Jasmine Ortiz – Trick or Treat

By starrymag | January 7, 2021

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

A) I would describe my sound as a mixture of everything that is hot right now in pop. I have some hip hop/urban elements in my production with that airy vocal sound infused with harmonies like Ariana Grande or Justin Bieber. I also have that darker-toned instrumental in some of my music, a la Billie Eilish and Melanie Martinez. This fusion really goes beyond many of the limitations of genre for me and it’s really important to me that I don’t let genre-specific labels define my sound.

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

A) Some of my greatest musical influences are Lady Gaga, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, Santana, Prince and Amine. I know, I know. That list has some huge variety. I come from a household that schooled me on jazz, classic R&B, rock and roll and grunge greats as a child, so I was never afraid to travel sonically into different genres when developing my ear.

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Trick or Treat.”

A) “Trick or Treat,” to me, really shows what it’s like to feel a strong connection to someone and have it disappear very suddenly. This happens all the time, as almost everyone has experienced some form of ghosting in the dating world. It can be really hard for people in my generation to connect with each other and remain vulnerable enough to form those close relationships. I, myself, have been guilty of ghosting once or twice, but I have experienced it many more times as well. It really forces you to accept that people come and go, and it’s best to focus on moving forward free from regret.

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

A) I think the honesty in the lyrics is what really helps people connect to it. I am raw about my own personal experiences, having gotten a drunk phone call at five in the morning at one point, from a guy I was seeing; after he cancelled a date on me that day because he said he was sick. Things like this happen all the time, making it easy for listeners to insert their own narrative. I’m sure many girls can relate to seeing a hickey on the neck of their date and not getting the best first impression of them or even finding out that they are seeing someone else. I love being able to connect with listeners due to the transparency I bring out in this song.

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

A) The music video for “Trick or Treat” recreates several scenes from some of the most iconic horror movies of all time: It, Psycho and The Shining. These films have a cult following due to their wicked storylines and riveting cinematography. We wanted to recreate that cult classic feeling in the video, really turning the concept of getting ghosted on its head. Instead of the girl playing into typical breakup tropes, she takes matters into her own hands and makes her very own slasher film. The video adds an additional layer to the song, by including details like the phone being disconnected as an allusion to the character – played by me – being crazy and not having had a boyfriend to ghost her at all. It really makes you think about the narrative in a whole different way.

Q) This marks a new sound for you. What made you decide to switch things up?

A) During the two amazing years I spent recording and writing music in the urban Latin pop market, I was also in the process of developing as an artist and discovering different sounds. I discovered that some of my best work has fit into this new, unique vein of pop that is really hard to define and pin into one specific category. I think that’s really where a lot of up and coming artists find themselves now with respect to genre; caught in the crosshairs between many. I am still recording and writing in both English and Spanish and using a lot of the Latin influences I have been exposed to in order to inspire my new music while pivoting more into the “pop” world.

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

A) One way I can start is with a lyrical idea or melody that pops into my head. From there I try to develop the concept of what I’m writing about and really dive into the lyrics. I usually follow this up by laying down some piano/guitar ideas or coming up with a chord progression. I’m definitely a super lyrically-focused writer, so it’s mainly what I start with. Another method that I’m becoming more comfortable with as I develop my production skills is hearing a track or producing one myself and letting it inspire me to form melody and lyrical ideas overtop of it – a/k/a toplining. I really love doing it both ways, so it just depends on where the inspiration first hits me.

Q) This is a song you penned, produced, played on and more! What was it like for you taking on all of these roles at once?

A) It was really exciting for me to be able to work on every aspect of this song start to finish. “Trick or Treat” was the first time that I was able to do this musically and also in the creation and production of the music video and visual content. I had such a great time getting to put together the wardrobe for myself and my friends who were in the video. It was an incredible experience, getting to be super hands on; and I’m definitely going to be producing or co-producing most of my projects moving forward.

Q) With concerts currently on hold, what do you miss most about being on stage?

A) I really miss getting to experience the energy of an audience and hear them enjoy something that you’re putting out into the world. For me, performing is a really strange feeling of both vulnerability and empowerment, so it’s a cool space to be in with some of my most personal work. I can’t wait to get back out there and perform all of my new stuff.

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

A) I really enjoy performing at smaller venues, because they provide such an intimate setting for artists and fans to get together and enjoy music together. I’ve played a lot of arts festivals, bars and performance venues throughout PA/NYC/New Jersey and Miami.

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

A) There are so, so many amazing artists I’d love to collab with, this is a really hard question. I’d say my top three right now are Post Malone, Amine and Drake. I respect Post Malone so much as a musician and we have similar roots as guitarists and songwriters, delving out of our rock past into the realm of urban pop/hip hop. Amine I really respect as an artist who hones in on curating his brand and sound with meticulous detail. He directs or has immense involvement in the production of all of his music videos and his visuals are really specific to who he is and the humor he brings into them only highlights this further. Drake I really respect as a lyricist and performer. I have seen him live and the way that he engages the crowd is really special. He has this connection to his lyrics that is uncanny and definitely draws you in when you watch him perform.

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

A) Right now, I’m really enjoying some awesome up and coming artists like Remi Wolf, Ashnikko and Avenue Beat because they represent this new sound of younger artists just breaking through; crossing every genre boundary and really emphasizing a do-it-yourself look at pop.

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

A) Social media is such an invaluable tool for a growing artist. Not only does it allow me to connect with fans and supporters, it also helps me brand myself as an artist and develop the content I want to put out without strings attached. I am able to grow and shift and develop without being confined to a singular vision as I might be when completing an EP or album. I really like the flexibility it offers and the once in a lifetime opportunities of connecting with people you might not have ever met otherwise. I love reading comments and DM’s from fans and I appreciate being able to have that personal connection with them.

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

A) First and foremost, I would like to say THANK YOU for sticking by me these past few years, through every transformation and development. I cannot wait to grow even more together and to show you all what exciting things I have coming up. I know that the future is bigger and brighter for ALL of us and I hope that we can all experience this success and growth together. I have some awesome projects coming up – including a new single called “Cherry on Top” coming out in January, as well as an EP in the works set to be released in early 2021. I couldn’t be more excited to share what’s coming next.