Jennifer Alvarado likes to tread in untravelled lands. Her music and motto seems to be exploratory-and her zeal for finding new challenges never ends. With multiple hit singles that have been popular in the indie singer-songwriter circle, Jennifer releases her EP. This is called Songbird:Part One.
Rock this Way in many ways is a good rocker like Aerosmith’s track, Walk This Way. Though it doesn’t feature genre crossing artists, Jennifer Alvarado shows us a good chunk of her rock strain. Her vocals adapt & reorient with the kind of genre she’s singing in, one of her many gifts. The honey like voice is what offsets the chugging guitar for the verse section. Without any break in the elasticity of her voice, she makes it a great track to kick off things with.
From country to blues, you travel everything in your albums. Which genre do you feel most rooted to?
I think my roots will always be with Country. It was the first genre I fell completely in love with, and it reminds me of when I was little and believed anything was possible. However, my faith means everything to me, so I will always make room for Contemporary Christian and Worship music as well.
Finding truth in incidents
The next track is her most popular track to date. Curious was released earlier this year as a single. The chorus and her innovative melody with the background is what makes it such a great song to listen to. The lyrics are something people who have been on a similar journey definitely resonate with. Haunting and poetic, it’s a great number that has a magnetic wizardry to it.
What part of the process was very different in your album, Songbird Part One?
Pretty much everything was different with this project. With my earlier projects, I felt the need to stay safely within the boundaries of a genre. With this project, my producer and I basically built the sound of these from the ground up. We spent a lot of time making sure each element fit with the story I was trying to tell.
Something’s Up changes the currents to bring in the soft rock with a little more kick. With a textural journey that associates more swing with the chorus, we get a refreshing taste. Her vocals float with a little more ease-and the instruments do nothing but aid and provide flourishes to an airtight arrangement.
The heart in heartbreak
Your breakout track is Curious. What element of that song do you think people most connect with?
Relationships are difficult. Many times, we don’t know what the other person is thinking. Vulnerability can be a scary thing. I think people can relate to that. So many times we fall for friends or someone we “shouldn’t” like or pursue, but that curiosity leads us to take risks.
Filthy Water has an industrial taste to it, which Jennifer totally owns. Her smooth, melodic performance brings in the intensity Adele does to her tracks. Here she is completely untethered. She glides from higher to lower pitches with ease. Questions starts with a Tracy Chapman style riff, over which Jennifer sings. The dreamy track helps her voice be in the spotlight.
Are there moments in your albums where you set out to achieve a challenge for yourself?
I tend to challenge myself with every project. I want each project to do better than the last. Likewise, I hope to have grown from a writing and performance standpoint. With this project, my biggest challenge was wanting to create a clear story with the flow of the songs. I want the story to make sense to the listener and help someone else who may be in the midst of or coming out of a toxic situation.
To a hopeful future
Jennifer Alvarado crafts the closing of this album with By This Time Next Year. It is a pop track with a country soul, with simple and smooth transitions. The melody is allowed to marinate before she sings-gently serenading the beat in a way. An effective and memorable way to close out a fantastic collection of songs.
What can we expect in Part Two? A general mix or specific to a theme you’ve been waiting on?
Part One of Songbird is called “questions.” All the questions and hurts you are left with after someone breaks your heart. Part Two are the “answers” to those questions. It’s rediscovering yourself and realizing your worth after you’ve been left to feel worthless. The general theme is realizing the toxicity of the situation you were in and knowing you are stronger now for choosing yourself.
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Self professed metalhead, moderately well read. If the music has soul, it's whole to me. The fact that my bio could have ended on a rhyme and doesn't should tell you a lot about my personality.
