When Brooklyn-based indie pop artist Jett Jenkins first realized that only music could help sooth her heartache–that the songwriting process itself would be cathartic–it changed her life’s trajectory.
The Dallas, Texas native, who grew up around musical theater, ended up turning her own personal therapy into a music career, and she dropped her acclaimed debut EP Through My Eyes in 2022.
But while that first project was more about ruminating on grief, Jenkins’ latest effort focuses more on personal relationships–with a more uplifting sound and a revamped style to boot.
“When my first EP released I was a junior in high school,” she says. “And now I’m about to be a junior in college. I’m in New York City and it’s a very different environment. I’ve changed as a person and so has my outlook on life. It definitely fits within my personal journey. That’s why it took me here.”
It’s not just her outlook that’s changed; her musical style has evolved, too, and the new project wades into synth pop sounds–with a little bit of punk in there for good measure. Her favorite song from the project, “What You Want From Me,” was also the EP’s primary inspiration. It’s a more upbeat track that Jenkins says has a “teenage bedroom pop vibe” she likens to Sky Ferreira, and she plans to release it as a single this spring.
“I’m excited to experiment with different genres to try and find which one I fit the most,” she says. “But I don’t know if I fit a genre. I like to just go wherever my heart takes me because I listen to every genre of music.”
“What I like about the upcoming single so much is it’s different from what I’ve done but still has similar sounds to songs I’ve made like ‘City in Anger,’” she says. “That one has more of a rock vibe to it and this one is definitely synth bedroom pop but it has those same feelings. It’s a story of a friendship and the taking and giving involved. One person is taking and the other is giving and it’s not healthy for either one. It’s that feeling of trying to please someone but realizing you only have to please yourself.”
It’s a theme of the whole record: Jenkins is depending less on others and focusing more on herself. Whereas her debut project showcased an artist stuck in a cynical, depressive state, her latest work sees her breaking free.
“They’re not all synth pop songs but I think they all work together as a group and they tell a story as they work together which I think is really interesting,” she says. “Two of the other songs are also about these friendship breakups and the feelings you have and conversations of unreciprocated love. Breaking free is how I feel about these songs. It feels like a breaking point but in the best way.”
Jenkins is already off to a busy start in 2024. She released five songs on her Break Cover, Volume 1 EP in February. That project saw her putting her own spin on songs from five women artists who have inspired her.
She’s also beginning to book shows for the months ahead, including a date at New York City’s The Bowery Electric on April 25.
Stay connected to Jett Jenkins on all platforms for new music, videos and social posts:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jettjenkinsmusic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jettjenkinsmusic
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/_jettjenkins
Bandsintown: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/15501609-jett-jenkins
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZhrq3wUCitYxyIeeV1sY6A
Website: https://jettjenkins.com
