Paris Jackson on Pushing Her Limits and Going Grunge: “I’ve Always Been Interested in Making Music Like This”
Paris Jackson may have been surrounded by music her whole life, but it was only two years ago that she finally stepped out as a solo artist with her debut album wilted, released in November 2020. From the first gentle strums of wilted‘s lead single “let down,” it was clear that Jackson was entering the music landscape as a confident and expressive songwriter, prioritizing a folk-aided sound and crafting the album with Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull.
But the ethereal, acoustic sound that wilted boasted was just the beginning. On Friday, October 28th, a few months after the release of her new single “lighthouse,” Paris Jackson will return with “just you,” a track that signals Jackson’s departure from wilted‘s contemplative sound and an embracing of ’90s-influenced slacker rock.
Her voice is no longer lithe and shrouded in reverb; it’s now front and center and commanding. She’s also recruited pop-rock connoisseur Butch Walker behind the boards, who helps provide more anthemic hooks and production for Jackson to operate within.
The whole sonic shift mirrors many of Jackson’s pop contemporaries who’ve sought similarly nostalgic sounds, but both “lighthouse” and “just you” are undoubtedly statement pieces from the 24-year-old artist. She’s asserting her emotions in a much more visceral way, finding moments to belt and yell and exercise her dynamic, raspy tone. For Jackson, however, she’s less concerned with what her new music evokes and more concerned with physically recreating it live.
When she meets with Consequence in New York City at the exclusive NoHo social club Zero Bond in late June, Jackson is preparing for her debut headline show at The Mercury Lounge, and is feeling some of the daunting pressure of acing her more difficult arrangements.
“I’ve always been interested in making music like this. I guess I was never able to before because I didn’t know how to project and sing. So that’s a very new thing for me, singing in this way, and projecting and yelling, which isn’t the most likable thing, I suppose,” she says. “It’s not for everybody, but now that I am learning how to do that, I can kind of experiment more with louder instruments to go with the louder vocals.” She credits Hull for giving her more encouragement to pull off these kinds of vocal moments, while also crediting Walker for his overall structural prowess and efficiency when building songs.
