January Blanuary
- Jan 27
- 3 min read
⤷ AI Summary: New Jersey, run Jess run, Modern Family,
Happy New Year 🎊
It's 2026, which takes me back to second grade when my teacher mentioned "twenty years from now" and I gave myself a brain freeze trying to imagine a world with the number 2 in the tens place. New Year's is my favorite holiday, and this year was no exc
eption. I had the most magical and special NYE to date. I hope your January has gotten you excited for what's to come in the next 11 months. Let's make em count!!🎆
Where Ya Been
If you haven't noticed, I was quite quite MIA on social media and blogging throughout Q4 of 2025.🧐
There was a crash out in late October--back when people were still saying crash out. I realized that my approach to music, streams, social media, networking, collaborations, performances, success, and other shit that comes with trying to be an indie artist... was not sustainable. Like lifting way above your weight class, I just collapsed.🏋️♀️😵💫
Without choice really, I cancelled all efforts to "advance" or "grow my audience" and just hung out. 🤷🏻♀️ Watched TV. Played with Romeo. Celebrated the holidays with friends and family. I didn't think about work outside of work. When I had a gig, I would clock in then right back out. I refrained from adding tasks to my never-ending to do list or pressuring myself to pump out new writing/content.🙅🏻♀️
And what did I find? I was way fucking happier (duh). It's pretty common knowledge that screen time makes us unhappier, yet somehow it's always a profound epiphany that this actually applies to me. I'm not special: I need rest and quality time to feel good and keep going.
And that's really the goal, isn't it?
So what have you been doing, Jess? 📖
🏂 Coming out of this hiatus and into the new year, I've been spending time with loved ones in NYC and snowboarding in NJ. I joined a reading club. I've been running races (8k and a 10k). 🏁🏅 Been calling my mom more. Spanish lessons. I'm super into Modern Family.
Creatively: I've been tracking background vocals with the incredible Lizzie Budin (major contributor to tryhard bg vox.) I finished two songs that I started back in July, one of which is in Fadd9 tuning🎉 I'm strategizing final production moves before moving my next project into the mix/master phase. (really excited for that guys, hope to be finished and release sometime in Sept '26). 📆
tryhard Update 📈
My debut EP "tryhard" -- which was released last October -- has been doing well on Spotify! At the time I write this, we're sitting at about 9k monthly listeners, and "Strange" just hit 9.5k plays. Funny how it's right after I gave up on metrics that the metrics started hitting. 🏆
Shows ✨
Remember, I play at Jupiter Supper Club with my boy band (almost) every Saturday.
Be sure to double check my calendar or their website to make sure I'm playing the night you're coming, and call ahead to make reservations. It's $30 cover per head. I'm also playing many venues with free entry, so take a look at those. 🎟️
🎸BOY BAND NEWS: we have a new guitarist in the mix, Blake O'Neal! As my producer and I add more and more electric guitar layers to the next project, I've gotten repassionate (not a word but should be) about hearing the guitar while playing my originals live. Blake is a great hang + a great player = come hear us live! 💃
Romeo Report 🐶
Oh Romeo my Romeo. He has LOVED this icy weather. He lays in the snow for hours and just chews up sticks. He's 100% comfortable in 25 degrees. Also super into Modern Family.
Ways You Can Support 💙
