Photos and Interview by Jordan Edwards
With his breathy bedroom vocals and heartbreaking lyrics, JORDY is something of a throwback. You can imagine the LA singer-songwriter on a mall tour in the early '90s or performing on the original TRL. He doesn't just sing about love and breakups, he sings about the moments inside those relationships.
We met up with JORDY at Venice Beach to eat some ice cream and talk about new music, including the single "Dry Spell."
"Dry Spell" is about lust vs. feelings, and you’re not shy about the subject on social media. Do you think people in general are becoming more comfortable with queer artists talking about sex?
I’d like to think so! I try to always be as authentic and conversational in my music as possible. Sex is actually something I’ve felt shame attached to for a long time, so making this song was incredibly cathartic for me. Talking about sex is very important and I think that as a queer person, it’s important to allow my queer listeners to feel seen and heard. Straight artists have always been singing about sex; we should be able to do the same.
In terms of production, this has summer jam vibes. What inspired the sound?
The day I rolled in the studio with Bham and Shae Jacobs, I knew exactly what I wanted in terms of production: That heavy bass line, the hard beat on the chorus, the synthy verses. As always, I just wanted something that would make people want to dance while simultaneously feeling completely called out lyrically. I want to create fun and exciting musical spaces, while also making room for commonality on human experience.
You recently released an EP of acoustic versions of songs from your last album, Mind Games. What was the motivation behind that? How did you pick the songs?
We wanted to give some of the songs a new life. I picked some of my faves from the record and put a little acoustic spin on them. I think it allows for a different listening experience and shows more of an emotional side of the tunes. I think my favorite on the acoustic EP is “Trevor” because of the orchestral and more dramatic vibe we gave it.
I love that you admit your last single “Friends” was written about a real person. Was that difficult to do?
Not at all. The more real the experience, the easier and better the song will be.
You teased that one a lot on TikTok. Do you like making promo content for upcoming releases?
I do! It’s fun to come up with different ideas of how to hook people in. At this point, it’s become a huge part of my job but I try to have fun with it and not take it too seriously. I think people like seeing authenticity, so I try to be as much myself as I can be in those videos.
You’ve got great lyrics. Not only is there lots of emotion behind them, you’re really good at imagery. How much do you write? Do you keep journals?
My notes folder and voice memos app on my phone take up so much storage, I might need to get a new device, haha. I will always write concepts and lyric ideas down in my notes and then record little melodies when I think of them in my voice memos. But sometimes the ideas come to me in the session itself. It all depends on the day!
Cowriting is big these days. What do you enjoy about it?
It’s my favorite thing in the world. I think I enjoy the relationships that have come from it. You go into the studio not knowing someone at all, but then after hours of spilling life experiences to each other, you feel like you’ve known them for years. It’s a crazy special feeling.
I first got into your music through your duet with Catie Turner. How did that song come together? The live performance video you shot in that giant studio was pretty epic.
I’ve been a Catie Turner fan for years now, but we actually share the same manager, so we met that way. I was starstruck when I met her for the first time years ago. We wrote “Lie” during the pandemic on Zoom and it was one of those really quick and incredible sessions where it kind of just spilled out of us. After she put it out on her EP, she asked if I would do a feature version on it and I was honored. It’s so special singing a song with the person you wrote it with. Catie is an absolute dream.
The Mind Games beaded necklace you wear is sort of famous now. Who made it?
One of my greatest friends Abbie Koopote of Koopote studios. She styles me for everything, and is responsible for the necklace!
Are you playing a bunch of shows this summer? Will you find time to work on new music?
Yes! I’m on tour with Lauren Sanderson, and then playing BottleRock, Pride festivals, and then Lollapalooza in July. I feel so grateful, and I can’t wait to see all the gorgeous faces at all the shows.
Do you ever write a song and think, “I hope this one makes people cry."
Always.
JORDY – Dry Spell [Official Video]
www.youtube.com
JORDY upcoming tour dates
5/25 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey *
5/26 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord *
5/28 – Napa County, CA @ BottleRock Napa Valley
6/4 – South Charleston, WV @ Rainbow Pride of West Virginia
6/11 – Montclair, NJ @ Montclair Pride ^
6/12 – Albany, NY @ Albany Capital Pride
6/25 – Cincinnati, OH @ Cincinnati Pride
6/26 – Washington, D.C. @ Giant National Capital BBQ Battle
7/29 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
* Supporting Lauren Sanderson
^ Supporting Betty Who
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