Indie artist Jillian Rae‘s music just gets better and better—and bolder and bolder thanks to the world’s current state of affairs. Ever eclectic, she officially releases the video her raucous new single “Stuck” with a show on Friday, July 22 at Icehouse with Cassandra Cole.
DISPATCH is thrilled to be able to premiere the new video for “Stuck” ahead of the show! Check it out:
The track and video come not too far off the heels of her indie/folk song “Doing My Best,” featured in Americana UK and as The Current’s Song of the Day. Before this next stop on her journey upwards as one of Minneapolis-St. Paul’s best multi-talented musicians, and to accompany the video, DISPATCH checks in with Rae on the new musical turn, her future plans, and more.
DISPATCH: The new single “Stuck” is a thundering pop-rock song that jumps up and kicks butt from the opening notes. It’s crazy out in the world, is this you moving on from “Medication“?
Well first, you got that right. It IS crazy out in the world, these days! I don’t know if I would say that this is me “moving on from Medication.” It’s more like this is me doing that thing that I always do… not sticking to one specific genre and making music that I like. After making it through the entirety of 2020 being cooped up in my house and having a mean case of Writer’s Block, I just so happened to have this little rocker bop inside of me that finally fought its way out! Don’t fret, I will still be writing all kinds of song styles and bopping around from genre to genre.
Your command of a variety of styles of music continues to be super impressive. Your last track was the indie/folk song “Doing My Best,” you lay down electro funk on your absolutely fantastic cover of “When Doves Cry” . . . does that make it easier or harder to write music when you can basically do whatever you want?
For me, it makes it easier! I think part of the reason why it took me so long to release my own original music is because I had this idea that I had to “pick a lane.” And I just couldn’t do it! Maybe it’s because I’ve performed a variety of musical styles throughout my life, and maybe it’s because I just enjoy a wide range of music. Whatever it is, I made the decision when I was working on my first record that I would not worry so much about “genre” and just create music that I enjoy and let my own “Jillian Rae sound” rise up out of the waters.
Another multi-talented local, Seth Duin, is dreamy in a CW kind of way. How was it working with him on the video?
Hahahaha, you nailed it. Seth Duin is, in fact, a dream. It was so much fun to make this music video with him! I’ve shared bills and played shows with Seth here and there over the years and already know that he is such a talented guy and a fun hang. When I found out that he does film production and editing, I knew that he would be the perfect person to bring my dumb-funny idea to and make this thing happen with me! We had a total blast.
The decision to tear it up on the solo with your violin skills was last minute, but it sounds great and gives the track something a little different. Was that off the cuff or was it planned on guitar and you just did it yourself?
Thank you so much! I’m really happy with how the “accidental violin solo” turned out. To answer your question, it was a little bit of both. It was supposed to be a guitar solo but after several passes from both Eric (my guitarist) and Christian (my drummer who also happens to be a great guitarist) I wasn’t quite getting the sound I was imagining. That’s when I decided to go off the cuff and try it out on my violin. I just plugged my violin into the old pedal board, dialed in a rock-guitar-sounding-vibe, and played the notes I was hearing in my head… probably what I should have done in the first place! But… “the process.” lol
You’re at that level in Minneapolis-St. Paul now where you’ve checked a bunch of the local music boxes (Played every venue, getting on good bills, Current song-of-the-day, etc.) and keep putting out really good music. Which of the Coasts will you be moving to in the next year or two?
Hahahahahaha, what a question! First of all, thank you so much for your kindness. Sometimes I need a reminder that I’ve checked some pretty cool boxes in our awesome TC Music Scene. I don’t foresee myself permanently moving to either coast (I’m a born and bred Minnesotan and really do love it here). BUT (all caps to emphasize a very big BUT) the older I get, the more I fantasize about getting out of here in the winters. Relocating to record, or write, or tour in a different climate, a different vibe… I could roll with that. I could definitely hang and play music in Nashville, or Austin, or LA, or Seattle, or Portland, or NYC for a spell. I’ve spent small bits of time on tour in all of these cities and they are all great and have their own unique music scene. But I have a feeling my heart will always bring me back to my beloved Twin Cities.
WHEN YOU GO:
Jillian Rae + Cassandra Cole
Icehouse
Friday, July 22, 9 PM. $12.
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