Jesabel's new single, "This Small Town," is like a fine casserole mashing up front porch storytelling with electronic pop-folk instrumentation. The tune is based on her personal perspective growing up in a small town in Georgia. The twists and turns of trying to figure yourself out in a place you don't quite belong or understand. Couldn't wait to leave. Yet, now can't wait to go back. She may have traveled far living in places like Milan, Italy and Miami, FL, later to eventually settle in Jacksonville, FL but "This Small Town" will always be home. Funny, isn't it?
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
What first got you into music?
I first fell in love with music through dance. But, I never thought to create music myself as I did not grow up around instruments or a musical family member. I also had a severe fear of singing in front of others, though I loved singing when I was alone. It took me loosing myself in motherhood as an adult to tackle my fear of singing. I took a voice lesson just to get sound out, and the rest is history.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Great question as there’s so many inspiring artists I would love to collaborate with. Joy Williams of The Civil Wars would definitely be up there for me. Her voice, range and songwriting style were big inspirations for me starting music so would be an honor to learn and work alongside her.
Your latest song is 'This Small Town'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
If I'm being honest, this song has been a labor of love and a true test of my patience. I started recording it last year with a different studio. It didn't feel right, so I shelved the project. I then brought it to my long-time co-writer and producer Jonathan Grant Berlin. We ended up editing, restructuring and rewriting my original draft of the song. I even spent months with the new built-out musical track rewriting the bridge and last chorus lyrics till it all came together. It has been a tune that has reminded me time and time again that we can't force song creation. Sometimes, it's like planting a flower. We just have to wait for the bloom.
What are you focusing on right now?
Right now, the marketing of this release and scheduling/performing live shows. I am a one-woman operation, so I juggle the business side of interviews, marketing, invoicing, show scheduling during the day and perform my live sets at night. I am also gearing up for extensive time in the studio, which I am very, very excited about.
What is the best advice you’ve been given?
Follow your intuition. I have been guided by strong “gut feelings” my entire life and they’ve never steered me wrong. It’s like a trust fall with the universe. But there’s a peace that comes when you surrender to the ebb and flow of the signs and what your own gut is calling you to do.
What is the biggest challenge of being an artist?
I’d say the technology demands of being an artist in today’s modern world. You are constantly battling algorithms, numbers and the slew of multiple hats to stay present across digital platforms. Independent singer-songwriters nowadays also have to be photographers, content generators, videographers, social media managers. On top of being their own tour manager, accountant, and marketer. And find time to create and be an actual artist. It can be exhausting. It’s a constant battle of balancing the time and energy of your craft and the other demands of “running your business.”
How do you structure your day?
My weeks and days look a bit different than someone who works a traditional 9-5 job. My performances are typically scheduled Wed-Sun. Monday and Tuesday tend to be my errand/catch up on life or emails days. My mornings are filled with marketing, writing and meditation/yoga. My gear is loaded by late afternoon and I’m off to my evening gigs usually by 3 or 4pm. I typically play 2-3 times a week to try to maintain a work/life balance. I’m also a mom, so I juggle my son’s schedule as well as blocking out special family time too.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
I swear I could be a professional hobbyist. I am a home DIY and interior design fanatic. I actually have a separate Instagram page: @jesabelhome documenting my home adventure projects. I am an avid antique/vintage junkie so I also have been working in estate sales and thrifting into my schedule. I am currently building inventory to fill a local antique mall booth with my treasures to sell. I am very excited about that new side adventure!
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
All. The. Time. That is the first place I fell in love with singing. Acoustics, man. I ironically write a lot in the shower too. There’s something about water and creativity. I’ve learned to keep a phone near and hop out half soaked to take a quick audio recording before I lose the lyric or melody. It’s quite comical.
I also almost always have a Bluetooth speaker in there jamming out. One of my favorite things to do is play songs I don’t know and sing harmony or background vocals. It’s almost like a musical game to predict the chord or melodic progression as well as lyrics and the more I do it, it’s amazing what you can predict within an unknown composition.
I also do a lot of my vocal warmups for a gig in the shower getting ready for a show. During covid, I went and lived at an ashram for two weeks to get my yoga teaching license and there I learned to warm my voice up using the Sanskrit scale. I now use that plus the deep breathing exercises to prepare for a show. The shower, or car, is the perfect multitasking spot for that warmup!
Now that I’ve shared all this, I’m starting to think the shower might be my main office!
What are your plans for the future?
I am planning for festival dates as I now have a full band to play out my original set. I am also heading into the studio with some new songs. So recording is a major focus right now. I can’t wait to get more new music out to you guys!