Jenny Colquitt, supported by Brendan Tew – Leaf, Liverpool – 10th March 2023

Named as one of RnR Magazines ‘Ones to watch for 2022’, emerging artist Jenny Colquitt encompasses a unique combination of Americana, indie and folk rock and pop. She was also the winner of the 2021/2022 FATEA ‘Female artist of the Year’ award and the 2020/2021 GSMC Award for best female solo singer/songwriter, I strongly recommend that you take the opportunity to see Jenny soon, before she’s playing to much larger audiences in far less intimate venues.

Jenny’s music has been described as uniquely combining the melodic undertones of artists such as Eva Cassidy and the rawness of Alanis Morissette. She writes with soul, lyrical vulnerability and style to accompany her musicality through both keys and guitar. One thing that strikes anyone who has seen Jenny perform live is her astonishing range and flawless vocal. This is the third time I’ve seen Jenny live, but the first time touring with her band, which gives a real added depth and complexity to her songs and they easily filled the longer two hour set with some superb music.

I caught up with Jenny before her sold-out, Liverpool gig:

Thanks for taking time to speak with me today, firstly I’m sure that people would love to know who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music, who was the most unexpected musical influence you’ve ever drawn inspiration from?

Jenny: I was brought up around a lot of melody driven acoustic rock but of course pop music growing up inspired me a lot. In the early days, it was a mix of the likes of REM, Stereophonics, Evanescence and Avril Lavigne. I loved a good rock chick like P!nk growing up but was drawn more to vocal driven acoustic music as I developed, especially Eva Cassidy. I think that’s why I have a good mix of acoustic and rock driven songs.

Your musical style isn’t constrained to a single genre, so if your music was a person, how would you describe their personality?

Jenny: I’d describe them as someone who loves a good lie in, but likes to finish the day on a high! My music is very dynamic, I think that’s the type of person it would be.

I love a good lie in too, although it’s not so great for getting things done! Your songs are complex and have an incredible narrative depth to them, which song was the most challenging to write and why?

Jenny: The songs that are more personal to me are always harder to write, you are letting a little bit of yourself go when you write them. The likes of ‘This Side’, ‘Dear Daughter’ and ‘Feel Inside’ would fit that.

Images: Brandon Tew – whose style perfectly complemented the headline act and has previously supported Tom Odell, opened for Jenny at Leaf in Liverpool.

If you could perform with any musician; dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Jenny: Eva Cassidy, to hear what my voice would sound like with hers would be a dream come true.

I think that would be simply beautiful, maybe Simon (Jenny’s Sound Engineer) should get the editing software out! What would you say is the best piece of advice you’ve received about the music industry?

Jenny: Don’t write to fit a specific genre, be your most authentic self. It’s the toughest pill to swallow when you are starting out as it doesn’t seem to make sense in the music marketing world but ultimately you need to be authentic when writing or else it doesn’t work.

You’ve created quite a significant following through your live performances on Twitch, what inspired you to use the platform?

Jenny: I was live streaming on platforms like Facebook and YouTube at the beginning of the pandemic. I learned of Twitch through a follower of mine who watched others on there, I was drawn to the crowdfunding aspect of the platform and it helped me raise the funds for my debut album and music videos.

What would you say is your favourite memory of performing?

Jenny: I always remember my first sell out show at The Brindley, Runcorn. It just felt so good sharing my songs with people who cared so much for me and my music. It was that that sparked off my obsession with live performance.

I love the Brindley too; it’s a really special venue, great cakes as well which is always a bonus – moving on to a more theoretical place now – If you could create a soundtrack for any film or TV show, what would it be and why?

Jenny: It would have to be something with tension building, perhaps horror or dark scenes. Another would be scenes that invoke thought. I can imagine my music being placed over scenes that represent longer time periods in someone’s life, to describe a journey or accomplishment.

Your new EP; Lost Animals has just been released, what was the process like recording it and what were some of the biggest challenges that you faced?

Jenny: The process is always so fun! Shaping sounds to fulfil their potential is very exciting, I love seeing how the songs build from scratch. The process gets tough at various points along the way, it’s a long process and requires a lot of patience and belief in the final product. We work in stages and with each stage the song becomes more of itself. 

Jenny’s EP is available now on Amazon and Apple Music, her UK tour concludes this weekend in Bath and Bradford.

Jenny Colquitt online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Twitch

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