Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your latest music video, and what themes you aimed to convey through it?

“For Giving” is the third track from my latest project Genesis. The song itself explores the centrality of self-gift in love. As the title hints, any relationship requires a never ending supply of forgiveness to go along with that.

In my first discussions about the video’s concept with the production team, Silver Lantern Studios, it occurred to me that adding a level of mystery and metaphor would be key to keeping things light. The song production after all is very playful and I wanted to be true to that. Casting the story on Red Riding Hood and making her love interest the Wolf ending up being every bit as entertaining on set as it is on screen! You can find it right here.

Your lyrics often tell a story. Can you share the story behind “For Giving” and the inspiration that led to its creation?

The initial song idea was born while I was diving around my hometown in 2020. The melody took some twists and turns over the years as I returned to it periodically before finishing it in 2022 for Genesis. At first “For Giving” was just another pop song, but spurred on by philosophical discussions with friends about the nature of love in 2022, the song grew to be much more than that. I hope that when you hear it, you can recognize the gift that you are and the gift that each person is in your life.

Music often has the power to transport people to different places and times. Can you
describe a moment in your life when a particular song or album had a profound impact
on you?

I could listen to “Yellow” by Coldplay on repeat. I remember being on a farm once at night when I was in high school and just looking up at the stars in awe. I pulled up the song on my phone and listened to it while my eyes stayed fixed on the vast sky. Now whenever I hear it, I’m taken back to that moment.

Many artists have rituals or routines they follow before performing or recording. Do you
have any unique or quirky pre-show or pre-recording rituals that you find help you get in
the zone?

When I drive to a venue for a show, I often listen to Josh Garrels. His voice carries so much peace with it that any stress I’m holding gets washed away. Before I record vocals, I have to get my heartrate up. I’ll often go for a run before tracking. However, if time and space don’t allow for that– then I’ll do jumping jacks right in the vocal booth. One of my producers called them “jumping jackies” and the name stuck!

If you could curate a music festival with a lineup of your dream artists, who would be the
headliners, and what would the theme of the festival be?

This is such a fun question! I listen to a lot of folk music, old and new, so that genre would be at the heart of it. Headliners would be Joni Mitchell, Madison Cunningham, Josh Garrels, Head and the Heart, Leif Vollebekk, the Avett Brothers, Hillary Duff– because why not, and then all my musician friends. I have too many talented people in my life to list them all!

Music can be a powerful tool for advocacy and change. Are there any social or political
causes that you are passionate about, and how does your music play a role in promoting
these issues?

I think big changes in politics or society start with the person. I try to let my music be as authentic to my journey through life as possible, so when someone hears it, they can see something of their own. I think that kind of understanding and connection does more than any call to action.

The music industry has evolved significantly with technology. How do you see artificial
intelligence and emerging technologies impacting the creation and distribution of music
in the future?

Technology is a great tool and I am grateful for it. Isn’t it funny that “art” is the start of “artificial”? I think it is important for art to come from real people and their real connections to nature and to one another. When AI makes art, it is really just copying generations of humanity doing just that. I hope that more laws will be put in place to protect the value of artists in our society.

Many recording artists evolve over time. How do you see your musical journey changing
and growing in the next decade?

It’s hard to predict what changes will take place, but I can see a pattern across my projects so far. My first record Searching for Now was entirely acoustic, my last two albums Earnest Voice and Genesis use a mix of acoustic and electric sounds. The production I am experimenting with right now leans a bit more into layering and processing. I think down the road I’ll return to a completely acoustic approach, but for now I’m having too much fun soundscaping and creating a musical world that the listener can get lost in.

If you want to see for yourself how it shakes out in the years to come, you can sign up for my “Little Letters” community at https://www.jackieminton.com/connect