-star recording of
Serena Ryder
Serena Lauren Ryder (born December 8, 1982) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Born in Toronto, she grew up in Millbrook, Ontario. Ryder first gained national recognition with her ballad "Weak in the Knees" in 2007 and has released eight studio ...
's single "
What I Wouldn't Do
"What I Wouldn't Do" is a song performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Serena Ryder, which was released as a single in November 2012. The song was written by Ryder and Jerrod Bettis for Ryder's fifth studio album, ''Harmony (Serena Ryder album), ...
", which was released as a charity single to benefit
Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone () is a Canadian charitable organization that provides online and telephone counselling and volunteer-led, text-based support in English and French to youth across Canada. Kids Help Phone also provides information on how to acc ...
's Feel Out Loud campaign for youth mental health.
In April 2023, he released "I Don't Miss You", co-written with
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but he left for Atlanta in 1997 with fellow guitarist Clay Cook, with whom he formed the short-liv ...
.
On September 22, 2023, he released his sophomore studio album ''A Grey Area'' via
Arista Records
Arista Records ( ) is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously a division of Bertelsmann Music G ...
.
Discography
Studio albums
Live albums
Extended plays
Singles
As lead artist
As featured artist
Songwriting credits
Notes
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saxe, JP
Living people
Canadian pop singers
1994 births
21st-century Canadian male singers
21st-century Canadian singers
Singers from Toronto
Juno Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year winners
21st-century Canadian songwriters