Today I’m so excited to bring everyone the latest single and video from Alt Rock artist, America Jayne, called “Life of the Party.” The track comes from her forthcoming EP, Shove It, out everywhere music is sold on August 11th. With a sound that fits well within the realm of Snail Mail, Lucy Dacus, and Phoebe Bridgers, America Jayne could be the next breakthrough artist to take the alternative music scene by storm. I was also able to catch up with this talented artist for a brief interview below.
How would you say writing about your personal journey with sobriety via this track helped you process and heal over the last few months? Was that a tough place to channel from or did it bring about catharsis in a way?
Oh, I think this song has been crucial in my healing journey. Honestly, I’m not sure I would have gotten sober when I did if not for the writing process of this track. I like to say that I am very honest in my songwriting, which often means I start writing an idea before I’ve actually fully processed what this means for my actual life. II started writing this song while still drinking, and the day after I finished it I got sober. I think it’s impossible to not connect the two. Now when I listen back to the song it reminds me of where I was when I was drinking and how detrimental my behavior really was. It serves as a reminder that my biggest fear about sobriety was not being the “life of the party” whereas my biggest fears in drinking go far beyond that. It definitely felt like a cathartic process to write this song. It was the first time I really opened up about my problematic drinking to anyone and I am beyond lucky to have worked on this song with two dear friends, Ronnie DiSimone and Nick Cianci, who supported me fully and allowed me the space to explore this topic in a safe way.
With this track and your previous release “Eat You Up” considered, how would you say they serve as an introduction to your forthcoming EP on a sonic level? What styles/influences can listeners expect to tap into?
I think this album is a lot more exploratory in genres/influences then anything I’ve previously put out. You have “Eat You Up,” which explores the world of hardcore while still honoring those Phoebe Bridgers-esque verses I have been known to love, and then “Life Of The Party” goes back to my indie-rock roots. “Life Of The Party” is the closest sonically to my previous releases, but listeners can expect to hear some new sounds explored in Shove It as the record draws influences from bands such as Turnstile, Paramore, and Baroness.
Generally speaking, what do you hope listeners take away from your new project?
I hope that listeners can see the honesty & self reflection in this record. My previous EP, Homecoming, explored themes of childhood, growing up, and nostalgia (or why I am the way I am). Shove It takes those ideas and brings them to the present – how am I dealing with these past traumas in real time? How have I acknowledged my past and used it in a progressive and meaningful way? Or how have I used it as an excuse to act poorly and hurt others? This record doesn’t care about painting me in the perfect light – because in reality, I am not perfect and I’ve done things that have negatively affected others and I know I still have more growing to do. This record feels like a therapy session. It feels like acknowledgement and the drive to want to be better. I hope the listeners have that takeaway, too.