On November 6th, award winning musician JACELYN drops the video to her new album “Dovetailing“.
“Dovetailing” uses foundational Jazz techniques like sonic, infused with various genre’s including rap & hip-hop, creating artistic dovetailing – finding things to fit into each other.
With 250K + streams on Spotify, JACELYN understands the important powerful impact of art and strives to send the right messages with her music. This is evident in her journey on the inspiration behind “Dovetailing“, her intention with it, and the majestic events that unravelled in the making of this music video.
Click HERE to watch the official video release of “Dovetailing”
Stream album : Soundcloud | Spotify | Apple music
Can you tell us about ‘Dovetailing’?
Sure! The definition of dovetailing is “to be in harmony, for things to come together and to fit into”, and that definition is what the song is about, with intimacy in general. When we feel our most intimate is when we incarnate with another person, which sets the tone for the entire album! We wanted to talk about all the different types of love, different relationships, and the ebbs and flow of that through the music. A quote from a magazine explained it best “this is the album for the jazz lover in you that you didn’t even know existed”. Meaning, I wanted to introduce jazz in a jazz- pop adult contemporary way, evolving into an explicit album. Who does that with rap and hip hop artists? It doesn’t happen everyday. I wanted to entice people of other genres – music is music. You can be intrigued by the jazz world, open that door and be like “I like Jazz” and equally have the die hard jazz listeners be like “Woah, I was in love with the vocal and music, then it surprised me with a couple of absolutely necessary swear words, and a hip hop artist? and a rapper? I like it! Maybe I’ve been punched musically. I guess I like hip hop even when I thought I didn’t”. I’m thinking a parallel with where we are today, with the American elections there seems to be such a divide in choice – but music is music, don’t divide it! We can connect and let prejudices fall to the ground; enjoy music for music, and enjoy the involuntary emotions we get – let the lovely guide of music guide you.
What inspired you to create the musical aspect of ‘Dovetailing’?
My own inspiration of how I enjoy all types of music! I said “well, we’re just going to switch to tango or hip hop in the middle of this song.” It’s almost like listening to a mash up without realizing it’s a mash up, it’s like a mixtape. I realized while making it “let’s add tango in there and go with it” which is why people say they see a hollywood musical theatre aspect to it. I allowed myself to go there, musically and sonically (the sonic side of jazz is awesome, jazz is in everything, it’s all about rhyme which exists in every genre). Jazz is all about improv, taking a chance and going with it somewhere.
What was your inspiration behind your new music video?
Inspiration hit me like a brick wall as I walked into this space. I was filming a visual multimedia series for my album with 10 visual artists, poetess’ (female poets), some dancing, just really cool mediums of art. We were filming a project coming out in January to support Dovetailing, a very interesting visual album. While we walked into the space for the third day of our video shoot, there was a dance team finishing up a project there who needed the space for a little longer. We just hung out and started setting up, and I had this view with the colours of album (b&w), and my album visual is very female supportive – and I was like “this is Dovetailing, right here, right now. I will ask them if they have time to do a freestyle, and we’re just gonna do one shot in 5 minutes with these dancers and with me lip syncing, and it will happen today.” I saw it so clearly, and I was already feeling gratitude for it. I got a sense of nerves and excitement because I knew it was going to happen, even before we arrived, I knew. That morning I grabbed a beautiful black lace dress that matched nothing, but my gut was saying to do it. Then, sure enough, right as rain, it suited our new idea. The dancers finished, and I shared my vision with the choreographer, Stephanie, she then spoke to the girls and in 15 minutes we shot a beautiful music video with dancing and women. It was amazing, what we originally planned and what ended up happening with the music video involved completely different women coming together creating various forms of art connected to one idea. It was serendipitous because we artistically dovetailed, we connected, it was a type of love! We got the video in one shot!
Remember: you’re always going to have challenges, and things won’t always be as expected, so you just have to allow yourself to surrender to what’s happening. I could’ve focused on starting late and creating an issue with these dancers, but instead I saw an opportunity to be compassionate and supportive with each other. Because there was love and respect for their art and creativity, it worked so well!
It’s tough to admit, but we get back what we give – every moment we put something out there; when we speak, think, move, etc. We must remember to put out something that will have a nice cause and effect on everyone else. It will have an effect, whatever you do or say will have an effect on more than just yourself.
Can you tell us about your Kickstarter campaign?
I had to film a Kickstarter video and was in the energy of “I know I’ll be here one day celebrating “Dovetailing”. I just finished recording and we did the campaign and paid back all the partners who came in and invested. As an independent artist, the bill just keeps growing and you don’t realize the cost until you’re halfway through a project. I had this amazing energy and I watched CBC q’s presentation of the songwriter circle, I got jazzed as a songwriter to put feelings into the song in such a way that has the ability to connect with the listener. I filmed this video, about gratitude, thanking people for already donating, I said “the energy of this video is the energy and currency of money. Money is currency which is energy. I will stand here like a lightning bolt and receive all of this amazing energy.” I posted it and in 16 hours we met my goal of $30,000, and we landed at $60K. Insane. What’s funny is looking back, I was like “oh, I’ll have so much money left to do other things to support the album” but the reality is, the project costs exceeded that. It’s so interesting, I didn’t even know what I needed when it did come into my life. I’m grateful because my goal was to create a world class project, I was supported in that vision and nobody can take that away from me. This is a bucket list goal/dream of mine, and if I never do another album again I need to walk away knowing I did exactly what I set out to do. Being that nonchalant – in the sense of “You know, this is it. I’ll do everything this way and be very in the presence of this project. Not even thinking about the future, this is it”, and that was the best thing I could ever do for myself; to record a debut album as if it’s your last album. Also team energy is so important: it is either a collective spirit or collective divide. I joke around with my new producer and we say “no diva-tude”.
What can we expect to see next from you?
We’re doing a multimedia experience of the entire album where 10 visual artists have chosen a song off the album and created a masterpiece inspired by the music. We collaborated with 10 female artists across the GTA with different mediums; from Chinese traditional art to Andy Warhol pop art. It’s completely different and diverse, and it’s the same with the women themselves. Multi disciplinary art – the spark is the music from Dovetailing. Dovetailing was an idea – how will I pivot a release during a pandemic with no shows and all traditional ways we do things being turned topsy-turvy? Dovetailing was my response – how I will get this project the attention it deserves, and where people can experience the music from the safety and comfort of their own homes. We just finished filming, and that will come out January to May because it’s like a mini series.
What are you hoping people take away from Dovetailing?
Two parts. First, I hope they remember the artist and the songwriter. Honestly, I want them to remember me and go check out more of my music or learn more about me! Go stream the album, go check out the website. Transcending those micro wants, the macro wants are; just listen to the music, and connect to what’s going on inside of you. Your heart is going to speak to you, whether you understand that or not, your heart is the most intelligent organ in your body, and music connects to the heart. So, experience my music and listen to what your heart is saying. That’s what I wish.
What are you hoping to see next in the music industry?
I have an impatient pattern, it’s something I’m always working on. When I look at that question, it’s like really? It shouldn’t be ‘oh things are moving in a positive direction’ but we are in this position in the first place because there wasn’t this passion for equality that we strive for. I’m inpatient, I don’t want these conversations anymore. It’s like COVID, why are we still having the discussion of equality and awareness? I am done with this conversation because it should already be and have been changed at our birth. If we had just spoken about being a spiritual being having a human experience then we would just have that experience that is balanced. I’m impatient. I want to see in my lifetime that “things are balanced”, but I realize in my own life how being balanced is a daily struggle in many ways, that I’m not sure whether it will happen in my lifetime. The essence of finding balance is to not be balanced, so I can’t imagine if this social issue will ever be balanced. It’s important to be balanced, there is so much disconnect. It’s not about gender – we are spiritual beings having a human experience. That connects us, and trumps everything. Every effort intended to separate us (whether it be by gender, race, religion) makes no sense, it’s our birthright to be connected. Being a feminist to me is wanting that balance and birthright, for me and the other people besides me – despite their gender. I want you to have the same opportunities and limitless possibilities we’re both given at birth.
Do what you love to do – it shows up on your body. When you fill with light – you rejuvenate and heal. If your light is dim how can it shine through and give nutrients? Darkness kills and suffocates, your responsibility is to think of yourself as a plant, and from the inside let things be ignited and the light inside heal and rejuvenate you.
Finally: it’s important for people to know and to take a moment to reflect on how they really got through the severity of the lockdown – it was by way of art. Music, film, maybe alcohol, but art in particular. So please support the artists right now, a lot of our income is reduced at least 50%. People glance music and videos over then stream – which is great but doesn’t help us. If there is something you can do to help support – purchase on the site and download music. Artists are asking for help modestly, but we’re all honestly in a heightened state of anxiety and struggle and uncertainty for the future of our careers. Please don’t just glance over our work, or turn away if you see a way to support artists in your own community.
Click HERE to watch the official video release of “Dovetailing”
Stream album:
Soundcloud Spotify Apple music
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