Jamie McDell – Dream Team

By starrymag | October 12, 2021

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) Alt-country, Americana but Kiwi?

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) Patty Griffin, Lucinda Williams, The Chicks, John Denver, Stevie Nicks.

 

Q) How did your trip to Nashville in 2017 change or affect you as an artist?

 

A) It was that trip where I met my now manager and producer Nash Chambers. Sometimes you just need someone to believe in your dreams too and Nash really took a chance on me and celebrated the more authentic side of my writing and performing style.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Dream Team.” How did the Netflix series “Chernobyl” inspire the song?

 

A) I had just finished watching the series when I sat down and started playing around with chord progressions. The tone of the series obviously lent itself to minor chords. The lyrics came from a place of questioning power and possession, and the hands we choose to put our families lives in.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I think we all can get lost in the hype around people or characters that are presented to us to aspire to. We all need space to explore our own opinions and in today’s world it can be really difficult to conjure that curiosity with so much noise and distrust in the air.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) The video explores the complexities of an unhappy relationship, the signs not always being big and obvious. The quiet, mundane, cold elements that not everybody can see or that even go as far as to assume they’re ok, they’re thriving, the dream team?

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) I usually write the music and lyrics at the same time. The best songs usually come when I passionately disagree with something someone has said or done, and my response comes out in song form. Those are sometimes written from start to finish within minutes. My song Botox is an example of this.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) My favorite way to record for an album is with an entire band in a room playing through the songs together and letting the musicians do their thing. This way we’re working as a team and the production is a journey, each player does their part to best represent the sentiment of the song I’ve brought in that day.

 

Q) Your album is set to drop in 2022. What are some themes you can tease you will be exploring on it?

 

A) Personal stories of my family, celebrating an adventurous upbringing on the sea while also understanding the impossible ideals placed on mothers and fathers

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) There’s a venue in Kumeu, New Zealand run by some friends. The shows are called Kumeu Live. The audience is always super receptive. It’s very intimate which makes it a perfect environment for sharing stories behind the songs.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) Jimmy Buffett!

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) Madi Diaz – History of A Feeling. She’s so raw and honest. It’s always so thrilling to hear an artist share their perspective in a way we’ve never heard before.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) It’s such a great opportunity to let fans in on the person behind the songs. My story is such an important part of the music I release. I enjoy having various ways to let people in on the creative process.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Every listen counts! This industry can be hard, the support you give helps keep music and stories alive and thriving.

 

 

Listen to “Not Ready Yet”

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