Jesse Lynn Madera is a singer/songwriter from West Virginia who shouldn’t go unnoticed. A natural, soulful tone, Jesse’s music combines the traditional sound of country music with modern and a little taste of 90’s country added. Her music also flows into other genres such as Folk, Americana, Soul and Jazz.

In 2022, Music Connection recognised Madera in its Hot 100 list of the Best Unsigned Artists, and she emerged as one of twelve finalists in the Americana category in the Unsigned Only 2023 competition.

Jesse is set to release her second album ‘Speed of Sound’ on 15th March 2024.

We talk to Jesse Lynn Madera about the album and more!

Enjoy!

Hi Jesse – how are you? How has your week been?

Hi! Thank you! Yeah, my week has been pretty good.

Where in the world are you right now?

Right now, I’m in Nashville getting ready to fly to Kansas City, MO, for Folk Alliance.

You are soon to be releasing your album ‘Speed of Sound’. How excited are you? Are you officially ready?

Yes! I am absolutely thrilled to release this record. The process of creating it was unforgettable, in a positive way. Yes, I’m ready.

What song are you most excited for people to hear? How long was the process behind the album?

I have several favorites, so it’s hard to choose just one. The process was a bit of a winding road. Overall I guess it was about 2 years.

It’s an amazing collection of songs, incredibly powerful and soulful! What song was the biggest challenge to write?

Thank you! I love these songs. Hmmm, the biggest challenge? I guess maybe ‘Sweet Pretender’, because it was originally going to have a person’s name in the chorus but I wimped out. I still think that version would have been compelling, but I saved myself some grief.

I fell in love with Austin immediately! What a find. Was that an easy choice for lead single?

Oh thank you! Yes, it was unanimous on Team Jesse that ‘Austin’ would be a single. It’s such a good time, and very different from any of the songs on my last album. It’s a good way to announce there is something different coming around the corner.

What made you decide to call the album ‘Speed of Sound’?

The title track, ‘Speed of Sound’, is one of my favorites on the album, and one of the more intimate songs. It was a feeling.

How did you put the tracklisting in order?

We arranged the tracks as if we were arranging them for vinyl. The two sides will be almost identical in length.

Tell us about working with Dan Navarro? What did you learn from him?

I learned a lot about a lot of things from Dan. Some of them musical, some about parenting, some overall career stuff… He became a good friend during the making of this album. One of the most inspiring things to me about Dan is the amount of energy that guy has. He just doesn’t quit and seems to be everywhere and know everyone. The ultimate extrovert. He is super smart and savvy. He is kind, and extraordinarily supportive.

On the same topic – please talk us through the stunning Last Call song – what a breathtaking track! Your vocals blend perfectly!

Thank you so much. I love that track. I asked Dan if he’d be interested in writing and singing a song with me for the album, and lucky for me he said yes. Because of Dan’s touring, we were thousands of miles away from one another when we started writing. Dan sent me a voice memo recording of a gorgeous guitar part, and I sent him back a recording of me singing the lyrics over his guitar part. He says he was surprised how quickly I wrote the lyrics, but his guitar instrumental was a portal into a world that unfolded in front of me.

What songs surprised you the most after full production? Did any sound completely different from the writers room to full production?

Both ‘Sweet Pretender’ and ‘Waving’ took on new character in the studio. On both I was hearing some percussion ideas in my head that hadn’t occurred to me while writing. In both situations the extra add on percussion bits made the songs for me. The hand claps on the choruses of ‘Sweet Pretender’ and the breaths on ‘Waving’.

‘That House’ is a fast favourite for me – it’s so beautiful and has that strong country element. Can you tell us the story behind that song please?

Thank you, I love that track. It is the first song I’ve recorded that I wrote on guitar instead of piano. It’s about growing up in a house with an adult who wasn’t very careful with me, and how un healed wounds can create unfortunate self-fulfilling prophecies if they are not tended to. Emotional wounds can become infected. I recorded this at Bear Creek Studios with Ryan Hadlock producing. It was tracked live with Johnny Sangster (Neko Case) on guitar and Josh Neumann (Brandi Carlisle) playing cello.

Were there any songs written for the album that didn’t quite make it?

Nothing that was specifically written for the album was left off, but it’s been rare that I write something specifically for an album. I’m always writing, so I have a ton of material to choose from. Some of the songs on this album have been around way longer than the songs that appeared on my last album or even my EP before that. I arrange the songs in retrospect, according to how well they fit together.

What song of yours is a family favourite?

Family favorite from this album would probably be ‘Austin’.

At what age did you realise you could sing and how did you strengthen your vocals?

I started singing at a very young age. I don’t remember a time that I didn’t sing. My mom has a beautiful voice and would always sing around the house or sing me to sleep. I was encouraged to sing. I have taken voice lessons here and there. The most effective vocal coach for me was a woman named Claire Mceowen in Los Angeles. My voice also got stronger after having children. Aging has been good to me and my voice.

What do you do to keep your voice healthy especially before shows?

I warmup with some YouTube warmups I found. Touring with The Zombies I saw that Colin Blunstone warms up thoroughly before every show. I didn’t always do that, but I have adopted that commitment to maintaining my instrument. It’s done wonders for Colin! His voice is like silk, and he still hits those big notes even now.

I have seen on your instagram a cat and a dog, are they yours? If so, please tell us about them, they are adorable!

We have 2 cats and 3 dogs, and they are wonderful creatures. We have a lot of love in our house. They are the ultimate snugglers and make us laugh every day with their antics.

Who is the best artist you have seen live?
And who haven’t you seen live that you would like to?

Brandi Carlisle has the whole package, and the messages that she’s been spreading of light and kindness and inclusivity are bigger than even her incredible songs and band. What she is doing with her power and influence says so much about who she is and who she wants to be. I’d like to see Maria McKee live.

What artists are you listening to now? Who is on your playlist?

I listen to a mix of mostly older and some relatively new music. A playlist might look like Dolly Parton, Jason Isbell, Tupac, Bruce Springsteen, Brandi Carlisle, Otis Redding, Linda Ronstadt, Johnnie Johnson, Lone Justice, Brent Cobb, Bonnie Raitt, Hank Williams…

Any plans to visit the UK?

Nothing in stone right now, but it’s on my wish list!

What have you got planned for the album release?

I have shows coming up around the US on my website and more getting added.

Have you got celebration plans set up too?

Well my birthday is March 30th, so yes I guess March will be full of fun!

What have you planned for the rest of the year?

I have a possible trip to Australia coming up just for fun. Several shows. Lots of good times with my family. I will most likely start tracking a new album. I’m ready!

Thank you so much for your time today, I appreciate it so much. Best of luck with the album release, we really do love it and hope that we can hear your music live one day in the UK.

Thank you!