Artist Spotlight: Justus Hajas
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Finding an Escape Through Guitar
For Justus Hajas, guitar wasn’t just a creative outlet, it was survival. Growing up as an only child in a troubled family, music became his escape and his safest space. By the age of 12, guitar was the one constant that brought him happiness outside of video games. What began as a childhood attempt to impress crushes quickly evolved into something far deeper. As Justus puts it, he fell in love with playing guitar “beyond anything I could have imagined.”
The Spark That Turned Curiosity Into Obsession
After getting his first guitar, Justus was eager to learn anything he could get his hands on. But everything shifted when he set his sights on electric guitar. The sounds of Jimi Hendrix pulled him in, opening the door to tone, expression, and experimentation. From that point on, guitar became more than learning songs, it became a lifelong obsession.
Justus’ sound is shaped by an intentionally broad musical diet. In high school, he challenged himself to listen to one new album every day, a habit that expanded his musical vocabulary and kept his creativity wide open. While his core influences include artists like Synyster Gates, Jason Richardson, Dream Theater, Polyphia, Slipknot, Deftones, System of a Down, Sleep Token, and Spiritbox, unexpected influences sneak in as well. Hyperpop, particularly its songwriting, melodies, and production, plays a quiet but important role in his music.
If Justus had to describe his sound in one phrase, he’d call it “memorably bi-polar.” He’s constantly chasing new tones and ideas, refusing to stay locked into a single lane. That restless energy is part of what makes his music unpredictable, and memorable.
Gear That Shapes the Tone
Tone is everything, and Justus is deeply connected to his setup. Lately, he’s been heavily drawn to the sound of Soldano amp sims, which form the backbone of his current tone. He also credits his Zeru and Music Man guitars as essential pieces of his sonic identity, helping translate his ideas into something tangible.
Song ideas usually start with pure experimentation. Justus keeps playing until something excites him enough that he can’t stop writing. From there, he lets ideas bounce off each other, changing chord progressions, singing new melodies over existing parts, and reshaping sections until they become something fresh but still emotionally connected to the original idea.
One of the most defining moments in Justus’ development came unexpectedly. A longboard accident, forcing him to adapt. "I shattered my right hand when i was 17 from a longboard wipeout," he says, "it made me compost a ton of electronic music and practice left handed legato." During recovery, he focused heavily on left-hand technique. What could have ended his momentum instead reshaped his playing style and became a lasting part of his musical identity.
When Justus decided to share his music publicly, it wasn’t about perfection, it was about honesty. Inspired by his heroes, he knew putting himself out there was the only way forward. Most of his content is recorded live with minimal editing, offering a transparent look at his process. While fans may not see the strange vocal scatting and mouth sounds that happen during writing sessions, everything else is left intentionally raw.
Where to Start Listening
For anyone new to his work, Justus recommends starting with his latest release, “Light Pollution.” It captures his current creative direction while showcasing the blend of experimentation and emotion that defines his sound.
For Justus, progress isn’t measured by numbers or trends. It’s about taking meaningful steps forward in both music and life. His guiding principles are simple but powerful: do the work, don’t compare yourself to others, and be patient. In a world filled with distractions, staying grounded and continuing to create is the real victory.
Right now, Justus is diving deep into synth pedals, exploring ways to write synth lines using guitar-based vocabulary. It’s another step in his ongoing search for new sounds, and another reminder that evolution is at the core of everything he creates.
