9lives

Maxwell Warren Jardine, better known by his stage name 9lives, is a genre-bending music producer and artist who’s quickly making waves across the global underground music scene. Born on March 10, 2004, in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, and raised in South Africa, 9lives was immersed in music from an early age. He began as a drummer before diving into digital production during his teenage years, eventually developing a sound that defies traditional categorization. Drawing from trap, hyperpop, electronic, and cloud rap, his music helped pioneer a dark, high-energy subgenre known as sigilkore—a sound that’s found massive popularity on platforms like TikTok and SoundCloud. With over 800 million cumulative streams, he’s become a staple name in alternative digital music communities.

9lives broke onto the mainstream radar in late 2022 with the viral success of his single “Khaos Emerald,” which exploded on TikTok. That momentum carried into high-profile collaborations with major artists like Trippie Redd, Lil Nas X, Rico Nasty, and Odetari. His 2023 EP 3×3 with Odetari featured the track “I Love You Hoe,” a gritty, bass-heavy anthem that hit #3 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart and was later certified gold. In early 2024, 9lives signed with Pulse Records, further anchoring his presence in the evolving digital soundscape. Known for his glitchy beats, distorted synths, and occult-inspired visuals, 9lives credits influences like Luci4 and Raider Klan for shaping his distinct sonic identity. Still in his early twenties, 9lives is redefining what underground stardom looks and sounds like in the streaming era.