The Just Kidding project was conceived by James in late 2004 or early 2005 when he met the then 17-year-old Natalie and discovered the magic in her voice—a talent that few possess. He realized that a well-placed live vocal could transform even the simplest music—one that might otherwise lean towards a tribal, raw sound—into something truly enchanting.
Initially, Just Kidding was just a side project alongside Captured Cage, which was a recognized live act in the progressive trance and progressive Psytrance scenes at the time. However, this side project soon outgrew its original role, as it became clear that people still had a strong desire for danceable music—soothing and thought-provoking—that was crowned by Natalie’s live, improvisational singing. They can proudly claim several released tracks that are still available on Beatport and other online music stores, even though they are now around ten years old.
Later, the Captured Cage project took a backseat due to the founding members’ personal plans. First Slowhand, then James had daughters, and both chose to focus on their parental duties.
After several years of hiatus—during which Natalie continued to hone her voice—the Just Kidding project was revived with renewed energy. Following a series of advance requests, the members (Natalie and James) decided it was time to take it further. Feedback suggested that the audience’s demand for high-quality, danceable, and emotionally rich music, accompanied by live vocals, remained strong.
Over the years, many of our fans have aged, and there is now a greater demand for slower-paced, danceable music. As a result, they prepare for each request with even more dedication.
Just Kidding has always aimed to embrace new technologies and experimentation. Despite the playful name, the project is far from being a “joke”; in fact, the name was intended as a bit of irony. They have explored so many musical paths that their style has become unclassifiable. They even remixed the hit track “Closer” by The Carbonfools, which became a summer anthem thanks to James’s progressive house remix, also available on popular online music stores.
Given this background, where is the project headed now? Where can you be seen and heard next?
Let the project’s creator, James, explain:
“Our current live act carries with it the experiences that have empowered us to continue. However, this strength and energy can only be provided by you, the audience, through your presence and dancing at our performances. We hope to see many of you there. In the meantime, we are tirelessly exploring how to make our performances as enjoyable as possible for you, leveraging technology and the resources available to us—such as Natalie’s beautiful voice and presence. 😀
Joking aside (you know, Just Kidding), we noticed at our last performance that the audience really enjoyed what we were doing. Perhaps that’s why we’ve been receiving more and more invitations lately. It seems like the number of requests has significantly increased recently… Could it be that we’re getting better? (laughs)
We are working hard to earn your trust! Nothing demonstrates this better than the fact that we spend months testing the equipment we use for performances in studio conditions, to provide you with the most immersive experience possible. We will continue to reward your increased attention with constant innovations, dear audience.
After all, you know the slogan:
No Kidding, Just Music!”