By: Jamie Steinberg
Q) How would you describe your sound?
A) Alternative Ethereal Pop with Soul and an 80s flare
Q) Who are some of your musical influences?
A) Björk, Michael Jackson, Solange [Knowles]
Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “A Little Harder.”
A) In late 2024, I was coming out of a situationship. The guy almost became like family, (we were like two peas in a pod) but it quickly became apparent that it was more about possession and a deep insecurity (on his part). He told me he loved me after three months and I wasn’t ready. I gave it a chance but he couldn’t respect my pace, so it made everything a little harder. He ended up gaslighting and slut shaming me. A complete 180.
Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?
A) I like to think that it resonates with the aspects of ourselves when we struggle to push through a new connection with someone and it feels like the right person at the wrong time.
Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?
A) I’ll be honest, I just didn’t have the budget to do what I wanted. So much of this industry is how much money you have. Luckily, Help Musicians (a charity to help artists like me) funded some of the project. I just needed something very simple to go with the song. It’s more a visualiser. I wanted it to be directed to the camera, as if I was talking to him directly (if he ever saw it).
Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?
A) It really depends. I only ever write or produce when I’m truly feeling it. It can be a melody I’ve heard and I sing gibberish over it, and sometimes specific words come to mind and I will extend on that. Or I will listen back to the gibberish I’ve recorded and try to make sense of the words, like there’s an entity inside that hasn’t quite articulated the words fully and needs translating. Or I’ll have a beat or song starter prepared and I’ll build on that.
Q) Rusty Bradshaw helped co-produce the music on your EP Broken Limerence. How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?
A) I worked with Rusty over three years ago and he brought in this sketch he produced (the first few bars you hear on the song). And I loved it immediately, but I didn’t ever write to it until Winter of 2024. I listened to it again and I was VERY sick (I think I caught a mild case of pneumonia from my flatmate) and the words just flew out of me. And even though I’d not spoken to Rusty in a long time, I continued to build on the production myself – the lyrics, vocal arrangement and the mix (with Grammy nominated mixer/producer Jared Anderson). And when I finished it, I sent it to Rusty and said, “Hey, I’ve not spoken to you in a long time, but I did this!” And he loved it! And it had to be the first release on the EP.
Q) Where does the title of the EP originate?
A) I’m kinda obsessed with relationship psychology and relationship dynamics. I’ve been studying it in my own time for years – books, podcasts, articles, videos, TED talks, etc. And I came across the word “limerence,” which is another word for “the spark” that we have when we get into a new romantic connection with someone. I felt like an engine that produced a spark that was somewhat “broken.” So ,I called it Broken Limerence.
Q) Which song(s) on this EP hold a special place in your heart and what makes you hold them so close to you?
A) All of them do. But they each have their own sentiment. Maybe, “A Little Harder” has that extra special place because it was about a connection I don’t feel I have ever felt with anyone before that. But then the second single “REGIONS” is about a fling ignited in New York City with a famous hairstylist. And the track is very different and hard hitting. But then the last two tracks hold a special place for their sentiment, too, “Virgo” especially being about my longest relationship… with a Virgo. (Rollercoaster!)
Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to Broken Limerence as a whole – either as a message or emotion?
A) I like the idea of people chilling with headphones and listening to this, submerging themselves in the beautiful chaos of it, then coming away with another understanding of relationship dynamics. (That may be a bit too complex [laughs]). Ultimately,I just want people to feel like they went on a journey.
Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?
A) I have performed at some of the most amazing venues and festivals in my time with Jungle that I can only strive to perform at as a solo artist. Glastonbury’s Other Stage and Ally Pally are probably the biggest highlights in the UK. But I had an amazing headline show at Folklore Hoxton for the release of the lead singl, and it was the best I’ve had.
Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?
A) Solange Knowles & Ena Mori
Q) What artist/musician are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? –
A) Jactotene. I was a fan for a while, when I heard her song “Stop Calling” and “Stronger.” Then, coincidentally, I saw her live at London SXSW and she’s just an incredible vocalist.
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?
A) Some of you have been there since before Jungle. Thank you.