Jayelle Confronts Her Inner Demons on Debut EP

Singer-songwriter Jayelle recently released her debut EP, My Father’s Daughter.

Baring it all, this alt pop chanteuse channels the hauntingly personal experiences of her life with illustrative and enchanting honesty. The title track, which dropped at the end of October along with a music video, deals with the cycle of abuse in relationships and how the past tends to follow you no matter how hard you try to run away from it.

Raised in Denver, Jayelle was introduced to a large range of artists and bands of various genres. She is currently living in Los Angeles learning and growing as a musician. As a writer and performer, she aims to convey popular themes in new and clever ways that are captivating to listeners.

OUT FRONT had the opportunity to chat more with Jayelle about My Father’s Daughter, how she hopes the EP will help people, and taboo subjects are often brought up in music.Hi, Jayelle! Thank you for taking some time to chat with me about My Father’s Daughter. How exciting is it to drop your debut EP?
I am very excited! Nervous, but excited. It is a bit scary to put yourself out there, but this is a project I am very proud of. I think it is going to work out okay.

The title track, along with the music video, came out at the end of October. Can you tell us more about the single’s concept and inspiration?
Sure. The single itself dealt with the cycle of abuse pretty heavily. It’s kind of about how abuse can catch up with you throughout your life. Even if you run away from traumatic experiences you had when you were younger, they have a way of showing up subconsciously in different ways and in new relationships. For me, that is something I struggled with, and I am still struggling. It was something that I felt the need to portray through music because it is an issue that I feel like people do not talk about. Like, how the relationships that you see and experience as a child manifest your relationships later in life. I think it is just something people do not talk about, and it was something that I needed to process and work through. For me, music was the best way to do that.

How has My Father’s Daughter been received by audiences so far?
It has been really interesting because it was very personal to me, and I have never been this personal before. Even talking to people face to face. Now, I feel it has been so much more personal on such a larger sale, especially with the video. Everybody knows what the song is about. It’s not trying to hide anything, so it was interesting to show everybody that more personal and difficult side of me.

Everybody has been very receptive to it. Everybody has been kind and thoughtful, and they obviously want to know more about the backstory behind everything. I have had a lot of people reach out and talk about how this song struck a chord with them, how they have struggled with the same issues, and how they haven’t found a way to express or heard any kind of music that really captivated that issue. It is nice to have something that they can listen to and relate to.

What do you hope listeners take away from the EP?
The pattern itself is difficult to break out of, and I think that is what I wanted to talk about in the song. I just want other people who are going through the same situation to know that they are not alone. It is very difficult, especially when you have dealt with narcissism or emotional and physical abuse in past relationships. It is hard to break out of that cycle, and I want people who are going through that same situation to feel less alone and know that there is a way out. The song itself is very much like the frustration in the moment of it, but being able to put that out there and process it in that way, it was a way out for me. It was a way to kind of work through some of that. So, I hope that this song is that for other people where they can use it to accept that part of themselves and start learning how to work through it and find healthier and happier relationships.

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Why do you think it is important to bring awareness to haunting and taboo issues through music?
I think music throughout history has always inspired change. You talk about the 60s and all the music written then, we have the Harlem Renaissance; music throughout history has been a way for people to make their issues known and we cannot work through things if people are not acknowledging that they are happening. We owe some much to the media, art, and creativity just because it allows people to talk about the subject without having to sit down and have a really hard conversation out of the blue. It opens up the conversation in a way. A way that is almost easier received. Art is universal, and I think people are way more likely to listen to a song or watch a TV show about a difficult issue and get a new perspective than having a conversation with somebody just because of the way they are receiving it.

So, for me, I write about difficult topics because it is easier than even talking to my family and friends. There are people who do not even know what has gone on in my life. I can send them the song and be like, this is kind of where I am at. I think it also makes it easier for other people in that situation. They can do the same thing. They don’t have to sit down and tell their family that they are in an abusive relationship or feel like this is a pattern they are experiencing. They can be like, this is a song that means a lot to me and allow other people to draw their own conclusions. It will open that conversation up for them.Can you tell us more about your aesthetic and musical style?
I think aesthetic and musical style has always been tricky for me because I grew up listening to so much music. I have eclectic taste, and I write in a lot of different genres. As an artist, it has always been me trying to bridge the gap between so many different parts of myself. I feel like I have a vulnerable kind of aesthetic, but I also have a harsher and edgier kind of aesthetic as well. That comes in my music too, so I think this EP was interesting because I think you see all those different parts of me in the EP. It starts off with an all pop, heavy guitar, kind of revenge anthem song, but then it ends with a disco pop tune. In the middle, you have a ballad and a weird Avril Lavigne/Taylor Swift like song. I just wanted to be able to find a way to put together all those different parts of my musical self.

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Have you always had a passion for singing and songwriting?
Yes! When I was young, my favorite toy was this karaoke machine that my uncle bought me. I would sing on it all day long when I was three. In fact, I used it so much that it broke [laughs]. He had to buy me a new one. I have always been interested in music, and if I didn’t know the words to a song when I was little, my mom said I would make up my own words. I was always doing stuff like that growing up, and as I got older and started to deal with more serious issues mental health wise, music was always what I turned to. It helped me process and get through it. It has always been the light at the end of the tunnel for me, so I am blessed that I can still be doing it at this point in my life.

You were actually raised in Denver. How is the Denver music scene unique? How does it stand out from any other city’s music scene?
I think Denver is so cool because you can go anywhere. I was so into the Denver music scene when I lived in Denver. Like, I went to three concerts a month. I would spend my money on nothing else. Going to all these concerts and awesome venues, I met so many amazing people. I think going to concerts in L.A. is very different than going to concerts in Denver. I love L.A., but when you go to a show in Denver, it is like such a community. Everybody there is so excited to really enjoy that music together. At the end of the night, you have made friends with everybody in your immediate area. Denver is so unique because everybody is friendly, wants to build each other up, and enjoy music together. I think that is what separates Denver. Also, Red Rocks!

What more do you hope to accomplish as a musical artist?
That is a tough question! I hold myself to such a high standard. Once I meet a certain level of accomplishment, it’s almost like I have completely disregarded that and I am always thinking of the next thing. I did that, so now this is the next thing I want to do. Even before this EP came out, I was like alright, EP is coming out, what’s next? I am very much that way, ambitious to a fault. At the end of the day, as long as I get to wake up in the morning and have a job writing music that people can listen to and enjoy, then I did something right. I think that is my end goal. If that is what I get to wake up and do every day, then I am going to be really happy, and it does not matter what format that takes. Whether it’s my own artist material or writing for other people. I could care less as long as music is what I am doing because that is what makes me happy.

Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects we should be on the lookout for?
The EP is the big thing right now. I am thinking of doing some fun stuff with some of the other songs that didn’t get featured, so be on the lookout for some fun things like that!

To stay up-to-date with Jayelle, follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Click the link to stream My Father’s Daughter on all available digital media platforms.

Photos Courtesy of Fiona Lewis