Jet Black Diamonds, a dynamic Slovenian music group originally from the Vipava Valley, has risen as a powerhouse in the new wave of Slovenian music, blending contemporary indie rock with retro melodies and infectious choruses to create an alternative pop sound that’s both refined and boundary-pushing. Bursting onto the scene in 2021 with their breakout single ‘Retro Anorak’, which earned Song of the Week honors on Val 202 and became one of the year’s most-played tracks, they followed up with hits like ‘Še zadnjič’, snagging a nomination for the Zlata piščal award as Best New Artist of 2022, and their EP Večvredne romance, featuring three singles that also claimed Song of the Week status. 

Their debut full-length album Sladki problemi dropped in April 2024 to a sold-out crowd at Kino Šiška, with another packed performance at Gala Hala in Ljubljana later that year, while their latest live single ‘Valovi (Live from Kino Šiška)’ responded to fan demand this spring, and their latest track ‘Kje ste vsi?’ teases an upcoming second album. Expanding internationally with shows in Vienna and Zagreb, they’ve hit a career high by rocking the stage at the region’s biggest festival, EXIT, delivering sincere, generationally resonant lyrics that capture nostalgia and life’s pivotal moments. 

Dive deeper into their journey and creative world through this exclusive interview.

What inspired the formation of Jet Black Diamonds back in 2021, and how has the band evolved since then?

Urban: The band was formed in 2017, when some of us, former members of a school band, reunited and created a new group together with a few new members. Until 2020, we played various covers of both international and local rock bands, but during the pandemic, we began writing our own original music. Our very first single, Retro Anorak, was warmly received by radio stations, followed by other successful singles. Since then, what drives us as a band is the desire to create high-quality music, to remain honest in our sound, and to ensure that, alongside the work, there is always fun and friendship at the core of the whole project.

How did growing up in the Vipava Valley influence your music and the themes you explore?

Urban: Life in the countryside is certainly different from life in the city. But since Slovenia is such a small country, these differences are less pronounced. Our first original songs were definitely influenced by the bands we used to go see and party with as teenagers. When it comes to our lyrics, though, I don’t think you could really tell whether we’re a band from the Vipava Valley or from Ljubljana. So far, most of our lyrics have revolved around love, since that was the period we were in when we wrote them. But I can already see that as we get older, and after spending a few years in the city as students, we’ve started to notice other things – the kinds of things the countryside can offer.

Can you walk us through the creative process behind your breakout single ‘Retro Anorak’ and what made it resonate so much?

Domen: We did need quite a lot of time to produce the song with many working versions. However, once in the songwriting process, we hit the point when the song felt like “this is it”. This was the feeling that we are searching for. It was catchy, a little goofy and sounded good; pop-ish but also with a taste of rock’n’roll. That was when our manager Urban Repič reached us and was prepared to record the song with us. When we came to the studio, most of the arrangement was already established; we just made it a bit shorter and found some good sounds that fit the song.

What was it like receiving your first Song of the Week on Val 202 and the nomination for Zlata piščal as Best New Artist?

Domen: It was one of the most surreal moments of our career. All of a sudden, we were regularly mentioned on national radio, and we made sure not to miss any of these. All of a sudden, we were recognised by other music artists from Slovenia. It was a pleasant feeling being accepted by the music community in Slovenia.

How did the release of your EP Večvredne romance shape your approach to songwriting and production?

Domen: After releasing Retro Anorak and Še zadnjič, where we first experienced what producing and recording a song actually looks like, the EP was the next step. All of a sudden, we had more songs to produce and record, which was a bit overwhelming because we wanted all of the songs to be perfect. After the release, we saw that we can’t always seek perfection.

Tell us about the themes of nostalgia and generational sentiments in your album Sladki problemi—where do they come from in your lives?

Maks: I think that the themes of Sladki problemi are themes that everyone deals with. The album itself is a reflection of the band at the time of writing (as every album is, hehe). The band was going through a bit of a rough patch at that time, which is why the album has a bit more of a nostalgic feeling.

What went into crafting your latest single ‘Kje ste vsi?’, and how does it hint at what’s coming in your second album?

Maks: Kje ste vsi is the first song we released after Sladki problemi. It is also the first song without our previous bassist, Matej, and with our new one, Jernej. The process was a bit scary at first, because Matej used to write most of the lyrics, and now it was all on Urban, but I think he did an amazing job. 

The style and genre of the song don’t necessarily hint at what the music will sound like; I’m thinking more of the mature feeling that the song has, sound-wise and theme-wise. The arrangement is also more mature, and so are the lyrics; we are planning on the rest of the album to be the same way.

Performing at sold-out shows like Kino Šiška and Gala Hala, and then hitting international stages in Vienna, Zagreb, and EXIT—how has that journey changed your perspective on success?

Maks: These kinds of shows are really a dream come true. But with that, your perspective changes because you finish such a massive goal. Now I think we are discovering that real success is when you make something awesome (song, concert, video clip …) and really enjoy doing it and that it is not a burden.

In a music scene that’s constantly evolving, what challenges have you faced in blending indie rock with retro elements while staying true to your alternative pop sound?

Maks: We really don’t look at making music like that as we don’t really see genres, we just make music that we like. It is really a blend of many genres; we all listen to so much different music, it’s hard to look at music creation as combining genres.

Could you let your fans know what you have coming up within the next few months?

Maks: In the next few months, we’ve got some gigs coming up in Slovenia – you can catch us in Ljubljana on October 1st, in Ajdovščina on October 11th, and in Velenje on October 24th. We’re also working on new music and plan to release a few singles soon! (smile)

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