IN CONVERSATION WITH CALEB HARPER, FRONTMAN OF SPACEY JANE
interview by MARIE-PAULINE CESARI
Numéro Netherlands Digital presents… Spacey Jane.
With their third studio album If That Makes Sense landing May 9th, the beloved Australian band returns with a powerful new chapter—emotionally raw, sonically evolved, and more sure of themselves than ever. Produced by Mike Crossey (The 1975, Arctic Monkeys) and featuring collaborations with Jackson “Day Wave” Phillips and Sarah Aarons, the album dives into themes of love, loss, and healing.
We caught up with frontman Caleb Harper to talk early influences, vulnerable songwriting, and the journey from sweaty uni gigs to selling out tours.
So, let’s start from the beginning! What were your earliest musical influences and what made you want to start a band?
There are so many to pick from, but around the age of 16 or 17 I was obsessed with early Kings of Leon and Arctic Monkeys albums. I had just gotten my license and would drive around blasting those records. It was a really pivotal time in my life. I can’t really remember when I first wanted to start a band or why—I've just loved it for as long as I can remember.
From sweaty uni gigs to selling out massive tours, what a success story! How do you look back at Spacey Jane’s early days in Perth?
With fondness! We’re all really grateful for the time we spent in relative obscurity, figuring out how to play live and who we wanted to be as a band. Perth and its live music scene are such an important part of who we are—both as a band and as individuals.
images by Cole Barash
Your lyrics have always felt deeply personal. When did you first start writing as a form of self-expression?
Quite early on. The first songs I ever wrote at 16 were about what I was feeling—an attempt to simplify my experiences and surroundings. It just felt natural to write from the most honest place I could, and that style has become my default ever since.
How did the LA writing sessions for If That Makes Sense push you out of your comfort zone creatively?
They reallllllly pushed me out of it. It was my first time writing with other people, and I didn’t know how to push back on things I didn’t like or advocate for things I did. I found it hard to communicate clearly while being so vulnerable. But over time, it taught me a lot about collaboration and songwriting, and I’ve carried those lessons into writing on my own and working together as a band.
Love the track “All The Noise”—it feels like a sonic and emotional explosion. How did that track come together?
It started in a Sydney hotel room mid-tour. I was trying to finish another song, and I guess some of the frustration from that spilled into this one. It was my first time back in Aus in a while, which probably explains the questions about conception and being a kid. Kieran and I jammed it during a soundcheck on that tour, and he mostly stuck to that beat for the final version, which is cool. I also remember the exact moment Ashton first played the riff for me—in my hallway on an acoustic guitar, wildly out of context—and it was immediately so damn good.
What was the hardest song to write and why?
Definitely “August.” I started it in September 2022 and didn’t finish it until the last week of recording in March 2024. It’s a really personal song, and the story shifts perspective throughout. It felt really right for the album, but it didn’t have a chorus for the longest time—so when I finally cracked it, that was a special moment.
From tape warmth to synth textures, how intentional was the sonic shift in this third album?
We always want to evolve as a band, and this record was no different. I have so much trust in my bandmates and what they bring to the music. The sum of all our parts creates something uniquely our own. We had a clear framework to create within, but I think we pushed against it regularly while making this record. At the same time, we didn’t have a set idea of exactly how we wanted to change the sound—we just wanted to explore every avenue and make something we hadn’t done before.
image by Cole Barash
You’ve said this process broke you down but made you more sure of yourself. What did you discover about who you are as an artist?
I must’ve been having a bad day in LA when I said that… No, it definitely was a period of intense lessons—about myself and music alike. I could probably go on for paragraphs, but what I really learned is that there’s always more inside if you keep digging. Whether it’s throwing out a batch of songs to make a better one or sticking with a chorus for months until it feels right—we all dug deeper than ever before for this record.
What role does fashion play in your life and identity (on and off stage)?
Fashion has become a huge part of my life over the past few years. It really started with travelling the world for this job—being inspired and excited by what I saw. Stepping into the street in a foreign place feels a bit like stepping out on stage. You have the freedom to be whoever you want, and my favourite way to explore that is through what I’m wearing.
Lastly, how do you hope people will feel when they listen to this record for the first time?
I just hope people find something that speaks to them personally in our music. The stories are mine, but the feelings are universal—and sharing those with complete strangers is the best part of what we do.
