After making his mark with a string of impactful releases back in 2021, LA-based singer-songwriter Jeffers Insley now makes his long-awaited return to deliver his tender new single 'Honey'.
Adopting more of that warm and wistful aesthetic he first emerged with, 'Honey' makes for a dazzling return to form for the artist at the helm. With his rich and heartfelt vocals layered across an emotive, piano-led production throughout, he returns to us with one of his more captivating efforts to date here.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
-
What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
I fell in love with the piano early. Everything started there for me - some of my earliest memories are at the piano. I think I had a music teacher in pre-school who saw the spark (I don’t know how, I was four, maybe I was good at tambourine) and insisted that my parents put me in piano lessons. And then it became an obsession that's lasted 20+ years, that drove me to quit my job and sit at the piano all day. Hopefully I can just do that forever.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I’ve had so many phases. I grew up on early 2000s country radio, which is the only thing my parents would play in the car - I definitely hear it in my own music now. I had a huge rap phase in the early 2010s - Odd Future, early Kendrick, Chance. But pop was always the North Star. Couldn’t get enough of the harmonies, the euphoria of it.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Might have been an American Idiot. I would get so pumped when Boulevard of Broken Dreams came on in the car - I remember the kids in my carpool being like, “you need to relax. It’s 7:30 in the morning.”
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Squirrel Flower’s cover of So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I like to walk or do something with my hands when I get stuck on lyrics. I remember Phoebe Bridgers saying that you should clean a drawer and I generally take her word as gospel, so I have clean drawers. But also bad habits, like stopping halfway through because I get so excited and just want to listen to what I have over and over. Terrible habit, I never finish anything. But who can blame a guy.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Big Thief, D’Angelo, Wednesday, Gracie Abrams, Earl Sweatshirt, Frank Ocean, Jai Paul, Chappell Roan, Phoebe Bridgers all come to mind. My current obsession is Cameron Winter. That guy is 22 years old and making timeless songs. I think he’s the greatest thing in music today.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Think I’d have to go with Big Thief. The rawness and chemistry that they play with is just insane and the fans are incredibly dedicated. I’ll never miss a Big Thief show. Maybe some of their magic would rub off.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
That will always be the music itself. Writing a good song is the greatest feeling in the world. Seeing someone else connect with a song is the second greatest feeling in the world.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Caring immensely about anything means that the lows can be as extreme as the highs. I’ve definitely had some stretches where I thought I lost the spark, and that can be brutal. But you have to believe it will always come back.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
“Being an artist is just like playing poker. No matter what you got, you better act like you got an ace!"
-
Jeffers Insley's new single 'Honey' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.