London-based singer-songwriter and producer Jewelia explores a new facet of pop with each release. From pop-rock and disco pop in her previous singles ‘Second Best’ and ‘No Lover’, this time she settles on a charismatic folk sound. With ‘The Best We Can’, Jewelia shares fond childhood memories and adulthood endeavour, blending characterful vocals with warm acoustic accompaniment.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hey Jewelia, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What drew you to the music industry?
Hi, thanks for having me! I was drawn to music since I was a small child. Nobody in my family has a musical background, but my mum used to sing all the time around the house growing up, so maybe that played a part. I remember being about three or four, and seeing a street musician playing a keyboard. I was fascinated and immediately asked my parents if I could learn to do that too. The next step was a keyboard, then piano lessons, and this is how it all started.
What is the funniest or weirdest question that you have ever been asked in an interview?
Umm… this one? Just kidding. Probably when I get asked questions about ‘the band’, when I am a solo artist (this happened recently).
Your latest song is 'The Best We Can'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
I recently signed a publishing deal with Pretty Decent Music, and ‘The Best We Can’ is the first song I released with them. The process of writing it was slightly unusual for me, as I was asked if I wanted to contribute to a compilation of acoustic songs, so I wrote it with this specific purpose in mind.The song is about realising that we all have needs and wants, and we all make the best choices that we can think of to get what we want at a particular moment in time. So there’s no point in negative self-talk, in beating ourselves up or in spending time thinking of ‘what if’s - we all do the best we can, with the resources we have at that moment. And those resources can mean anything: time, energy, knowledge, confidence, money, love, other people, self-belief, self-love.
What are your songs about?
Every song is about something different, but I guess I could identify a few running themes. I very rarely write love songs, that’s one thing. A topic I come back to a lot is that of time - time passing, getting older, nostalgia, memories. My latest songs (and the upcoming album) are about the quiet strength we all possess to deal with whatever every day life throws at us. It’s about all of us, common people, doing the best we can with what we’ve got.
What is the most trouble that you ever have gotten into?
When I was still living in Romania, I went to Law School for a couple of years, and at the same time attended the Music Conservatoire in Bucharest, studying classical music. I then suspended my Law School studies, in order to focus on music. I still had friends in Law School, so one day, I sneaked into a lecture in the amphitheatre, with the view to catch up with some of them after. The lecturer was very strict, but for some reason as I was getting bored I thought it would be funny to start throwing paper planes from the top of the amphitheater where I was sitting. He couldn’t see who the culprit was, but he got so angry he immediately put an end to the lecture, threatened to fail everyone on the course, and left. Everyone was mad at me; they made me go find the professor, take the blame and apologise, which I did.
If you could be a fruit, which one would you be and why?
A strawberry maybe? Only because my sister always used to say that I look like one (not sure exactly what that means!).
If you can have your fans remember one thing about you, what would it be?
I would love to imagine someone linking one of my songs to a period of their life, or to something important that happened to them. Being a soundtrack to someone’s life, I think that would be the best memory they could make of me.
If you did not become a musician, what would you be doing right now?
I would be a judge, or failing that, a lawyer. My dad’s still upset that I never finished Law School!
Which famous musicians do you admire?
I admire anyone who dares to express themselves through art, really. Here are some musicians I can think of right now, who I would love to have a chat and a coffee with: Phoebe Bridgers, Sufjan Stevens, Matty Healy, Caroline Polachek and Lana del Rey :)
What are your plans for the future?
I’d like to start playing gigs again, hopefully put together a small tour for September. I’m also releasing a new album this year, so stay tuned!