Interview: Jazmine Mary 'In a Field' Single Release Show

Tāmaki Makaurau-based filmmaker, podcasting personality and 2022 Outstanding Music Journalism Award finalist, Annabel Kean (Sports Team) spoke with Jazmine Mary about their resplendent new single 'In a Field', plus much more. Having just wrapped up a run of shows supporting legendary Shihad frontman Jon Toogood, go catch the 2021 Best Independent Debut Award-winning songwriter's single release event with full band and mystery special guest Pete Moriarty, this Friday at Tāmaki Makaurau's Glen Eden Playhouse Theatre. Public transport users can follow Anthonie Tonnon's useful guide to get to the venue HERE.

Jazmine Mary
with full band and special guest Pete Moriarty
Friday 1st November - Glen Eden Playhouse Theatre, Auckland
Tickets on sale HERE via UTR

Jazmine Mary: It's not my birthday. That was a lie.

Annabel Kean: How are you today, Jazmine?

I'm very tired. Nah, I don't think I actually am. I think that's what you’re meant to say. I don't think I'm tired at all.

I think you are tired. I don't think you know.

No, I don't think I'm tired.

How many hours sleep did you have last night?

A couple.

That’s not enough.

There was a really orange moon. In Whitianga across from my motel. A big orange moon.

Does an orange moon have any significant meaning?

Just really lovely. Just really nice. I'm sure someone else knows. Extra cheesy. You know when it's like, I don't know what it is. Angles of the sun, I guess. The sun flirting with the moon. Really lovely, though.

I love that. So we're here chatting ahead of your 'In a Field' single release show. Which I'm really looking forward to. You're having it at the Glen Eden Playhouse Theatre. Why there? What is that place? I never been. Tell me about it.

It's a theatre. With seats and doors and a roof and everything. It's really cool. It's really old. A really old building that usually does plays and things. I just wanted to do a sit down show. I really like sitting and listening to music. I think it calls for it. So that's why.

First of all I want to say I want to be less of a little shit this time. Because I thought I was a little shit last time I interviewed you.

You were quite the shit.

So, 'In a Field'. The music video and the song and the lyrics I think at first glance are very vulnerable. And the latest comment on the YouTube video says, "subtle, understated, elusive and vulnerable." Do you think 'In a Field' is any of those things?

I think it's all of those things. Also, the person that wrote that YouTube comment said to me in a bar recently when we met, "I'm going to write the best YouTube comment there is." She was really competitive about it, so I don't even know if she thinks kind things about me or if she just wanted to win at the best comment. Do I think it's those things? I don't know. It's hard to trust such a competitive YouTube commenter. What were they again?

Subtle, understated, elusive and vulnerable.

It’s vulnerable, yeah. The chorus is a little bit sexy.

Where in your head does 'In A Field' fit into the Jazmine Mary canon? Is it an echo of DOG or more of a taste of what's next?

Neither.

Neither!

Neither. It's like DOG is a rock and then the next record, if there's even going to be one, maybe I'll quit, we don't know. The next one is another rock and then this is like a little cowardly crab in between, scurrying about. But like cowardly in kind of a sassy way. Where it's says, look at me, don't look at me.

Coy.

Thank you. A coy crab. I just, you know, didn't want it to get confused with a fish.

No, not a fish, not a dog. A koi crab. Coy crab. So, you said that it was like the first song you'd written in a while. Is that right? I heard that on the radio.

Did I say that? That's not true. I think wrote it probably when I was maybe even like recording or releasing the last record I always just keep going, like keep writing. There's no real stopping of that. So usually while one's being released and there's new stuff. But now at this point, this is an old song that I am done with. You know. But then everyone gets to have it now. That's nice.

Yeah, I reckon. It makes my next question really come out of nowhere. Because I thought that 'In a Field' had come after a bit of a dry spell.

Well, let's see.

Any advice for artists in a rut?

Yeah, make shit up. Make anything. Make bad art. Draw pictures and write anything down. Make shopping lists sound exciting. You can do it. That's my advice, is just keep... Yeah, make bad art.

Everyone's so obsessed with making something so fully formed and understood and good. And I am as well. But when you make bad art, well, you realise there's not really such a thing. And it can all be great. That's my advice if you're in a rut...

And my other advice if you're in a rut is stop it. Just stop it. Cut it out. Talk to your GP. No, don't do that. Have you tried meditating?

Go to a Jazmine and Mary show.

Eat a vegetable. Yeah! Come to a Jazmine Mary show. Steal someone else's art, that’s actually a good one… for real.

I really like make your shopping list into a creative exercise. That's great.

A shopping list is just a beautiful poem of your wants and needs. Isn't it? You know, like kale, carrot, toilet paper.

Jazmine and Annabel back and forth:

Corn chips and celery.

Cutlery. True.

Cuttlefish.

Chocolate spoon.

Chocolate.

Candied walnuts.

Chipotle.

Will you be releasing a Christmas song this year?

I really want to. I'd love to. Do you know the best Christmas song is 'River' by Joni Mitchell? It's such a fucking beautiful song, but it's a good song. Christmas songs... I would like to write a Christmas song that is a good song. Its hard…

Is it? But I think people go into it without the magic of Christmas in mind…

Do you think I need to go in with the magic of Christmas? Well, Joni went in with the grief of Christmas in mind, and I think that's what really... I can lean into. Magic can be sad.

Magic can be devastating.

Please come to my show on the first of November.

Who is the mysterious Pete Moriarty?

Well, it wouldn't be mysterious if I told you.

Some might even question if he's real or not.

Oh, you'll have to find out. Yeah, we all will.

How has it been touring with Jon Toogood?

Me and Jon had a steak dinner last night. We played some lovely shows to some lovely people.

Do you think his fan base were into Jazmine Mary?

I think some of them really hated me.

Really?

No, not hated. I want to follow on by saying there were also people that really connected and really liked it. And that was great. Is that all the questions?

Yeah. I'm really looking forward to the show.

I’m really looking forward to having you there.

And you want me to dress up in a little outfit?

A little outfit. That sounds like I am exploiting you.

No, you know I want to.

It’s um, I think it was the one you called lil. Lil outfit? Tiny, tiny, teeny little outfit. There’ll be wine and beer and hot dogs at this show I feel like we should mention.

Hot dogs?

By the way, you need to serve hot dogs, yeah.

Shit, yeah. I'm so excited about that. Will there be veggie hot dogs?

Hot dog. We can end it there.