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sometimesalwaysmusic · 6 years ago

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CHRISTINE JAKEL

Christine Jakel (CJ) has a busy spring planned, with gigs lined up in Montreal, Brockville, Kingston, Toronto, and Ottawa. She has seamlessly transitioned between the classical training of a formal music degree to her own unique song-writing style. Give her latest number, Storm Clouds, a spin and check her out when she plays your town.

VITALS

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/christinejakelmusic/

Bandcamp: https://christinejakel.bandcamp.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinejakelmusic

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdqtTm41pI8vz6gNg1E6Erw

Latest Release: Storm Clouds (Single, April 2019)

Upcoming shows: April 16 - Christine Jakel, Heather Ragnars and Gerry Galipeau. Barfly, Montreal QC. April 20 - Christine Jakel and DRFTR. Spitfire Cafe, Brockville, ON. April 25 - Christine Jakel, Sapph Decaf and Erika Lamon. The Mansion, Kingston, ON. April 27 - Ottawa Grassroots Festival. Ottawa, ON. May 9 - Canadian Music Week Showcase. Toronto, ON.

SA: How did you first get your start in music? CJ: I've been doing music my whole life. I started piano at age 5 which was followed by 17 years of classical training. I also sang in choirs and took voice lessons at my high school (De La Salle) and then went to university for classical voice. I’m self taught at guitar since I was fourteen and would play folk/pop songs in my spare time. I didn't start writing and playing my own songs until I founded the band Grace Note with my best friend Charlotte Esme Frank in 2017. It really helped to build my confidence as a songwriter. I have since developed my own solo act and have been performing around Ontario and the East Coast for the past two years.

SA: What bands or musicians would you cite as the biggest influences on your sound? CJ: First and foremost Joni Mitchell. Big Yellow Taxi is the reason I learned how to play guitar. I was also exposed to a lot of jazz growing up (my dad was a big fan). Brandi Carlile is who really inspired me to start writing. Her music just spoke to me and I don't think there's a single song in her entire discography that I don't like. I currently listen to a lot of Feist, Hozier and Florence and the Machine, which are all artists I look up to as well.

SA: Thus far in your career, what has been your biggest success? CJ: I would say my biggest accomplishment so far has been organizing my Space Cadet Tour in April 2019. It's my first fime completely organizing a tour for myself and I got really creative with it and worked really hard for it and I'm pretty proud of that! It's to promote the release of my new single Storm Clouds and will be followed by a showcase at Canadian Music Week.

SA: On the other hand, what is the biggest challenge you have faced, and how have you dealt with it? CJ: When I first started as an emerging solo artist, I found it very challenging to navigate a male-dominated industry. I experienced unprofessional and disrespectful behaviours that I should not have had to experience and I didn't know how to handle it at the time. My way of dealing with this was to work with other women in the industry and to learn from their experiences. They have been a huge inspiration to me and I have since gained the confidence to stand up to these kinds of behaviors.

SA: How do you approach the song-writing process? CJ: My approaches to songwriting vary. I used to always start with lyrics. But I've since opened myself more to starting with the music and letting that inspire me. So I switch between both approaches. I've also recently started rewriting which I didn't do before. Working with Tara Shannon and Debbie Zavitson at The Syndicut really helped me realize how much more in depth I can go with the writing process, and I am still learning to express myself through song more clearly and eloquently. Developing my craft is a continuous process.

SA: What are your thoughts on the Ottawa music scene? CJ: It's my home and I love it. The scene is really lucky to have some hard-working and dedicated humans involved in it. Matias Muñoz at Ottawa Showbox and Bad Form Artist Services, Jumpin Joel Flash and Trish Bolechewsky at The Brew on CKCU, Jon and Lawrence Evenchick at Live on Elgin, Julie Corrigan, host of Girls to the Front, everyone at Girls Rock Ottawa helping women make careers in music, to name just a few. Every one of them has supported me on my journey and it has been magical.

SA: If you had to choose your favourite moment off your latest release, Storm Clouds, what would it be, and why? CJ: My favourite moment would have to be during recording when Cam pushed me to belt out the last chorus and I discovered that I was actually able to do it! I felt invincible for a sec.

SA: With respect to your lyrics, what serves as lyrical inspiration? CJ: Some of my songs are love songs, some healing songs and some “f*ck you songs”, I just hope to connect with people through writing about human experiences, mostly my own. Stylistically I've drawn inspiration from Joni Mitchell, Bruce Cockburn and Hozier, who I all consider masters of lyrics.

SA: If you had to choose your favourite concert, that you’ve attended as an audience-member, what would it be and why? CJ: I'd have to say my favourite was the first time I saw Brandi Carlile at Bluesfest. I had just loved her music for so long and was ecstatic to find out that she was coming to Ottawa. Plus she had canceled the year before because of family issues so it was just that much more anticipated. I got to sing and dance along to my favourite songs, cry a bit, cheer louder than I've ever cheered before and just be an all-out fangirl. And she gave a great performance. It was the best day ever!

SA: What do you hope for musically in 2019? Our best wishes for your continued success! CJ: To continue to grow by working with (and learn from) a variety of different people and to be able to follow through with all the things I said I'd do.

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