Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: I grew up in rainy Manchester with my parents, brother and our beloved family dogs. As a child, I was a shy, introspective, daydreamer who loved to read books, which very quickly grew into a love of writing my own stories and subsequently songs.
The musical soundtrack that accompanied my childhood was fairly varied. I have early memories of dancing around the living room to The Beatles with my brother when we were little, and putting on ‘talent shows’ for my parents in which I would simultaneously perform as all 5 members of Girls Aloud.
When I got my first mp3 player (hello fellow 90s kids!) I listened exclusively to Whitney Houston and Celine Dion on repeat for months, and for many of my early teenage years, car journeys with my mum would be spent singing along to Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson and P!nk at the top of my lungs. These incredible powerhouse female artists have been such a heavy thematic and stylistic musical influence for me from the very beginning.
I remember listening to a lot of Karen Carpenter, Bonnie Raitt, David Gray, The Chicks and Joe Jackson with my dad which were arguably the foundational influences for more of the folk and acoustic sounds you will hear in my music, especially my debut album, Aftermath.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover JILL?
A: I have plans to release another single before the end of the year and am working towards releasing my second album in 2024. I’m really excited about the new music I’m working on and I hope it will resonate with people.
A message for anyone who is about to discover my music – my hope is that you find solace, understanding and kinship in my songs. It’s my dream that one day I see you in a crowd singing the lyrics back to me.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: I’m constantly inspired by Taylor Swift and her songwriting prowess.
It really is incredibly special to be able to create such a wide discography of songs that millions of people not only relate to, but relate to so deeply that it feels like Taylor snuck into your subconscious while you were sleeping and wrote about your life (see: “this is me trying”). The way in which she seamlessly shifts between genres has also inspired me to not feel boxed-in and to just create the music that I want to create.
My songs come from my experiences of love, grief, and heartbreak. For me, songwriting is the most cathartic way to process my feelings, and sometimes the only way I know how to articulate my emotions.
Q: Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your new single, “But You Lied”?
A: The inspiration behind this track is reflecting on being in a relationship with someone who, through charm and manipulation, managed to convince you to ignore all of their red flags. In retrospect, you realise that the person hurting you wasn’t all that surprising because they had already shown you their true character; you just weren’t ready to see it.
This is coupled with trying to grapple with where you fit and who you are as you move through chapters of your life. In some respects you feel too old and in others you feel too young which is all part of what feels like the inevitable melancholy of your 20s.
Q: What was the creative process like for writing and producing the track?
A: I wrote the song on my keyboard in my flat. I wrote the first verse and pre-chorus initially but I couldn’t quite figure out where I wanted the chorus to go, so I sent what I had to my producer, George Fitzgibbon. He sent back a chord progression for the chorus which I loved, and the rest of the song just came flowing out!
I recorded the song at Pear Mill Studios in Stockport with George a couple of weeks later.
Q: How does this song differ from your previous music in terms of style and sound?
A: My debut album is pop-folk with Americana influences, whereas But You Lied (and the music I’m working on for my second album) fully embraces everything pop.
Q: Were there any specific musical influences that played a role in shaping the sound of the track?
A: Midnights was a huge influence – Taylor’s ability to craft highly addictive, upbeat pop melodies with earth-shatteringly heartbreaking lyrics is something I’ve taken huge inspiration from for my second album.
The vocal masterpiece that is Prioritise Pleasure by SELF ESTEEM continues to inspire me to create music that evokes powerful emotion – I Do This All The Time never fails to hit me like a punch in the gut in the way that only the most beautifully heart-wrenching songs can.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: Taylor Swift would be the dream of all dreams. Other dream collabs would be Phoebe Bridgers, SELF ESTEEM, Bon Iver, and Griff.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: Honestly, I’m still figuring it out myself! But I would say that there’s an element of pressure to achieve at the very highest level in order to be considered successful in the industry, but in reality, success comes in many different forms. So I guess my advice is, don’t feel you have to meet other people’s definition of success. Success is whatever makes you happy, and only you can define that.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: The biggest obstacle to overcome is your own inner critic. People will tell you that you can’t, but that has no power over you as long as you believe that you can. Be confident in your talent, be kind to yourself, and practice the damn guitar!!
