After cementing herself with her brilliant debut single 'Cruel' in recent months, LA-based artist Jennalyn has now delivered her stunning new EP 'BLADE'.
Channelling a bold and pulsing dark-pop aesthetic from start to finish, 'BLADE' makes for an instantly engaging listen throughout. With her transportive vocals riding a wave of rich and atmospheric production, it already feels like we will be hearing a lot more from her in the very near future.
So with the new EP available now, we sat down with her to find out more about her origins and influences over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
I fell in love with piano when my parents started me in lessons around 6.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
I grew up in a religious household and wasn't allowed to listen to the radio. I started listening in secret when I was 13 and became obsessed with BANKS, Tove Lo and Charlie XCX.
What was the first album you remember owning?
I think I purchased Tove Lo's Queen of the Clouds on iTunes in secret haha.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
The last song I felt that way about was You by Troye Sivan. I played that song in my car all summer. It made me melancholy in a comforting/dreamy way.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
I don't have any die hard traditions yet. But 9/10 times I start with the lyrics.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
I recently discovered Emeline! And I've been obsessed with Naomi Wild and Hope Tala lately.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Definitely Rihanna.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
There's so many rewarding parts of being a musician. Standing onstage and hearing people shout your lyrics back at you or finally writing a song that captures the feeling I've been trying to articulate. Those are the victorious moments.
And what is the most frustrating part?
The frustrating parts are the instability of this profession, the rejection, the exhaustion. But I could never be anywhere else right now.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Devesh Dayal, my main producer on BLADE told me that just because we change something doesn't mean it's better. It's just different. That's really changed how I view my art. Striving for excellency but also creating art that resonates is important to me and sometimes you have to let that art breathe.
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Jennalyn's new EP 'BLADE' is available to stream now. Check out the video for her breakthrough single 'Cruel' in the player below.