Just Jaded
January Podcast Recap
By Jessie Strickland
On this episode of “A Little Jaded”, Jade and Joanna sit down with singer- songwriter Mia
Giovina, a fangirl- turned- artist making her way through the digital and live music scene. She
grew her artistry during the Covid-19 pandemic by learning her favorite songs and training
herself with almost a D-I-Y boot camp. Since then, she has been pursuing music full time and
prioritizing her passion through her own likes. Mia, Jade, and Joanna discuss topics such as
relatability within fandoms, finding one’s own sound as an artist, being present on social media,
and finding ways to combat the pressures one faces from being so heavily involved on the
internet.
Relatability
When Mia posted a rewrite/ cover of Harry Styles’ “Cherry” on TikTok, she never expected for it
to gain the traction it did, and thanks to that traction, she amassed a following of other fans who
want to be active in her art. Mia states that by being an active fangirl herself, she has an
“automatic platform” as she is able to build off an already existing community with shared
interests and tastes, an underrated and underestimated aspect to finding success in the music
industry. By participating in fandom culture and communities, there is a mutual understanding
that these shared interests help build a more substantial and impactful relationship between artist
and fan that transitions into more of the likeness of a parasocial friendship. What Mia is able to
accomplish through her identity as a fangirl is what ultimately will make or break any entertainer
or figure in the public eye- relatability.
Finding her Sound
It’s important for Mia to establish her own sound and musical identity, especially as she has
made moves for herself by covering the songs of other artists. It took a little while for Mia to
come to her own sound, but she was able to come upon it by this tip she gives others- listening to
music. By listening to different genres of music and wide ranges of artists, she was able to
pinpoint and lock down what she wanted her sound to be, which she describes as “the indie-pop
songwriter” track. Through the likes of singer- songwriters such as Phoebe Bridgers and Lizzy
McAlpine, Mia was able to establish her own musical identity while still being able to have her
influences and inspirations still take part in who she is as an artist.
Social Media
Mia, Jade and Joanna discuss what it means to be an artist in the age of TikTok, and what it
represents for artists attempting to make their way on social media in general. Mia makes the
point that TikTok is great for smaller artists like herself to gain exposure and a following, but it
has its challenges and issues. In her words; “When it’s great, it’s great, but when it’s not, it’s
really hard,” referring to how the algorithm fluctuates when it pushes a creator onto the “For You
Page” and when it doesn’t. She also brings up the idea one has to realize as a creator, not just on
TikTok, but social media in general, that the engagement you receive is not inherently indicative
of the content you create or the quality of it, but is merely just a result of the algorithm. Due to
the way the algorithm works, certain types of music may be pushed into the mainstream a lot
more than other genres, so it can often cause artists pressure to stick within a certain vein of
sound. Joanna makes the point that when someone starts making music specifically for TikTok
and engagement, it can become difficult to branch out from that and establish a new identity
online and artistically, which is something Mia, herself, has dealt with.
As Mia grew popularity on TikTok, she felt the pressure to make music for the sake of going
viral, but her artistry has allowed her to move past that feeling. By shifting her focus away from
views and followers, she was able to create music more meaningful and personal to her, which
also allows her to feel less pressure to be extremely active on social media. In the modern day,
it’s a non-negotiable that being active on social media is the key for promotion and success of
artists, but Mia insists there must be a balance between posting and creating. Over time, she was
able to surpass the pressure to be over- active on social media by validating herself in the fact
that she is working on music behind the scenes and prioritizing the process, confirming her true
artistry.
Takeaway
As the episode concludes, Mia makes a few points she wants the viewers to linger on.
1. Don’t be afraid of coming off as pushy and demanding, especially for women wanting to
enter the music industry.
2. Look out for yourself.
3. Accept burnout and learn that, almost always, it will pass.
4. Let yourself feel whatever you need to feel and trust that whatever it is you need will
come back to you.
To hear Mia go more into depth about her advice for aspiring music industry professionals, as
well as some more anecdotes about her experience as a musician and content creator, make sure
to go listen to this month’s episode of “A Little Jaded” wherever you get your podcasts or on the
Jaded site.
In the Midst of “Tragedy”
By Jessie Strickland
I got the pleasure of speaking to Texas- based Indie Pop singer Eraste in anticipation of her
newest release, “Tragedy”! Eraste is a self- taught musician and singer who’s lyricism and world
building within her music are shining stars of her artistic prowess. She is a particular pleasure to
talk to as she was one our artists in the past here at Jaded!
I got to ask Eraste some questions about her process when it comes to making music and how
she is able to combine her artistry with skill to create music that is meaningful and personal to
her. Be sure to listen to her new single “Tragedy” out on January 27th, wherever you stream
your music.
1. What does your pre- production process look like? Is there a specific way you attack
the initial creation of a track?
The way I start a song is honestly different every time. Sometimes I get inspired in the middle of the
night, when I hear a phrase from a friend, or when I’m driving in the car! (Usually in the car? Maybe
that’s my songwriting happy place haha). My songs usually always start with a melody that I hum
into my phone or a set of words, like with my song “Habits” I wrote down “I heard someone call your
name and I almost turned my head but I know you’d never be caught dead in a place like this.” And
then the rest of the song kind of follows that feeling. Then I move on to piano or guitar to finish the
melody and overall structure of the song, and then I take the feeling and put it into production. I think
one thing I’ve discovered recently that has helped me when I’m self-producing is that I have
synesthesia. So if a song is giving purple, I approach it by thinking “okay how do we color this purple
with the instrumentation?” Self-producing and collaborating with other producers has been a fun new
way to express my creativity and vision and I think once you write the song then you can add all the
special synths, drums, or melodies that make it a pop song. :)
2. When I initially listened to "Tragedy", I immediately got a "Tumblr '' vibe, specifically
like artists such as Purity Ring, Grimes, and Sky Ferreira. Would you say you had any
specific influences in this particular track?
Yes! Tumblr! My secret blog on Tumblr definitely changed my brain chemistry (for the better and
simultaneously for the worse LOL). I think that era of music HEAVILY influences my dark-pop
vibe. It is such an iconic part of the 2010’s music scene, and it was the first place I felt like my
taste really became my own. Before then I had just been influenced by what was on the radio or
what my older sisters spun on their CD player (that I never got to use btw still bitter about it) but
when I got online it opened up a whole world of artists that I felt like understood me. Hearing
records like “Pure Heroine” by Lorde and “Badlands” by Halsey made me ascend! For this song,
I combined the initial idea from Lorde’s “Liability”, that feeling of always seeing myself as “too
much” and how my love overwhelms people. (I have cried to that song an endless amount of
times) And with that inspiration, I took that concept and made it my own. For the
instrumentation, those heavy synth-pop albums appear all over the track! I think when you have
songs that you love so much, they bleed into your own tracks and you get to reconfigure it using
your own thoughts and experiences. Like the sparkly synths, driving baseline, and the
over-the-top production was heavily influenced from “Badlands” :)
3. When you write your songs, do you prefer to write based on specific experiences, or
do you like taking a more fictional and narrative approach? In what ways does your
songwriting reflect your "inner world" and emotions?
My songs are always autobiographical. I think what makes people resonate so much with my music
is that I’m not afraid to tell you how something made me feel, even if it was super hard, devastating,
or heartbreaking. It’s still so surreal to have music out that is basically like my diary and share it with
the world. I still have to get used to that level of vulnerability! Especially in songs like “Tragedy”
where I explore my deepest insecurities about feeling unlovable. I pride myself on being honest in
my music, and it never felt like an option to be anything else. I don’t know how to not wear my heart
on my sleeve and so all my music is very indicative of my inner thoughts and feelings. Very
emotional girl! It’s hell in here it’s horror lol
4. Your writing is a very big standout of your music, and has a very poetic voice. When
you produce your songs, are you aspiring for the listeners to pay particular attention to
the lyrics? What is your main goal or mission when you write a song?
First of all, thank you for saying that! I really pride myself on my songwriting, more than anything
else. I feel like when big artists do interviews they’re like “I write the music for the fans, everything I
do is for the fans,” and while I get the sentiment, mine is not! Haha I mean it kind of is but I write it
because I have to get the emotions out. It’s an outlet to literally word vomit onto the page and then
deal with the fall-out later. Being an artist, I feel like I don’t have a choice but to create. I think the
fact that I write with the idea that no one else will hear it is what makes it so personal- It’s like letting
everyone in on a secret. The fun thing about writing is that I get to create a world by dabbling in
personal experiences like I actually have cried on dirty club floors! With this song I wanted the
production to mirror the subject matter, the feeling of being overwhelmed. So there’s a lot going on!
A ton of instrumentation and background vocals to demonstrate that, and it’s so fun and cool to be
able to convey that in just the music. Like in the second verse, I say the line “All the whispers of
assurance in the backseat of your car” and in the production, I whisper “I love you” buried in the
track. There’s also no bridge, just a ton of ad libs because I genuinely felt like the desperation could
only be conveyed that way!
5. In your bio, it was mentioned that you disliked piano lessons as a kid and had to be
bribed with Mountain Dew, which is super relatable. In the present day, do you ever feel
it's a struggle to create or release your art? How does this affect your artistic and career
pursuits overall, and how do you overcome it?
Ugh this just reminded me I need to drink more Mountain Dew. Healing my inner child with Mountain
Dew! It’s always hard to release music. It’s hard to be vulnerable, it’s hard to say how you feel. It’s
literally SO terrifying because you never know how people will receive it, but I think I’m learning
recently that I can’t control other people’s emotions and reactions. That’s kind of freeing. I don’t know
how to NOT say how I feel, and so it comes naturally to be confrontational in that sense because, at
the end of the day, I need to get it all out there. Even if it’s really embarrassing and uncomfortable
because I never want to miss an opportunity for someone to know how I feel about them. When it’s
difficult and disappointing and literally devastating to the point of an actual mental breakdown, I
remind myself that being vulnerable is brave. We can’t find the right people, the people who give us
life and joy and love without going through tens of THOUSANDS of heartbreaks to get there. And I
really believe for the right people, we will never feel like “too much”. I’m always actively trying to be
at peace with my fear of rejection, but lately, I’ve learned that when you believe in something TRULY
believe in yourself or your art, you can be confident in it no matter what anyone else thinks. Because
the people who love you for who you are will accept you no matter what.
6. Finally, is there any message you would like to send out to your fans, or anybody who
is just now getting to know you?
Message to new friends! Hi! I think I just want to say I see you. I’ve been where you are, I live in the
hurt, and if you do too I see you. I hear you. And I’m sitting with you in the feeling. I hope my songs
make you feel less alone because you make me feel less alone. And that’s all I’ve ever wanted :)
little luna: A Form of Self Discovery
By Zaylee Bell
The journey of self-discovery is different for everyone, but that does not make it any less important. One artist is striving to help with our own self-discovery journey by sharing hers through her music.
Cover of little luna’s Debut EP Through The Self
little luna started her musical journey as a writer but soon started releasing her own music. In October of 2020, she released a single, “Shift and Go,” as well as a cinematic version of the song and a yoga flow. The three different releases of the song are a showcase of luna's three biggest passions: music, yoga, and cinema.
little luna grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but split her time between there and Los Angeles. She started acting at 12 years old and has 15 years of acting training. luna has expressed her love for filmmaking and production, which is one of the reasons she started acting. Disney Channel kids would recognize her for her most well-known role in The Suite Life on Deck as Addison.
Besides being an actress, luna has also been a yoga teacher in LA for 8 years, which is another thing she brings to the little luna persona. She creates a 3-minute or so long yoga flow that follows her singles, combining her background as a yoga instructor and music.
The little luna persona is one that she has created for herself, but also one with which she wants others to be able to identify. Writing on her website, "I am little luna, and maybe you are too,” In an interview with Shoutout LA, she said that “little luna as a whole is my expression of searching for my true self, connecting to it, and creating from it.” She also expressed how she enjoys sharing that vision with the world.
The music luna has released is an expression of her discovery and where she was at the time she wrote it. Her first EP was released on May 20, 2022, and takes listeners on a journey that ends in a creative and surprising way.
The sixth and final track of the EP is a 25-minute guided meditation called “Forest.” She went into the studio and recorded the mediation in one take, and listening to it, it does not feel 25 minutes long. She said in her interview with Shoutout LA that she’d done the mediation for others many times before, so recording it was not too challenging.
Among many of the things she has done, she has also released many high-production music videos that she has directed herself. My personal favorite is a single from the EP called "The Glass," which has a simple music video with her singing to a reflection of herself in mirrors, playing off the song's meaning of recognizing your whole self, even the parts you would rather not see.
5 Seconds of Summer's fans may also be familiar with her since she opened for them during their shows in LA on their Take My Hand World Tour. luna has not had the opportunity to tour, but she performed at the iconic Troubadour in Los Angeles last year with Jagwar Twin.
In the New Year, little luna plans to release even more new music and maybe even tour if given the opportunity. I personally cannot wait to see what all she has planned, and I can say with no doubt that I am a little lunatic, which is what she refers to her fans as and with whom she is super interactive on her social media. You can get more updates from little luna on her social media and stream her latest single, “Want It All,” on all streaming platforms.
