Unless we dare take risks, how can we see beyond our fears? Met with positive response worldwide after a series of single releases, Christian-rock artist Jodi Essex continues to speak boldly with the same daring abandon that inspired her to release faith-based music in the first place. As she continues answering the call to live for Christ in a way that is unapologetic to the world, Jodi extends the invitation for listeners to be “Irreverent” with her. On June 26, 2020, she will release her new album “Irreverent” with a livestream premiere on Facebook and YouTube at 8 p.m. CT, followed by an accompanying devotional, available as a free download on July 3, 2020. For Jodi, the fearlessness required to take a leap of faith keeps proving to be a risk well worth taking. Jodie gave us some insight into her background, the new album and much more.
Tell us about the process of writing and recording the new songs on “Irreverent”.
As far as my writing process goes, it varies. Sometimes I write from an autobiographical perspective where I‘m dissecting my own life experience and lessons I’ve learned, or from observation and study of others and their actions/behaviors. No matter what the subject matter is of my songs, it always comes back to life experience – if even a message to listeners, the message still comes from something I’ve experienced in my journey. When actually putting a song together, it can happen a myriad of ways as well. Sometimes it’s a lyrical idea, maybe a sentence, or an entire structure for a song; sometimes it’s a melody that floats into my head.
There are times where I’m just milling about in my day and realize I keep humming certain notes. Those notes soon turn into bars of a song that somehow had been taking shape somewhere in my subconscious. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I sometimes envision the song being performed live. Even if it’s only a section – like an intro or really dynamic bridge. That can play a big part in helping the song to take shape. Then of course, there are your studio days where you may be in a songwriting session with other contributors. You’re sitting there exchanging basic ideas and you tease out all the twists and turns of them until something really starts to take shape. Or not…haha! That happens too! You end up just scrapping an entire day of ideas and back to the drawing board you go!
For this album, I chose to work with faith-based producer Sean Hill, who owns Uphill Studios located in Atlanta, Georgia. We had an initial meeting in person to discuss my project and to see if we were a good fit. It was really important that our understanding of the vision I had for this rock album was aligned in terms of production, style, and sound. I felt really positive and confident after that meeting.
So it began. I flew out at the end of January 2019 for my first writing session with Sean. I clearly had ideas embedded in my mind but hadn’t really fleshed them out entirely. I also knew that I was going to do a cover of Amy Grant’s song, “All Right” from Her Lead Me on album. Other than that, I just walked in with lyrics to a few songs and a couple of scant melodies. Sean, the incredible talent that he is, did an unbelievable job of bridging the gap and it was symbiosis at it’s finest: We went to work writing the entire album with scratch guitar and vocals inside of five days. A couple weeks later we were back in the studio tracking all the instruments. Sean made sure to bring in the “A-Team” of musicians that he thought would do a rock album major justice. The guitar player, who also played bass on the album is Jadan Sorenson (Angie Stone, Montell Jordan, Crystal Nicole, Sounds of Blackness, Bucky Covington). He’s over-the-top talented and can play anything. Whether it’s a total shred or a beautifully nuanced riff, he brings it every single time and his attitude makes him a joy to work with.
Hill (Jamie Grace, Clay Crosse, Landry Cantrell), who is a multi-instrumentalist, also played drums which is his passion and it showed. A huge fan of rock music himself, he delivered with hard-hitting chops, sprinkled with a glimmer of flash here and there. On keys was Pablo Melgar (touring with FRVR FREE; previously with New Song, Passion, Jesus Culture). He’s an artist behind the keyboard. I’ve never seen anyone as meticulous as Pablo when it comes to finding the perfect sound, the perfect piece to accompany any song. He definitely added some incredible dimension and layers to the music. For the ballad, “Symphony,” we of course went with live strings and the man for the job was Josh Smith. He did an incredible job with the string arrangements all throughout the song. Also accompanying me in a couple songs as a background vocalist was Jon-Paul Keller, friend of Sean’s (who happens to be an awesome guitarist and bass player in his own right!). As it happened, on a day that I was doing BGV’s, he stopped by the studio to say hello. We needed one more voice for a few parts, so the trooper he is, he jumped right in, found his harmonies and the rest is history!
We spent about two weeks or so tracking everything and then we sat down to begin the mixing process, also done by Sean at his studio. The album was mastered by Bob Boyd (Our Lady Peace, Blake Shelton, Chris Tomlin, TobyMac, Crowder, Michael W Smith, Amy Grant, Andrew Peterson, Sanctus Real, Third Day, Bebo Norman, Mindy Smith), owner of Ambient Digital out in Houston. He’s a super talented mastering engineer and just a really nice guy with his own signature sonic sound.
What were some of the things you wanted to achieve with the release?
With “Irreverent” being a faith-based rock album, it was all about making an impact & inspiring others to live their best authentic lives, navigating a broader reach and continuing God’s mission. It is my hope that my songs speak truth to my listeners and encourage them to take pause in introspect, then take action to live a life of truth in their faith journeys. I’ve lived a pretty fearless life, good or bad but always at 100% – full bore! In my music, I implore listeners to dig deep into themselves, explore personal accountability, and to decide what you want in life but to stop straddling the fence. I encourage everyone to live boldly, know your truth and speak your truth; be empowered in hopes to empower others; be intentional and purposeful.
Do you enjoy the process of creating? Are you someone who continually writes or does the best come out under a little gentle pressure?
I do! I go through phases where it’s continuous and I’m hit with a creative writing bug. But I also enjoy writing under a little pressure and feel like the squeeze can yield even better results!
What does it feel like as an artist waiting for the songs you’ve lived with for some time to get released to the fans? Is there a sense of excitement or a little panic in there too?
For me this time around, I was totally excited! I hadn’t released music in a really long time. I was curious and, at the same time, anticipating a journey back into the music industry jungle, which had evolved into a new landscape for me. Like I mentioned above, I had things I wanted to achieve with this album but I went into it with no expectations. There is a difference there. I had the usual expectations of doing my best and being true to myself; authentic and transparent in my art. But since this was a project I felt compelled and prompted to do by God, I treated it as an amazing blessing and a gift to be able share the truth of God in our lives with others.
How does it compare to previous releases?
It was a realization that I had early on after we finished production of the album: I was in my car listening to a round of mixes from Sean and thought to myself, “this is the first body of work where I’ve loved every single song from #1 to #10!” I love everything about it. It is bold, pointed, & truthful lyrically, and has rockin riffs, solid drums and winding melodies with crazy great energy throughout! It is not as if I wrote 30 songs and picked these ten from the bunch. These were THE TEN exclusively that came out of our five-day writing session and there you have it: IRREVERENT!
What were the lyrical themes and inspirations for the new album?
I will say that as my tracks are listed out on the album, they follow a storyline from #1 to #10, or better yet – they read like acts & scenes in a play would. You know, Act I, Scene 1 and so on. “Stand Up” begins my storytelling of someone who has been down and out, perhaps has been roughed up a bit (or a lot) by what life has thrown at them. It implores the listener to, “Get Up, stand up, and RISE” in the chorus. It urges the listener to get up, dust themselves off and do something about their situation, because there will always be hardship and people who will let them down. But it doesn’t matter, you have to stand up for who you are, you have to realize your own worth and live up to it without false validation. The middle of the album entails the journey of getting to that place of salvation, then healing, and experiencing forgiveness by exploring the who, what and why of life. And finally, the last track, “Rearview Mirror” wraps it all up by reiterating to the listener and asserting, “Stay out of your rearview mirror, you were who you used to be…stay out of your rearview mirror, stop hangin’ on to what you lost, what shouldn’t be -you won’t see, in your rearview mirror.” The album is about leaving your old life behind, living a new life of redemption and transformation made only possible through God’s love.
The rest of the song stories and inspirations will be available via a downloadable book that will be released one week after the album release. It’s called IRREVERENT: The Inspiration Behind The Music – Lyrics, Song Stories & Devotional.
What is your favorite song to play live?
Well, given the whole pandemic, my first live show will actually be for the release of this album on July 26th at 8PM! It will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube. Looking forward to it, though I’ve never played a large, empty venue before! Haha! It’ll still be awesome!
I don’t have any favorites yet this go-round but I do love theaters and intimate venues with really cool architecture or history. It makes the connection to your audience so much better, like you’re all in a room together and can feel the gravity of the energy in an up close & personal way. I also really love outdoor venues or amphitheaters. I’m from CA and there are so many of those out there that I grew up seeing shows at. I love the open air and sunshine. Honestly, it doesn’t really matter. I’m truly of the opinion that there is no greater show than a rock show and the undeniable energy that it gives off – it makes no difference where it is! You don’t need a fancy stage and fancy toys on the stage. You just need really good music, a tight solid band and relentless conviction in your delivery. Plant your feet and wail, right? RIGHT.
Any stand out shows or personal highlights from a tour or show?
Not yet, but I can’t wait to play over in Brazil! Just one spot behind the US in followers & streams, the people there have been so kind and incredibly receptive & supportive of my music. They are such passionate people and culturally, Brazilians live & breathe music!
How did the band form and get started?
It’s just me! I’m a solo artist this time around with hired guns. Before this project however, I was in two other secular rock bands that I started though. Being in a band is tough – for all kinds of reasons. That’s why I admire the bands that are still together and playing. Back in the day, I had a lot of great experiences and loved the bands I was a part of. The people I had the opportunity to play with were good people. It got difficult coordinating schedules, sharing band duties, and trying to just keep everyone together with changing times and varying levels of interest in staying together.
What have been your greatest challenges to date and your favourite moments musically?
The greatest challenge this time around has been starting from scratch all over again, and, in a different genre. The rules of the game and engagement are different these days, with streaming platforms and also Rock pushing to regain its place at the top, with the steady competition of Hip-Hop & Rap. It’s been challenging but nowhere near impossible. In fact, with the birth of the various streaming platforms, there are so many talented indie artists putting out music and experiencing great success. It’s just about learning the in’s and out’s of a new process – that goes for self-promoting versus working with labels as well. In some ways, it’s easier for us and in other ways, more difficult. I recall the times of trying to simply get a major record deal. That used to be the one singular goal of any band or artist – getting the “deal.” It used to be the days of you or your manager beating down the door to the program director at radio stations to persuade them to play your music. Or an entertainment attorney (if you even had one) setting up meetings to get labels to listen to your “unsolicited” material, haha! I’m laughing now…seems like such an archaic process compared to the options musicians have today. Between all the social media platforms, streaming giants, and e-commerce, Indie artists can have a hit all on their own!
In terms of favorite moments musically – those are comin’! Right now, I’m really enjoying the process of hearing/reading/seeing people enjoy my music and interacting with people from all parts of the world!
From what you’ve learned so far, what is the most valuable advice you’ve been given as a musician?
Looking back from then to now, a few notes of importance I’ve learned along the way and that I call my “Golden List:”
1.) Be patient. Nothing was built in a day. It takes awhile for music to catch & make its way inside everyone’s home/car/(or now – onto their playlist(s)!
2.) Know who you are. Your success correlates highly to knowing who you are, both personally and as an artist, and being confident in that. This goes for the creative side and the business side of music. Again – be unswayable and confident in who you are.
3.) Don’t write anything you won’t sing and don’t sing anything you don’t believe in.
4.) Accept from the beginning that not everyone will like your music. Some will even say vile things about your music for no good reason. That is why you should refer back to #2!
5.) Don’t blow all your money on recording a single, or EP, or entire album and then have nothing left to market it with. Make certain to budget for marketing. Read that again. Look, you could potentially have the next greatest song or hit in the world, but if you can’t get it out to people and make them aware of it, then you’ve got no streams, no sales, and nothing to support a tour with. What you’ve got is nada!
6.) A “career” in music is a business. Yes, music is a “creative” endeavor where we may write & perform to our heart’s content, but if you want to make some semblance of a living by doing it then you need to learn the business side of the music business. I remember as a teenager, I got a hold of “Everything You Need To Know About The Music Business,” by well-known veteran music lawyer, Donald Passman. WHOA. What a read! It was then considered the “industry bible” by pretty much everyone in the industry. He has since(2019) come out with a 10th edition, which now includes an updated section on the biggest transformation of the music industry yet: streaming. Get the book, read it. Grab a highlighter! Make notes. Equip yourself. If you can’t tell me what a “Sunset Clause” is as it relates to the music industry, then you need to read it!
7.) Practice your craft every chance you get, every moment you have available. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. And repeat!
And finally, #8 – saving the best for last as they say: MUSIC, the universal love language of our world that has the ability to unite us all, is a gift from God. It is a privilege to write, record, and perform for people. Treat it as such.
Who are some of your main influences?
Ah the list is long! Well, it’s interesting because my parents divorced when I was really young and they both had very different music tastes. I’d be listening to bands like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Journey, Def Leppard, and Aerosmith at my dad’s house, but then at my Mom’s house with my sister, I’d be listening to Christian rock artists like Stryper, Petra, and DC Talk; Adult Contemporary Christian artists like Sandi Patty, Amy Grant, and Bebe & Cece Winans. And that’s only a fraction on both sides. I listened to and studied a looong list of artists. As I got older, I began listening to Jars of Clay, Switchfoot, Pat Benatar, Sheryl Crow, Stone Temple Pilots, and Soundgarden.
Who or what inspired you to be in a band and play music?
I‘ve been into music for as far back as I can remember. My dad always had great tunes on when I was a wee-little girl and he also managed a band called “The Image.” I got to sit in and listen to their rehearsals and sometimes they’d let me sing. But to be honest, I think the desire to be a musician began before then. Those subsequent experiences just sparked it on a bit more and got me hooked. Also, my mom played the piano and we always had music going on in our house. At three years old, I used to grab a candlestick in our living room and used it as a microphone to serenade anyone who would listen. I’d jump up on our fireplace hearth and belt out “You Light Up My Life,” since my parents frequently had Debbie Boon on in the background.
How do you feel about the current music scene right now?
As I mentioned above, indie artists have so many avenues available to them as it relates to putting music out into the world. I mean, you submit a song to Spotify, Soundcloud, Pandora or use a distribution platform like Distrokid, CD Baby, or Tunecore and depending on how hefty your marketing budget is (Read #5 again in my Golden List), you’re on your way! Get a social media plan together, start building a fanbase, make a music video – a lyric video will do also!
As far as music goes, just like Jesus, ROCK IS NOT DEAD. GUITAR IS NOT DEAD. No, we are not making a “comeback,” we never left! It’s just that we went ahead and shared space, generously sharing the spotlight with a few other genres. BUT, it’s time. Rock needs to shine in it’s own spotlight again like it did before. EVERYONE is ready for it!
Do you believe music can still change the world?
Are you quoting the brilliant Beethoven? Ha! Yes. I believe music can change the world because it can change people, one by one. Music can influence thought, thought influences action, and action brings about change.
What was the last album you listened to?
I haven’t listened to an entire album in awhile. It’s been mainly playlists of a rock nature!
If you could invite three musicians, past or present to join you for dinner who would you choose & why?
An impossible request for obvious reasons, but here it is: Pat Benatar – Queen of Rock and one of the greatest rock voices of all time! She can rock hard and belt out a song like no other, but then turn around and sing a beautiful ballad equally as well. It is an ABSOLUTE travesty that she has NOT been inducted into the RnR Hall of Fame! John Lennon (does this need an explanation? Ha! We’d collaborate on a song), and Jimi Hendrix – he was simply a magnificent artist and pioneer to so many sounds & effects. Of course, he was influenced by earlier greats like B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and Chuck Berry. Who could go wrong? Plus, I‘d ask him for a guitar lesson 🙂
If you could be credited for writing any song ever written, what song would you select?
Canon in D Major by Johann Pachelbell! Where else can you find an iconic melody, iconic bass line (that was the envy of then – up and coming classical composers), and a gorgeous piece of music that can easily float between being performed in it’s traditional format, or rocked out on electric guitar by Jerry C(Jerry Chang) or funtwo (Lim Jeong-Hyun).
There will be a live stream, full-band album release show on the evening of June 26, 2020 at 8PM CST on Facebook and YouTube. Jodi will play a few select songs from the album. Details will be available on all social media platforms and the Spotify artist page for Jodi Essex.
