Just Shy lives based on a philosophy first laid out by a pop prophet in 2003: god is a DJ, life is a dancefloor, love is the rhythm, and you - yes, you - are the music. Electronic pop music specifically, in this case.
According to Australian music writer Nic Kelly, Just Shy “encapsulate[s] the feeling of the middle of the night with extreme smarts”. His songs evoke images of feather boas, designer jeans (probably fake), swivelling hips, reddening cheeks, private jokes and stolen cigarettes.
Just Shy identifies his songwriting heroes within the field of pop, from the bombastic structures of Xenomania (Girls Aloud, Sugababes), to the synth-led storytelling of Pet Shop Boys, to the melodic wonders of Max Martin. Based in Melbourne, he fuses these pop influences with the house & disco sounds he’s exposed to through the city’s rich nightlife.
He's been highlighted by the likes of EQ Music as a strong “tunesmith and melody maker…an engaging storyteller," and has been compared by to Pet Shop Boys and Robyn by Pilerats. Definitely a bit of a reach, but we’ll take it!
Having initially focussed on solo work, Just Shy has more recently sought collaborations with other Australian up-and-comers, including PC Music-adjacent, Adelaide-based artists Product, and fellow Melburnian DJ & producer Boyd Kelly.
