Interview with Jenny Kern

Indie dream/pop artist Jenny Kern released her newest single “I Should Lose You” on July 8th, which was featured on Our Favorite New Songs that week. Kern recently played at the Rockwood Music Hall in New York with Olivia Reid and has tickets available for her next show at The Baby G in Toronto this October.

We caught up with the Canadian-born, Brooklyn-based musician to talk about her new single, pursuing music, and looking to the future

Hi Jenny! How’s everything going right now?
Things are going alright! Been a busy few months working on new music and prepping for all the upcoming shows. Overall I’m always just trying to stay positive and healthy.

What classic album cover is your current mood?
Kate Bush – Hounds of Love

What’s the story behind your newest single “I Should Lose You”?
This song is about falling out of love with someone and realizing you need to let them go. The relationship was failing and it became so one-sided. It’s easy to realize that you no longer have feelings for someone but it’s the intrinsic difficulty of hurting them that makes it so hard. You can be in a relationship, feel a shift and know something isn’t right anymore but the second you say it out loud it’s in the open. You can’t take it back. The truth is, the best solution is to rip off the band aid and move on. That’s what I had to do.

Any hints of teasers coming about your next EP?
It’s coming in the fall and it’s my favourite music I’ve ever made!

If you could only listen to one record what would it be?
This question always gets me because I have so many favourites…. but if I had to pick one it would likely be Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. It’s just so good. Close seconds Hats – The Blue Nile, Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto

Who has inspired your music style?
There are so many artists that inspire my music. Growing up I listened to everything from Motown to 80’s pop to Joni Mitchell. Mostly I’d say I get a lot of my sound from 90’s female singer songwriters like Annie Lennox, Dido and Sarah McLachlan. Right now I’m really connecting with the sounds of The 1975, Maggie Rogers, MUNA, Chelsea Cutler and Fickle Friends. I listen to a lot of music and constantly feel like I need to be surrounded by it, especially new music. When I’m writing or we’re in production I need to consume because I’m trying to find new ways to get creative with sonic palettes.

How did you get involved in music and what made you want to pursue it?
It’s actually an interesting story… Growing up I played a lot of instruments from saxophone to piano and some guitar but it wasn’t until about 2018 when I started singing. I had played some cover shows in Montreal at school with a friend but never on my own. Someone suggested I play in NYC and the only way I could get a gig booked was if I had original music. So a friend said I should write a song. I did and I fell in love with it very quickly! It all sort of snowballed from there.

How was your recent show in New York?
It was amazing, I am still buzzing!!! These shows just keep getting better and more fun to perform!

Who would you love to collaborate with in the future?
So many artists I admire but I’d love to collaborate with: Chelsea Cutler, Maggie Rogers, Matty Healy (The 1975), The Japanese House, Phoebe Bridgers, Fickle Friends, Dizzy, HAIM or MUNA.

What else do you have planned for 2022?
More music, an unannounced EP in the fall and some tour dates coming soon!

Keep up with all of Jenny Kern’s future shows and music on her website as well as her Instagram and Twitter. Photo credit: Mara Rothman