Just Jaded
Written By: Brooklyn Poutra
New Music Monday: Big Time Rush
Welcome back to New Music Monday with Jaded Productions! We hope you had an amazing holiday season, and we are so excited to be back with our favorite new music release! This month we couldn’t be more excited to recommend “Call It Like I See It” by Big Time Rush! “Call It Like I See It” is the first release by the band in eight years and we are so excited for them to be back!
Big Time Rush is officially reunited and singing together on stage once again, and their comeback single “Call It Like I See It” is the perfect comeback song to introduce their new yet nostalgic sound to the world. Members Kendall, James, Carlos, and Logan also announced this past summer that they are embarking on their first tour since 2014. Tickets to this tour have already sold out, and it has been confirmed that new music will be on the way.
“Call It Like I See It” was released on December 13th, and we have had it on repeat ever since its release. The band recently opened up in an interview with People Magazine, and Logan Henderson said “We definitely had some rough patches, had some issues kind of finding our sound and knowing the vision for the music. But the best part was whenever we all came together…we just went in with open hearts, open minds about the music and a little bit of tequila.”.
The new single “Call It Like I See It” has upbeat summer vibes, and is a super fun song that exemplifies all four band members talents, and is the first single for their highly anticipated fourth album together. “Call It Like I See It” is a song about a new interest and Big Time Rush sings “I just call it like I see it, and I'm liking what I'm seeing in you”.
Big Time Rush’s comeback has been very reminiscent for many as they had their own show and consistently released music from the years 2009 to 2013, and have not released music as a band in over a decade.
Whether you were a longtime childhood fan of Big Time Rush, or a new fan just getting into their music “Call It Like I See It” is the perfect boy band song with dance pop vibes to blast all month long! Be sure to check out “Call It Like I See It” and do some catching up with Big Time Rush!!
Artist Interview: Ethan Jewell
Hey Jaded Babes! This December, we had the pleasure of interviewing spoken word artist Ethan Jewell! His newest album “loneliness in the presence of company” was released November 12th, and we have loved it! Continue reading to learn more about Ethan Jewell and “loneliness in the presence of company”!
For our readers who might not know about you or your music, talk a little bit about yourself and how you got started.
I’m Ethan Jewell, and I’m a spoken word artist from Dallas, Texas. I create raw and highly emotional music that is intended to make you feel things. Most of my writing is based around mental health issues, such as fighting with depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. My hope is to allow others to understand that they are not alone in whatever mental health fight they may be going through. I first started writing after the loss of my grandfather. I didn’t know how to process that loss, so I wrote a poem about a final conversation with him. Then, I heard “Hobo Johnson”’s music, and realized that poetry could become music. I continued writing and began recording my music, and just like that, my passion for musical poetry was born.
How did "loneliness in the presence of company" come about?
I wrote “loneliness in the presence of company” during an incredibly lonely period of my life. I had lost most of my friends due to college, separation from Covid, or other personal reasons. I found myself stuck in a routine every day where I would stay home, alone, and sit within my loneliness. At first, this was an extremely painful way of living. It was isolating, and I wanted to break out of it desperately. I began to write about it as a way to cope. However, as time passed, I realized that loneliness wasn’t so bad. I realized you have to learn to find company within yourself. My hope with this album is that people will understand that they are not alone in their loneliness.
How do you feel that your creative and writing process has evolved since "Living the Dream"?
Honestly, my creative and writing process has barely changed. I still write the same way as always. I write whenever I’m intensely feeling an emotion, and try my best to transcribe it into words. My creative process and goal remains the same; find what expresses my message the best. I think the biggest change is that my music has become more raw instrumentally. “Living the Dream” had lots of big theatrics, but now I tend to focus more on vocals and piano only. I think the stripped nature of my latest album adds to how emotional and genuine it is.
What track off of your new album (if you can pick one) is your favorite?
I think my favorite track would have to be “HOW DARE YOU”. It’s short and to the point, and expresses a frustration towards others who tell you that “everything will be okay!”. I find that, although these people may have good intentions, sometimes it can feel
demoralizing to have your problems reduced to a simple, “you should smile more”.
Mental illness is far deeper than simply ‘thinking positive’. It can feel impossible to think
positively when you are struggling. This track fights this narrative, and allows a deeper
look into the reality of mental illness.
Congratulations on your upcoming tour! What are you most looking forward to once you hit the road?
I am so excited for everything about this tour, however, I’m most looking forward to meeting all of the fans. It’s incredible to see comments, DM’s, and messages. However, I can’t wait to see all of these people face to face and hear their stories and talk to them. After all, they’re the ones who make all of this possible, and I can’t wait to interact and talk with all of them!
Where can we find you so we can stay updated on all things "Ethan Jewell"?
The best place to stay up to date is my Instagram, @jewellboi_. I consistently post
updates about my music, tour, and personal life on there. Otherwise, you can find me on
TikTok (@jewellboi), Twitter, (@jewellboi), and listen to my music on all music platforms (Ethan Jewell)!
Artist Rec Friday: Dylan
Happy New Year’s Eve! We hope you have loved this past year with Jaded Productions, and since it is the last day of 2021, we have an extra special artist recommendation this Friday! We couldn't be more excited to recommend Dylan for all of your New Year’s celebrations and everyday music listening endeavors!
Like so many of us music lovers, Dylan loves “listening to music loud enough to burst a small child’s ear drums.”, and we feel that way about Dylan’s music! Dylan’s most recent single ‘You're Not Harry Styles’ is an upbeat breakup anthem that says what we were all thinking, that you're not quite Harry Styles (but we wish you were).
“You're Not Harry Styles” has already racked up over 2.4 million streams and in a recent interview with The Hidden Hits Dylan said “‘You’re Not Harry Styles’ is a comeback song I wrote after being messed around by someone. It’s my way of describing that moment of realization when it clicks that someone isn’t worth the frustration and hurt they’re causing you… Especially when they’re not of the standard that Harry Styles has set. Writing this song gave me the empowerment to get back my self-worth.”’
Dylan has a whopping 1.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify with only a few EP and single releases. Her EP ‘Purple’ was released in October of 2019, and is stacked with five absolute bops. Her second EP “Red” was released in May of 2020, and her songs “Nineteen”, “Someone Else”, and “You're Not Harry Styles” were released in 2021 and have become her most popular songs on Spotify with over ten million streams between the three songs.
With a main pop girl sound and encouraging lyrics to remind everybody that they deserve the absolute most, Dylan has an irresistible sound, and every song of hers will get stuck in your head. Many of her songs are layered with guitars and synths, and are paired with Dylan's passionate lyrics and smooth voice.
If you are a fan of Julia Michaels, Ella Jane, or Maisie Peters, then you absolutely have to check out Dylan! Be sure to check out her EPs and blast “You're Not Harry Styles” if you've ever dated an egotistical person who could never compare to Mr. Styles.
Thank you all so much for a great year with Jaded Productions, and for reading the blog posts, we hope that you have enjoyed them and were able to find your new favorite artist or song through them! Here's to 2022!