NEW SINGLE OUT NOW: Irrelevant

⤷ AI Summary: rotting meat, Jess hates plaid

What is the tea behind Irrelevant?

This is one of the oldest original songs that my band still plays. Written in my final year of college, this song was initially inspired by the rejection I felt from a breakup. However, over time, I realized these lyrics possess the versatility necessary to serve as a goodbye to anyone and everyone that I hate. The egomaniac professors who ran my college program like a cult. The roommates who let raw ground beef rot and leak in our fridge. My Olive Garden manager who repeatedly touched my butt. The untalented bitch who made my life a living hell for four years (if you’re reading this—and you know who you are—I hate you).

After way too long of desperately wanting the love and approval of these wack individuals, I finally realized they aren’t shit. And neither are yours! Fuck ‘em!

What influenced the sick groovy sound?

Around this time, I was super into soul-pop: Lake Street Dive, Sammy Rae and The Friends, and several other soulfunk-adjacent white ppl bands. You can hear this influence in my chord progression, lots of maj7 and dominant7 chords, with a chromatic slide from chord to chord in the verses. I remember feeling so proud of how “funky” and “inventive” this song was. Funny how the more you learn, the less you know.

Do people like it?

Still, my incredible jazz-nerd band have managed to elevate the groove and interest of this song to even higher ground than I had originally envisioned. This was one of the first tunes I brought to the band, and I love playing it live. It tends to be a fan-favorite because of its particularly catchy hook — which I’ve been told I really need more of in my writing. I know for a fact this is my dad’s favorite. After any show, you can hear him under his breath “irrelevant!”

Why are you singing about shirts?

“Like an old collared shirt that used to be in style, now the plaid is screaming donate pile” was inspired by an orange-and-green-plaid shirt that my ex brought home from a Goodwill. He thought it was very so cool, but rly it was just fugly. I didn’t have the words for it at the time, but I now see that what I was experiencing was the “ick.” I held my tongue buy really wanted to tell him that the shirt belonged back at the Goodwill. I hold onto that moment. These people. Out of touch. Outdated. Irrelevant.

Give us a secret about this song

One fun fact that I’ve never shared about this song, is that I played it for some friends while it was still half-finished, and their response was so encouraging that it got me to the finish line. At the time, I was so insecure that it was nearly impossible for me to complete a song. After the warm reception from my friends, I not only wanted to finish it but to share it as well. For the first time, I wanted the song to be heard more than I feared it was bad. Releasing this song was really special for me, like tying a bow on a present.

L I S T E N H E R E

Lyrics:

I’ve been seeing better these days

since i threw out the rose-tinted shades

you don’t have that much going for ya, do ya dear

couldn’t see it before but now it’s quite clear

as I get going on other things, other people, other dreams

I feel you getting smaller and smaller babe till you are

Irrelevant: you just feel a little lame

Irrelevant: your jokes all land the same

Irrelevant: you feel like old news

Irrelevant: like you’re just another who is

Irrelevant

I think I thought you hung the moon

now i see you recycle the same few worn out moves

like an old collared shirt that used to be in style

now the plaid is screaming “donate pile”

as I get going on other things, other people, other dreams

I feel you getting smaller and smaller babe till you are

Irrelevant: you just feel a little lame

Irrelevant: your jokes all land the same

Irrelevant: you feel like old news

Irrelevant: like you’re just another who is

Irrelevant

as I get going on other things, other people, other dreams

I feel you getting smaller and smaller babe till you are

Irrelevant: you just feel a little lame

Irrelevant: your jokes all land the same, solos, the way you play the games

Irrelevant: no one even knows your name

Irrelevant: like you’re just another who is

Irrelevant

If you found this to be an interesting read, go check out my other releases!

→ Get with Me

→ Irrelevant

→ Dumb Enough