Blooming Indie pop artist Jazzie Young is out with her first ever EP!
Under the name grown up & grown apart, Young details all the self-exploration she’s had time to do while quarantining in the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of living in lockdown, Young’s maturity evolved as she transitioned from her early- to mid-20s. For Young, this meant making detachments from old relationships that no longer meshed with her re-defined personality.
While letting go of several old bonds, Young only grew closer with her own family. As a 26-year-old daughter of The Youngbloods’ lead singer Jessie Colin Young, she decided filming in her father’s hand-built studio from the 70’s only felt right. Plus, it might even turn out to be a good luck charm considering the massive success of his hit rock single “Get Together.”
Aside from recording in such a sentimental setting that brought back some vulnerable childhood nostalgia, Young got the chance to collab with her own god-brother Ethan Turner. By keeping close ties with her own family roots, Young’s EP shows us a very raw and personal mix of six songs.
To promote this milestone in her music career, Young launched a unisex merch line with ethically-sourced materials from Los Angeles. The tracksuits come in a wide range of inclusive sizing options, so that fans of practically any shape can wear their support with pride.
Celeb Secrets recently had the chance to chat with Young via email interview. To learn about Young’s greatest inspirations and shocking backstage moments, keep scrolling for more!
Don’t forget to let us know what you think of Jazzie’s new EP by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets. You can also connect with Jazzie by giving her a follow on Instagram at @jazzieyoung.
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Celeb Secrets: Congrats on the brand new EP! Can you elaborate on how it felt to record in your father’s self-made studio from the 70’s?
Jazzie Young: “Thank you! It honestly felt natural. Recording with my godbrother, Ethan Turner, in a location that I’ve visited since I was a child was both surreal and really comforting. I felt at home which I think really lent itself to an added bit of vulnerability within each of the tracks off the EP.”
CS: If you could only pick one song as your ultimate fave from the amazing line-up on grown up & grown apart, which one would it be?
JY: “Hmm, that’s so difficult because that really changes depending on my mood. I’d say overall the title track ‘grown up & grown apart’ is one of my favorite songs I’ve written to date. Although, I really enjoy how ‘fuck me over’ turned out and the direction of production that we pivoted to within that track. It has some movement and cheekiness to it that I really love.”
CS: How would you describe the vibe you were going for when crafting the EP?
JY: “I tried to stay within the realm of the indie pop and singer songwriter genres, but ultimately, I was more focused on making sure each song’s production felt authentic to their lyrics and message. All the tracks focus on the theme of trying to find yourself and figure out what you want and who you are. There’s a lot of trial and error in that process and a lot of these songs stemmed from the pain that occurs from that kind of growth.”
CS: Do you feel like the pandemic forced you to grow up and apart from any past relationships? What did the detachment phase feel like for you?
JY: “I don’t think it forced me but rather allowed me the time and space to evaluate some of my relationships with other people and myself and to move in a direction that felt healthier and in line with who I am and what I need. The detachment phase is always hard for me. That’s usually when I write the most because it’s my way of processing those feelings of loss, or confusion or even sometimes resentment. It’s an important part of the process for me in moving forward. I’m very grateful for all the lessons I’ve learned from my past.”
CS: Aside from your father, do you have any other celebrity icons who inspired you amid the songwriting process?
JY: “Honestly too many to count really. Some names like Cat Stevens, Led Zeppelin, Lily Allen, Lorde, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, The Cranberries, The Killers, the list really goes on and on. They are all so varied in their styling, genres and even decades but I think any band or artist that I’ve listened to over the years has inspired me one way or another. Even if my music doesn’t sound a bit like theirs, loving the art they created and consuming it day in, and day out definitely influenced my creation process.”
CS: Do you have any songwriting rituals that you rely on while coming up with new lyrics?
JY: “Usually, songwriting happens in one of two ways for me: One I just get this sudden urge to sit down and start writing. That’s usually more prevalent when I’m working through my emotions and processing some event that’s taken place in my life. Secondly, I have this idea in my head about a scenario or situation that I want to write about and put into words. It’s still usually based in the reality of my life, just not triggered by a certain event or person. But most of the time once I’ve sat down to write a song, I don’t stop until It’s completed in its lyrics and melody. Sometimes I hit roadblocks and when that happens with the more stubborn songs, I have to leave them alone for a bit and come back to them with fresh ears and eyes.”
CS: How do you hope your fans feel when they listen to the EP for the first time?
JY: “I created this EP like a journal, each song detailing a different experience and lesson I’ve learned. So, I hope that the intimacy of these songs and this album comes across to the listener and they feel like they’re a part of this vulnerable world with me. Almost like they’re listening to my most personal secrets. I also hope that the people who can relate to the things I’ve been through will feel seen and understood through my music.”
CS: We couldn’t help but notice the adorable dog in one of your promotional photos. Are you fortunate enough to have any pets distracting you while you’re trying to get in the zone at work?
JY: “Yes! I have the sweetest beagle mix named Wrigley, I call him a bearded beagle because he’s very scruffy and has a wizard style beard. Fortunately for me he is very understanding of my creation process and when I get in the zone, he usually just lays on the couch and listens to me while I work. I call him my furry audience member because he’s always right there when I’m working on my songs. He really supplies me with a wealth of emotional support.”
CS: In a world where petite bodies are often glamorized, what motivates you to design inclusive sizing options?
JY: “I just know that everyone has a different body, and I would never want to create something that would make anyone feel ashamed of their body type or size. Since it is a small batch limited drop, I knew I could only do a few sizes, so I tried to make sure that each size had enough moveability to include as many body types as possible. Each sweater is oversized, and the waist band of the pants has up to 5” of mobility to allow for both high waisted and low waisted wear. There’s just so much variety with this set so the wearer has options on how they want to style it which I love.”
CS: Since we’re Celeb Secrets, do you have any secrets from making the EP that we wouldn’t know when listening to it?
JY: “Not many people know this but during the actual recording process my pup was in the recording room with me! He would be sleeping on the couch when I sang, and it was so sweet. The only issues that arose were when he would wake up in the middle of a track and his claws would tap on the hardwood floor and we’d have to do another take. We tried our best to plan the takes around his sleeping schedule ha-ha.”
LISTEN TO GROWN UP & GROWN APART BELOW:
