Diandra Reviews It All-Interviews Jeffrey James: The City For Creativity

For creatives, writer’s block is a spiritual nightmare. We live for our muse, and when she decides to take an abrupt vacation, it can feel like our best friend decided to stop hanging without us. Yet, life is a journey and if you are feeling creatively dull, perhaps, a new locale can inspire a new muse. This is what happened to Jeffrey James. London became this Nashville’s singer’s inspiration; allowing him to grow as a person and be unafraid to feel happier as an artist.

Diandra: How do you feel the East London EP represents where you are currently in sound and spirit?

Jeffrey James: This EP was a huge turning point for me creatively. It’s not that far sonically from my usual “Jeffrey James” sound. However, before I made my first trip to London, I hadn’t felt inspired to write new music for myself in months. But something about the people I worked with in London, and living/working in a city that was brand new to me, completely revitalized my spirit and songs came rushing out of me. This is a much more hopeful and happy EP than I’ve ever made. And I know that’s due to a combo of how I made it, and the positive emotions I was feeling about myself, my love life, and my overall path.

Jeffrey James – EVERLONG [Official Music Video]

Diandra: What has been your most memorable night in East London?

Jeffrey James: Oooh, that’s a tough one! I had some amazing nights hanging out around the Brixton Village Market. But I also remember an early evening in Shoreditch; I was at a bar for happy hour and I looked over to see a big neon sign that said “DOWNTOWN.” As you know, that’s the first single from my EP and it’s first track that I finished while I was there. I took it as a sign that I was doing the right thing!

Diandra: Downtown sings to escaping the city to refocus on the center of your relationship. How do you feel “city life” can impact love and building romance?

Jeffrey James: I love city life. Being around a bustling city gives me energy, but it can also be hard and exhausting. You can easily feel like your trapped or that you’re not doing as much as you should be (because there is always something new going on that you want to experience or take advantage of for your career). This can take a toll on a relationship. You have to remember that the person you are with deserves just as much time and energy as the city that surrounds you.

In Your Gravity (Official Video) – Megan Davies & Jeffrey James

Diandra: What is the biggest lesson you have learned about love in the past decade?

Jeffrey James: You have to listen! I know it’s cliche. But I’ve found that my partner is usually telling me exactly what she is thinking, whether she knows it or not. And all I have to do it pay attention.

Diandra: How do you feel making a song is, in some ways, like building a relationship?

Jeffrey James: Just like I said above, you have to listen. The song will tell you what it wants. There are hundreds of lines that might rhyme, and millions sounds you can use in a track. But if you put in the time and really focus on what the song is about, then you will find the perfect lyrics and sound for it. It’s not easy, and I’ve gotten it wrong many times. Just like I’ve messed up relationships by not paying attention, or not being honest about what my partner and I really want.

Diandra: What is one way the creative process of making a song inspired you on how to live better? Is there anything a song made you discover about yourself?

Jeffrey James: Writing a song is like a therapy session. If you are doing it right, you have these amazing deep conversations either with yourself or with your co-writers about the subject of your song. I think I learn new bits about myself every time I write a new song.

Diandra: Was there ever a moment you “slowed right down,” and what did it teach you about pacing your ambitions or making choices?

Jeffrey James: Writing Slow Right Down is a great example of what can happen when you sit back, let yourself breathe, and be in the moment. I sat with Jackson Dimiglio-Wood (the producer) and my co-writer and friend, Kate Voegele, and they asked me what I wanted to write about. I allowed myself to take a few moments and really think about what I was going through and what I wanted to say. And this song is what came out! It’s basically a reminder to myself that you can always find time to meditate on your life and the decisions you’re making. And when you do, you usually find the answers you’re looking for.

Jeffrey James – Downtown [Audio]

Diandra: You sing to shutting out outside influences, but who is one person whom inspired you enough to write a song about?

Jeffrey James: It’s a love song to my partner and wife, Lizelle. Letting her know that we are stronger than whatever may be thrown at us. Life can be shitty sometimes, but we have and will weather any storm together.

Diandra: Who is a person in your life that you consider your “one and the same?”

Jeffrey James: Well, that would be Lizelle, again! Do you see a trend here? haha. She has helped me grow both personally and professionally more than I ever thought possible. And I’d like to think that I’ve made a strong, positive impact on her, as well. And yes, we have a history of time spent together and common interests we can point to. But there’s an intangible element that connects us in a way I’ve never felt before.

Diandra: If you could describe your bond with music like a film, which one would it be and why? Which character would you and Music be?

Jeffrey James: Maybe, Thelma and Louise? Like, me and music are on the run and in it together, forever—even as we fall off a cliff to our eventual deaths (SPOILER?). I’m not sure who would be whom. Which one got to sleep with Brad Pitt?

Diandra: What about Nashvilles attracted you as a music-maker? What of its sound do you hope to bring or elaborate in future work?

Jeffrey James: Nashville is a song-first city. Yes, the track needs to be great. But if the lyrics and melody are mediocre they will kick you out and tell you to start again. It’s a great and terrifying place to build your chops. Knowing that there are a hundred, other songs being written, at the same time, that are probably better than yours.

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