How Jen Cleland Turned a Lifelong Passion into Powerful Songs That Inspire, Heal, and Connect Fans Around the World
Jen Cleland ©️ 2024
Today we have the pleasure to have Jen Cleland on Goathead !
GHR: Hi Jen, Welcome To Goathead. What inspired you to start writing music?
Jen Cleland: Hey there, thanks for having me here.
I have been surrounded by musicians and music my whole life, so my desire to create music is in my DNA and has been there since I was old enough to understand what music was. My grandfather was a professional composer, and my other grandfather was a professional singer. I had always wanted to play an instrument and when I was 11, my dad bought me my first guitar. I taught myself to play and composed my first real song when I was 12.
I never bothered to learn songs written by other people because I was always too busy writing my own stuff. It’s always been a way for me to express emotion and feelings. Songwriting comes very naturally to me. I am incredibly prolific; I write about two songs a week. Some songs stick around, and some don’t, but I am always writing.
GHR: Can you tell us more about your experience performing live at gigs and what was the most memorable experience you had?
Jen Cleland: Performing is not something I love to do. I am naturally really shy, but every time I have performed, I have met and connected with the most amazing people.
I think my most memorable performance was when I was 20. I performed at the opening of a domestic violence shelter. It was the first public performance I had ever done, and there were about 200 people there, with news cameras. The song I had written was about surviving domestic violence and at the end of the song, Nicole Simpson’s parents came up to me teary eyed and hugged me, telling me how touched they were and how beautiful they thought the song was. Knowing my music touched someone so profoundly is still one of my favorite memories.
GHR: What is your songwriting process?
Jen Cleland: I always start with a guitar and a notebook. Usually, I will write things off of the top of my head as I am practicing. Sometimes I will have a specific idea that I want to craft a song around, but usually they’re written ad lib by the emotion that I am feeling at the time I sit down to play.
I’ll start with a melody, work some lyrics into it, jot them down into my notebook and sort of mold the song into something I like by trying different lyrics or chord progressions until I’m happy with it. Once I have a song where I want it, I take it to the studio. That’s where they really come to life.
My producer, Jeff Tretta (of Blue Exit Audio), is one of the most talented people I have ever met. I come in with a raw song on an acoustic guitar and he helps me create these big, beautiful songs. He and I seem to have a musical connection where he just knows where I want to take my songs without me ever saying a word. He’s incredible to watch and I am so fortunate I get to work with him.
GHR: What motivates you to create music and bring awareness to different situations through your songs?
Jen Cleland: Honestly, my motivation is my love of making music. Whether I am doing it professionally and thousands of people are listening to my songs, I’m in the studio with Jeff, or I’m just hanging out writing music in my office with my dogs, the time I spend with music is the time I am happiest. Plus, now that I have built a small fan base and I hear back from people about how they connect with something I’ve written, that’s even more motivation to continue to create.
GHR: Could you share some insights into your next projects?
Jen Cleland: I am currently working on my first full-length album, All’s Fair in Love and War. The album focuses mostly on love, from brand new relationship love to ride-or-die love to the love you should have avoided like the plague. It features some of my best writing and some of my favorite songs. I’m about halfway through writing and recording, and I expect I’ll be done sometime in early 2025. I can’t wait to share it with the world!
GHR: How do you feel your music has evolved over the years, from when you first started writing to now?
Jen Cleland: My music has definitely matured and grown along with me. When I first started, I was a teenager writing about what I knew, which, at that time, was the typical teenage experiences of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery. As I’ve lived more life, my songwriting has become deeper and more complex. I think I’ve become better at telling stories and tapping into a wider range of emotions. My guitar playing and musical style have also evolved, and I feel like I’m more open to experimenting with different sounds and genres now. But at the core, it’s still me—just a more refined and experienced version.
Don’t Forget To Follow Jen Cleland On Instagram and Listen To Her Music On All Streaming Platforms
Comentarios