Hailing from Victoria, British Columbia, Jaya Bremer is a dynamic force in the city’s music scene who somewhat found a way to blend electro-indie-pop with heartfelt storytelling. Over the past decade, she has not only performed as a frontwoman for various projects but also honed her skills as a solo artist. Her journey started with the release of her 2020 debut album, Everybody’s Getting Married, which marked the start of her deeply personal and creative solo career.
Bremer shares “‘Lost In The Plot’ explores the mix of emotions that arose from a long relationship coming to an end. Reflecting on the things I was so sad to give up, and the things I was ready to get away from. I was weighing the pros and cons of staying together, on one hand having so much love for someone, but still knowing it’s the right decision to part ways.”
Cocomyrrh: Can you share how your love for music began? What inspired you?
Jaya Bremer: I grew up listening to a lot of jazz vocalists, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday in particular. I was so captivated and would memorize albums, learning every vocal inflection. I continued to listen to female singers religiously/obsessively from then on! Slowly finding my own sound.
Cocomyrrh: You’ve been involved in different musical projects. How has your experience with different genres influenced your work?
Jaya Bremer: Each genre provides a different outlet and satisfies something different for me as a performer and musician. I love the spontaneity of jazz, the emotional connection I get to tap into with traditional country. I pull a lot of chord choices from jazz, especially the use of Major 7’s, they’re all over the album! I take the emotional delivery and sincerity that I feel in traditional country and have applied it to my indie-pop project.
Cocomyrrh: Congratulations on your album release “Stay tender”. How does it feel having your work out there ready for audience to listen?
Jaya Bremer: Thank you so much! It was such a big undertaking, 3 years of work!! It is such a mix of emotions, relief, pride, anxiety, fatigue, and satisfaction. I am so glad that I got the album across the finish line and out into the world, and I am really happy with the overwhelmingly positive response to date!
Cocomyrrh: Three years of work is really something. What was it like?
Jaya Bremer: I started writing this album during the pandemic. Without thinking about these songs being played live, I experienced a shift in my sound. I responded to what the songs were asking for rather than wonder how I would replicate a half dozen vocal or synth layers in real life. I have felt very free to be weird, write unconventional song forms, and lean into different genres, while still finding a common thread that is uniquely me which unites the tracks. I wasn’t thinking about whether these songs are very commercially viable, and that has been really freeing.
I was able to create without any expectations of return, but I am so darn proud of the album that now I want people to hear it DAMN IT!
Cocomyrrh: “Lost in the plot” seems to be gaining attention, what’s the theme?
Jaya Bremer: “Lost in the Plot” at it’s most basic is a breakup song, but really it is about navigating the turmoil of a breakup.
Cocomyrrh Did your personal experience inspire the theme of the track?
Jaya Bremer: The song explores the mix of emotions that arose from a long relationship coming to an end. Reflecting on the things I was so sad to give up, and the things I was ready to get away from. I was weighing the pros and cons of staying together, on one hand having so much love for someone, but still knowing it’s the right decision to part ways.
Cocomyrrh: Are there any tracks in the album that you plan to create a music video for?
Jaya Bremer: I created a music video for the track “My Expectations” which I am really proud of. My next priority is to have some great live footage captured. I would absolutely love to create more creative music videos, but I have to find more funding.
Cocomyrrh: Did you have any specific expectations for how fans would resonate with this project when you released it?
Jaya Bremer: I don’t have very specific expectations. I don’t know what success means to me, but I do feel incredibly proud of what I have created, and I think people will like it. I am doing my best to promote it well, while still staying within my means financially and energetically. There has to be a balance there, where it feels worth it to keep putting music out.
Cocomyrrh: What are your goals for the upcoming year in terms of music?
Jaya Bremer: I will be applying for a number of festivals in Canada, and hope to tour in Summer 2025.
Cocomyrrh: Would there be live performances of this album?
Jaya Bremer: I sure hope so! For now, there are just clips from my performances on Instagram.
Cocomyrrh: If you could pass one message to your listeners and fans, what would it be?
Jaya Bremer: I hope that listeners take the time to listen to the album “Stay Tender” in its entirety. I think it is lovely and moving, and special. I hope you enjoy it and that it resonates with you. That’s why we make art.
Jaya’s album Stay Tender is a beautiful mix of the different sides of her unique sound. The song feels personal yet make you want to dance, with a mix of calm and pronounced moments. It’s a clear sign of her growth as an artist and how she is able to blend her roots in jazz and soul with a modern pop style.
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