Jahnah Camille: i tried to freeze light, but only remember a girl

With the release of her EP, I caught up with rising indie-rock artist Jahnah Camille to discuss musical influences, life with a record deal, and her own intent with this EP.

Jahnah Camille is a 20-year-old singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Birmingham, Alabama. She has been immersed in music since a young age and has been recording and performing her own music since high school. Just a few months ago, Jahnah was signed to Winspear Records and announced the release of her new EP i tried to freeze light, but only remember a girl. With five tracks written from different periods of her life, the EP explores the angsty and anxious mind of a teenage girl. Jahnah Camille has that classic indie-rock sound. Her voice is soft and sweet but packs an emotional punch. Her guitar-heavy instrumentals prioritize a laid-back rock groove while her vocals dance in and out of each chord change. I had the privilege to chat with Jahnah to discover more about her intent behind this release and her upbringing in music.

This interview took place on June 19th, 2024.

Well, first of all, I want to say congratulations on being signed to Winspear! Is this your first time being signed to a label?

Yes, it is.

Okay, that’s exciting! How did that come to be? Did they reach out to you?

So, I was sending my music to different producers. One of the managers of a producer I sent my music to really liked it and then sent it to the CEO of Winspear, who reached out to me. When I made this EP, I was like, “I am NOT releasing independent.” It’s just too much work. I feel like I have reached the threshold for what I could do independently, so I wanted to find a label. I was shopping it for about a year, and then I just gave up. But then I accidentally got together with Winspear, and it was super just like, “Okay, I guess!” It was weird, I don’t know.

Yeah! That’s cool though. I mean, you are 19, right?

I just turned 20.

Happy late birthday! I am happy for you. You are still so young and you are signed now. It’s exciting.

Thank you!

What do you find the biggest difference to be with releasing independently versus with a label?

I have support. When I was releasing independently, I was just doing all kinds of stupid shit trying to reach people. It definitely felt stupid while I was doing it too. Now, I have people who are nice to me and help me. I don’t know, it’s just better.

It seems like a breath of fresh air having that support from a group of people.

Yeah! I got a lot of help from Spotify too, which I was not expecting.

I saw you were on a few new music playlists from Spotify, correct?

Yeah. Because it was my first time working with more people, I didn’t know what to expect, so I kind of didn’t expect anything. But then they put me on like ten playlists and I was like, “What?” This morning I found out they also put me on the cover of a playlist.

Getting into the EP, the title is i tried to freeze light, but only remember a girl. Where did the name come from, and what is the meaning behind it?

I was actually thinking about that this morning. People keep asking me this and I’m like, “Well it is kind of weird to say out loud.” When I was a kid, I realized that I couldn’t really pick and choose what memories I keep and which memories I lose. I would consciously be like, “Okay, I am going to remember this.” I was doing that in music class one day, and all I remembered was the girl I was with in class.

Interesting! I like the title a lot.

Yeah, I was always stressed as a kid for no reason.

Obviously, “Elliot” is a classic Jahnah Camille song. To see it finally be released in a full body of work is exciting. How do you feel about this new release?

I think it does a good job of showing the range I have. I definitely want to pivot with the next project I work on, though, and make it more of ‘this is what I’m doing right now’; more sonically the same. This EP is like everything I’ve ever been influenced by in one thing at once.

Your music, to me, is a lot of indie-rock with elements of dream-pop and even some alternative rock in there. What genre do you self-identify with?

I’ve always identified as an indie-rock artist and then list what my specific influences are. My influences are usually pretty extreme but show up in my music in pretty subtle ways. I just say indie-rock because it gives me the space to keep evolving.

Is there any artist or work of music that inspired this EP in particular?

A little bit of Stereolab, Horse Jumper of Love, SZA, and Broadcast. I’m trying to think of what I directly took influence from. I think those are the main ones though.

Based on the singles released so far, it seems like these songs were written while you were still in high school. Is this EP a self-reflection on some sort of relationship or romantic interaction that didn’t quite end up how you wanted? What was your intent behind the lyricism?

I’ve been thinking about it a lot myself. When writing, I do it because I feel like it. I don’t really do it expecting it to belong to a project. I feel like every song on this comes back to my relationship with myself. These are all just the psyche of a really young, insecure girl. I think my music will always be about my sense of self and developing it because I’ve matured a lot since writing this music, and I want that to show in future releases.

I can definitely hear the self-reflection within the music. I love that.

Yeah! I wrote these songs really young. Definitely not any earlier than 15, but I was 16 writing some of these songs. I was in 10th grade when I recorded “Elliot.” It’s just ugh, yeah…just the mind of a really insecure girl. It is changing, though, thank God.

Going back to your youth, what was your first introduction to music?

I started playing guitar really young, at age 4. I started writing songs at about 10. My mom always made me sing for people, whether it was friends or family. She made me sing and play guitar for our apartment complex maintenance man. His name was Brian…I be remembering. He came back and brought me a red SG and an amp. I was already getting into alternative music around that time. I made my dad drive me to Nashville when I was in fifth grade to see Paramore. That was all the foundation for me wanting to live in this world of music.

Did you have any family members who played, or was it just something you picked up on your own?

My dad was actually taking guitar lessons, which is why I picked it up. I do have some musicians in my family, though.

You’re from Alabama and still live there, right?

Yes.

Do you think growing up in the South, and Alabama specifically, has influenced or affected your music in any way?

Yeah. Where I’m from it is just so I don't know. Everyone has to be this way, and everyone has to do everything this way, be this way, talk this way, and act this way, especially as a woman and going to a PWI as a minority. Anything I did in my younger years that sought to be alternative just made me want to lean into it more because I thought the people around me were so annoying. I think being from the South has made me feel even stronger about who I want to be. Not because people from the South are bad or anything; I love people from the South. I intend to live here in my older years, but certain attitudes have made me want to be the person that I am.

You said you started playing young, when did you have that, “This is where I’m meant to be,” moment?

It’s literally been my whole life. I wish I was exaggerating, but it feels like since I picked up guitar. I don’t know it’s just always been it.

I remember when you graduated high school, you tweeted about everyone around you going to college, and you were just hoping to make it with your band. I love to see that attitude and how far it’s gotten you.

That was really scary. I maybe know two other people who didn’t go to college from my high school. It was a lot of pressure. Adults would give me nasty looks when I’d tell them I wasn’t going. I feel like I’m just in too deep. I’m just seeing where it takes me.

We talked about inspiration for this EP, but who are the artists you grew up on that helped you figure out your sound?

I would say Tegan and Sara heavy. Paramore again. I really like the band Copeland that went on tour with Paramore when I saw them. I’ve always loved Charli XCX, like True Romance. And then I’m the youngest, so stuff my older siblings listened to, like Grimes and Radiohead.

Do you think you picked up a lot of your music taste from your older siblings?

I picked up some. There was also a lot of music I really liked that they would clown me for. Definitely didn’t get everything from them. I’d say it’s a good 33%.

I know you have a show this Friday with the release of your EP. Have you ever toured or do you plan on touring at all soon?

…tour plans coming soon…

Being signed and having this official release with a record deal now is huge for you. What are some other things on your artist “to do” list that you want to work towards after this?

Going on tour has always been one of them. I feel like now it’s just a rinse-and-repeat thing. I just will keep doing it over and over and see how far it can take me. Honestly, my biggest goal in music is just to have a sustainable income. I think going on tour with a childhood hero is something I’d want, too.

I always have to ask anyone I interview, who’s your favorite artist right now, and what albums and/or songs have you had on repeat lately?

Last night, I listened to They Are Gutting a Body of Water’s album/compilation they just released, and I loved it so much. It’s a random selection of songs from 2020-2023, and it was just so good. I listen to either one of Solange’s last two albums twice a week. She’ll probably be my number-one artist this year. I’m always listening to The Sundays a lot too. Fantasy by Lots of Hands is an album I’ve been telling everyone to listen to lately. I listened to it a lot the last time I went to Nashville, and it just matched the scenery so well. I have an answer for my favorite song currently. I’d say it’s either “Daddy” or “I Guess I Got My Answer” from Nourished by Time.

I think that’s everything. Thank you for meeting with me! We’ve been mutuals for a bit, so this is long overdue.

You’re my cousin on my TikTok side.

Check out Jahnah Camille’s new EP i tried to freeze light, but only remember a girl out today June 21st! Follow her on Instagram and Bandcamp @jahnahcamille to keep up with her musical journey!