Stream And Download Jetty Rae's New Album First On OurStage

posted in: Features • Pop

OurStage has been a fan of Jetty Rae just as long as Jetty Rae has been a fan of OurStage. From countless Magazine features to being chosen as one of MTV’s Needle In The Haystack artists, the girl’s got staying power. And based on the badges stacking up on her profile for wins in the Singer-Songwriter, Acoustic and Folk Channels, as well as sponsored competitions, its safe to say the fans on OurStage are just as enamored.

So, when she offered up the chance to stream her new album La La Lu and the Lazy Moon on OurStage before its official release, we obviously said “hell yeah”! We have a long history of supporting Jetty Rae’s releases, and she even shouted out OurStage in the “Thank Yous” of her Nobody EP. That’s what’s up.

We chatted with Jetty Rae about what it was like co-producing and recording an album for the first time, the inspiration behind it and why she loves OurStage as much as she does. Stream La La Lu and the Lazy Moon before its iTunes release tomorrow and grab the exclusive download of “1,000 Buttons”.

OS: This is the first album that you co-produced and recorded mostly by yourself in a home studio.  What was it like taking on those new roles?

JR: It was exciting and nerve-wracking. I had all these expectations and ideas and I was still learning the best way to implement them. I had to figure out a schedule and groove that worked for me”I did most of the recording from 10pm-2am. I live by some train tracks, so I had to record around the trains, and other  loud neighborhood activities. I would say that this is the most creative I’ve gotten in the studio; because all these songs were written, then recorded I never had a chance to perform them and to kind of figure out what I wanted to do in the studio. I did all the vocal production on the fly. I got to try some cool mic techniques and discover that I LOVE the Shure Sm7 for my voice, and Shure ksm 141’s in stereo for my guitar! There was a lot of self-doubt and insecurity to overcome. It was such a learning process. After all is said and done though” I’m really proud of what I made.

OS: Imagery relating to the sky appears in a lot of your new lyrics, as well as in the title of the album itself.  What’s the story behind this?

JR: For me the sky (space) is still so undiscovered, and magical”you can look up there and imagine that heaven is in the clouds, or other worlds are up. I was inspired by flying in an airplane”and looking down at the clouds”they can be anything to you. Almost like another world. I also was inspired by the stars in Fiji, they are so bright and numerous…that picture is unforgettable.  I guess the sky is a good canvas for your imagination to fill.
OS: There’s a beautiful cover of Puff the Magic Dragon on the album.  What about the song led you to cover it? What can you tell us about the cover art?

JR: My Grandpa used to sing “Puff” and I still have old recordings of it”it’s just one of those special songs that gets passed down. I thought of the songs that influenced me as a child, and that one stood out to me. It’s actually kind of a sad song about growing up, and moving on. The cover art was done by the fabulous Kevin White of Umami Design. He works with my husband, and he became a fan at the beginning of this project and he really helped my songs come to life. I love Asian culture, and he kind suggested this manga-esque “chibi” art. The head is as big as the body, and the limbs are kind of like “nubs” I fell in love with the chibi version of me”and how kid friendly it was”and we ran with that idea.

OS: We hear there’s a cool story behind the inspiration for the album. Can you fill us in?

JR: Well, after years of playing “Gualamina” from my first album”I began to notice a trend in my really young fans. They would all sing it, they knew the words”and their parents would tell me that they loved my albums. I thought”hey here is a cool way for me to practice my own recording, and make something that parents will love to play in their mini-vans for their kids. The rhetoric was that it would be easier for me to record these songs that were specifically written to be recorded, then to home-record songs that I was really attached to. It worked out because of the expectations I didn’t have on these songs. They could become whatever I wanted or needed them to be. The “La La Lu” part of my title was inspired by the songs my mom would sing to me as a child to soothe me.

OS: OurStage is mentioned in the Thank Yous section of your previous release, the Nobody EP. Thanks, Jetty! Why did you give us a special shout out?

JR: Well if it wasn’t for OurStage I never would have made my Nobody EP with Andy Walker (who found me on OurStage)! I also wouldn’t have networked with Joseph Barker from Bella Ruse who is also on OurStage”and he is the co-producer of this project! He came up with the arrangements for everything but the acoustic guitar and vocals. He is really talented, and was fun to work with. We both got selected as local talent for the Lilith Fair competition and we have started a really cool relationship since then.

OurStage has been a fan of Jetty Rae just as long as Jetty Rae has been a fan of OurStage. From countless Magazine features to being chosen as one of MTV’s Needle In The Haystack artists, the girl’s got staying power. And based on the badges stacking up on her profile for wins in the Singer-Songwriter, Acoustic and Folk Channels, as well as sponsored competitions, its safe to say the fans on OurStage are just as enamored.

So, when she offered up the chance to stream her new album La La Lu and the Lazy Moon on OurStage before its official release, we obviously said “hell yeah”! We have a long history of supporting Jetty Rae’s releases, and she even shouted out OurStage in the “Thank Yous” of her Nobody EP. That’s what’s up.

We chatted with Jetty Rae about what it was like co-producing and recording an album for the first time, the inspiration behind it and why she loves OurStage as much as she does. Stream La La Lu and the Lazy Moon before its iTunes release tomorrow and grab the exclusive download of “1,000 Buttons”.

OS: This is the first album that you co-produced and recorded mostly by yourself in a home studio.  What was it like taking on those new roles?

JR: It was exciting and nerve-wracking. I had all these expectations and ideas and I was still learning the best way to implement them. I had to figure out a schedule and groove that worked for me”I did most of the recording from 10pm-2am. I live by some train tracks, so I had to record around the trains, and other  loud neighborhood activities. I would say that this is the most creative I’ve gotten in the studio; because all these songs were written, then recorded I never had a chance to perform them and to kind of figure out what I wanted to do in the studio. I did all the vocal production on the fly. I got to try some cool mic techniques and discover that I LOVE the Shure Sm7 for my voice, and Shure ksm 141’s in stereo for my guitar! There was a lot of self-doubt and insecurity to overcome. It was such a learning process. After all is said and done though” I’m really proud of what I made.

OS: Imagery relating to the sky appears in a lot of your new lyrics, as well as in the title of the album itself.  What’s the story behind this?

JR: For me the sky (space) is still so undiscovered, and magical”you can look up there and imagine that heaven is in the clouds, or other worlds are up. I was inspired by flying in an airplane”and looking down at the clouds”they can be anything to you. Almost like another world. I also was inspired by the stars in Fiji, they are so bright and numerous…that picture is unforgettable.  I guess the sky is a good canvas for your imagination to fill.
OS: There’s a beautiful cover of Puff the Magic Dragon on the album.  What about the song led you to cover it? What can you tell us about the cover art?

JR: My Grandpa used to sing “Puff” and I still have old recordings of it”it’s just one of those special songs that gets passed down. I thought of the songs that influenced me as a child, and that one stood out to me. It’s actually kind of a sad song about growing up, and moving on. The cover art was done by the fabulous Kevin White of Umami Design. He works with my husband, and he became a fan at the beginning of this project and he really helped my songs come to life. I love Asian culture, and he kind suggested this manga-esque “chibi” art. The head is as big as the body, and the limbs are kind of like “nubs” I fell in love with the chibi version of me”and how kid friendly it was”and we ran with that idea.

OS: We hear there’s a cool story behind the inspiration for the album. Can you fill us in?

JR: Well, after years of playing “Gualamina” from my first album”I began to notice a trend in my really young fans. They would all sing it, they knew the words”and their parents would tell me that they loved my albums. I thought”hey here is a cool way for me to practice my own recording, and make something that parents will love to play in their mini-vans for their kids. The rhetoric was that it would be easier for me to record these songs that were specifically written to be recorded, then to home-record songs that I was really attached to. It worked out because of the expectations I didn’t have on these songs. They could become whatever I wanted or needed them to be. The “La La Lu” part of my title was inspired by the songs my mom would sing to me as a child to soothe me.

OS: OurStage is mentioned in the Thank Yous section of your previous release, the Nobody EP. Thanks, Jetty! Why did you give us a special shout out?

JR: Well if it wasn’t for OurStage I never would have made my Nobody EP with Andy Walker (who found me on OurStage)! I also wouldn’t have networked with Joseph Barker from Bella Ruse who is also on OurStage”and he is the co-producer of this project! He came up with the arrangements for everything but the acoustic guitar and vocals. He is really talented, and was fun to work with. We both got selected as local talent for the Lilith Fair competition and we have started a really cool relationship since then.