U.K. artist JJ Lovegrove continues to build her audience with her latest EP release, ‘UNRAVELLED: THE ELEGIES’, and she recently sat down to talk about the project and other things worthy of conversation with Z-GR! Radio host and Zero-G Racetrack! vocalist Scot Apathy on NEWHD’s interview platform ‘Take 5 with NEWHD’.
“I’ve been a fan of JJ’s work since I first heard her track ‘Cuckoo’ in 2021 – she was one of the first 12 artists on the Spotify playlist that evolved into Z-GR! Radio, so it’s really cool to finally spend some time with her conversationally,” states Apathy. “I’m a huge fan of lyrical storytelling, and JJ is one of the best at it that I’ve come across.”
For ‘UNRAVELLED: THE ELEGIES’, JJ undertook the challenge of writing, recording and releasing a 6-track EP in just 5 weeks as part of her Halloween Countdown Calendar. The EP is a Piano led dark autumnal record, with themes of hauntology, childhood, myths, legends, nature and the fabric of life both seen and unseen, and the results are outstanding.
The lead-off single ‘Foolish Things’ will be featured on Episode 30 of Z-GR! Radio. “The track is fantastic”, remarks Apathy. “It’s carried an upbeat dance-rock vibe while maintaining JJ’s underlying dark thematics, which gives it a remarkable sonic complexity.”
Addressing the short timeframe for this EP JJ explains “Autumn is my absolute favorite time of year & I wanted to document this Autumn, along with these thoughts & feelings that I have in this soul & body right now. Not in a few months or a year as us musicians are told to so we can put a full marketing campaign in place. I wanted to embrace the freedoms afforded to me as an independent artist”.
“So she spoke, and our proud hearts consented. Then day by day she would weave at the great web, but by night would unravel it” (Homer – Odyssey)
Taking her inspiration from Penelope in Homer’s Odyssey, JJ wove together the threads of her life & experiences in these songs, while hand making every element of this release, including a Nottingham Lace ghost contained in the deluxe edition of the EP, that creatively utilizes NFC technology in order to bring audiences closer to her music & bind the virtual musical landscape to the physical, with something to have, hold & treasure as a keepsake of this time & this album.
“As I wrote & shared the demos of the songs, I felt like they were being born surrounded by the haunted landscapes of my past. Each song is a fragment…an echo.. a wound…a secret…or just maybe a reminder that the future is still unwritten, even if it feels out of reach. For me Autumn & Halloween in particular isn’t just about the ghosts & ghouls, but it’s about my attempts to honour & confront the spirits of my past, the stories that have shaped me & accepting that I may not be able to change the past, but I may be able to learn what I can from acknowledging it, exploring it, questioning it & bringing it into the light, to heal, be free & be ready for whatever comes next, haunted though I may always be.”
UNRAVELLED: THE ELEGIES’ was released initially via Bandcamp on November 13, 2024 with the pre-release of the physical copies selling out after just 48 hours.. The EP will be released on all streaming platforms on the 29th November.
”JJ is great at sending shivers down your spine’ Dean Jackson – BBC Introducing
“Like Ella Fitzgerald from the dark side of the moon, with a little Bowie in there too. Extraordinary!’Martha Richler – Resonance FM
‘JJ displays an absolute mastery of painting sound pictures. Her EP is dark, atmospheric and sweepingly brooding. Her songs are timeless, dramatic and euphoric on one end, to the crafted, nuanced lyrics and attention to detail on the other, providing a multi-sensory experience which has audiences transfixed from the start. At one point I closed my eyes and imagined JJ playing a far larger venue, in front of thousands, backed by a full band. With such a unique talent and powerful material, it may not be long until this vision is realized’ – Charles Stickley (for Music Observer)”Where words fail JJ Lovegrove’s music speaks and you all need to listen. Enchanting,
powerful, magical, reflective, hypnotic and extraordinary. This is already one
of my top three records of the year’ Mike Bradley – London Peaky
About JJ Lovegrove
JJ Lovegrove is an independent conceptual solo artist with previous support tours including Another Sky, Colouring, Natalie McCool, Ed Cosens & Roxanne De Bastion, plus appearances at numerous festivals including the John Peel Stage at Glastonbury, Barefoot, Deerstock, Dot2Dot & numerous ‘Track Of The Week’ features on BBC Introducing & BBC Introducing stage appearances.
Alongside her solo work, JJ is also a proud Ivors Academy Songwriters Council board member & F-List Ambassador, where she is actively involved in lobbying members of the government & decision-makers to create a fairer music industry.
W W W . J J L O V E G R O V E . C O M
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