A Quick Chat with Ariela Jacobs

Your new song has an incredible pop sound to it, how was the song writing process different in this one than some of your ballads?

Thank you! The songwriting process was pretty much on par with how I write my sad girl piano ballads - the formula, the structure, it’s all the same method (if i have to call it that) really. In fact, ‘hey lover’ was initially written as a ballad, but once I got into the studio with Michael Paynter and Michael DeLorenzis, we had a play, and the pop aesthetic naturally moulded the way in which we felt this song needed to go. 

The Chorus is mega catchy, I can’t help to ask though is this song about anyone or fairly generalised

Look, it might be, although, I'll leave that up to the listener to create their own narrative. It's now up for respective and universal interpretation. And although it’s lyrically pretty straight forward, one can choose to interpret how they see fit. 

Pop songs haven’t always been your bread and butter but this one is excellent. What would you like this song to reflect about you?

I think no one artist should be boxed or categorised into a specific aesthetic or genre. All individuals have the capacity to explore, experiment and grow and we should never merely be labelled as being one thing. This doesn’t allow for movement and instead keeps us stuck. I do believe from a structured point of view, my songs have always fit that classic pop criteria, but I do believe that this is the first time, where I’ve truly taken the production risk and just allowed the song to be exactly what it needed to be - in all its aspects, a full blown pop song.  

What have been some of the biggest challenges being a woman in the music industry?

Existing, really. Female artists are fed a rather tired trope that we have an expiration date, and that we have to churn as much as we can before the wave passes over us and we are no longer considered relevant. Challenging these archaic narratives and staying consistent in our own lanes, within our own communities that nourish and grow our stories and music, is the hardest thing. There's also this scarcity mindset that suggests there are only a few seats at the table. So, staying vigilant in your self belief is probably the key to outlasting these challenges.

What are your main goals heading into 2023, where do you see yourself in a year?

I like the pace I am beginning to build with song-writing and releases. I hope to keep up this momentum and continue to release, write and collaborate with artists and people on my team. My main goals are to remain consistent and curious about new ideas and stories, and share as much as my truth within the process.

So many people see you as potentially being the next Amy Shark, what do you think about that?

I think Amy is a wonderful musician, so I take that as a compliment. But, we are different in our own ways, so comparisons leave both artists dry. I think I am only capable of comparing myself to myself, and I'm steadily getting better as an artist.

Which artists influenced you the most during your career?

It’s ever changing, especially as I develop my craft. I’ve got my unapologetic classics which I've mentioned before such as Gavin Degraw and Vanessa Carlton. But at the moment I'm influenced by artists such as Holly Humberstone and Sasha Sloan. Both diverse in their style and genre, but true to themselves and their stories. You can feel their work as being genuine and raw, so I'm guided by that intuition when searching for new and old music.

What happened to your career when Goldroom toplined your voice?

I was pleasantly surprised by how that song blew up, particularly because it was such a foreign venture for me. It placed my name on blogs, and I had heavy rotation across streaming sites. It was a short-lived adrenaline fix that also definitely allowed me to fast-pace my career, especially amongst writing toplines for independent electronic acts. I'm now working on getting new levels of traction with music I'm releasing this year and next.

Can your fans expect more songs like this one? Is this a new direction?

It certainly is a new direction, but really, I will stay true to my roots and what drives me as a musician, which is self-exploration and just going with what feels good. So I can't for certain guide everyone in one direction or another. At the moment this feels right, so that's where I am currently choosing to place my energy.