SOHH Squad
[With his new Whiskey Sessions EP still keeping fans warm this winter, Nashville native Jelly Roll talks to SOHH readers about transitioning from hip-hop to more blues-sounding tunes.]
Jingle Jerry had heard a song I did for James Taylor called “Fire And Rain,” and he heard “So Long” with me and Yelawolf. I was singing the hook to “So Long” but nobody knew it was me singing it.
He was like, “Who is that singing the hook?,” and I was like, “That’s me.” He was like, “You can f*cking sing!” and I said, “No I can’t.” He was saying I should really get into that and believed in me and kind of vocally coached me while finding myself. I had never known I had this because I never tried to belt or sing.
You never think of it for real. Even in the shower we’re singing in our head voice. Nobody is saying, “When I get rich!,” they’re just singing in their head. I think we all got it in us and gotta let it out.
I expected the initial reception was going to be brutal and crucifying and instead it came across as so authentic to people. People just felt really comfortable with it. I did too.
I felt like I was in my own skin.
New York, Los Angeles, there’s just certain places you have to take music to see if it’s going to work. New York and LA are it and Chicago. I can’t wait to take this sh*t to Chicago and get it out deep to the Midwest and to see what people think about it.
I’m excited to get to the traditional markets and see what people think and get their honest responses.
