INTERVIEW: Jodi Heights shares music video

Hailing from the city of Boston, Jodi Heights is a singer-songwriter who draws on her extensive classical training to craft beautiful and timeless indie pop music. With multiple degrees in music as well as a Master of Music from New England Conservatory, her sonic ability is assured and results in her enchanting compositions led by her stunning vocal talent.

In 2017 she made her entrance with her debut EP One Year Wiser before returning last year with a string of dazzling new releases. Bringing us her latest release, she shares the music video for her latest single titled “Fine Wine”.

Offering an elegant and joyous sound, with her new single Jodi Heights lays down the very best of her songwriting charm with a piece that celebrates the fact that some of the best parts of ourselves take time to reach full maturity.

We caught up with Jodi to find out more about her new song, her inspirations and what she’s got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with Jodi Heights below.

Hey Jodi, how’s things?

Things are great! I’m answering these questions while taking some time out for a creative week at home. I try to make space every January to focus on my songwriting since it tends to be a generative month for me.

What was your highlight from 2022?

It felt so good to release new material. I think the ultimate highlight was producing my first music video for my song “Fine Wine”. The first time trying anything new feels like a leap of faith, but I’m so happy with the end result. Plus, I had a lot of laughs running through a vineyard in a ballgown.

Any New Year’s resolutions?

I want more joy and playfulness in my life, and that usually means trying things I’ve never done before. One of the items on my list is dogsledding. Maybe you’ll see a song inspired by that on a future recording.

Which artist first made a lasting impression on you?

The first artist to impress me was probably my older brother Tim. He’s one of those incredible pianists who can sight read anything but also play effortlessly by ear. He makes it look easy. As for an artist I don’t know personally, the one that has stuck with me from childhood is Bobby McFerrin. His vocal range and creativity on the albums Paper Music and Circle Songs blew me away, and his humour and joy on stage are infectious. I hope I have the chance to meet him someday. He seems like a beautiful soul.

How did you first get into making your own music?

I started taking piano lessons when I was 3 years old and voice lessons at 10, so I don’t remember a time when music wasn’t part of my life. I began having song ideas when I was 11. I used to keep a mini tape recorder (I know. Old School.) in my backpack so I wouldn’t forget ideas when they came to me.

How has your sound progressed since you first started?

I think the biggest change is the number of styles I’ve been exposed to since middle school. I took my classical music training all the way through a Master’s degree. I was in a world music band for 14 years and experimented with hand percussion and different vocal sounds. I gave private lessons where I was teaching anything from Bach to Broadway to Bon Jovi, depending on the student. I also enjoy attending concerts of just about any genre. I love hearing how incredibly versatile music is as a form of expression, and watching what other artists do on stage encourages me to try new things myself.

How else do you find inspiration for your music?

My song ideas can definitely come from anywhere: a conversation, a good book, a funny situation, an interesting chord, and even dreams. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with a melody or lyric in my head. Creativity has always been a bit mysterious to me. I’ve learned to pay attention to the intuitive feeling, the spark of interest, that tells me an idea is intriguing enough to pursue further. I also know how important it is to allow myself downtime for playfulness and daydreaming. Child-like joy and a wandering mind often lead the way to interesting concepts.

What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?

I spend a lot of time on my lyrics, so anywhere quiet where listeners could truly hear what I’m saying would be ideal. A spot with a beautiful view would be even better.

What was the inspiration behind your new single “Fine Wine”?

I was reading an article and came across a surprising fact: only 1% of all the wine produced in the world is meant to be aged. Most bottles are ready immediately, and very few improve from ageing. Looking at my own life, there are parts of me that feel like they’re taking a long time to come to fruition. Rather than berating myself for being behind some arbitrary timeline, why not trust the process? Maybe there’s a good reason for sitting around, a complexity that needs to develop before sharing with the world. Who knows what else in my life is symbolically sitting on a shelf until the moment when it’s ready to be drunk? For me, this song helps me hold the duality of being settled in who I am while also remaining open to who I will become.

How was it working with new audio engineers last year?

I love variety, so I enjoy working with new people, and it keeps things fresh to go through the same process in a different way. Being in the studio is one of my happy places, and all the engineers I’ve worked with have been not only experts at their jobs, but also funny and kind people to work with. That’s important when you’re spending long hours together in the studio.

How did you find shooting the music video for the song?

I absolutely loved working with Noah Dickinson, the cinematographer. He made me feel confident in every shot. The vineyard location was beautiful and so accommodating. Producing was a bit of a learning curve for me, but now that I have a little experience it will be easier for future shoots.

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?

I try to write about commonalities of human experience, and I hope my songs help listeners remember that they aren’t alone. I want people to feel the emotion in my writing and possibly see things from a new perspective.

What’s been your favourite live show so far?

My release concert for my first album was such a joyful show. I had wanted to record my own songs since I was a kid, and to finally achieve that was a huge milestone. The audience was also full of people I knew and loved who were in full celebration mode. I was buzzing for days afterwards!

Do you have any advice for a new artist wanting to follow your footsteps?

Yes. Don’t follow in my footsteps. Your journey will not be the same as mine because you have your own path to walk. There will probably be detours and delays, but I don’t believe there is such a thing as wasted time if you learn from your experiences. Work the jobs you need to support yourself, whether in music or not. Try new things, even if it feels scary. There are skills and wisdom to be gained from whatever you do, and surprisingly, many of them are translatable to future work and creative projects.

Finally, what do you have lined up for the rest of 2023?

In February, I’m performing a release show in honour of my 2022 recordings and my first music video. I’m also recording a set of 5 night-themed songs at Futura Productions and filming my second music video in NYC. I’m hoping to record a full album later in the year, but I’ll need to fundraise for that big of a project. I adore collaborative work, and this year is going to be full of that!

Watch the music video for Fine Wine below