EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: JJ WILDE: “Wilde Eyes, Steady Hands”

Interview by Tess Casto

Hi JJ. Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule for an interview with me! I caught you on tour with The Struts during their Pittsburgh date. How was it like to be on the bill with such amazing acts?

Pittsburgh was such a fun show. Touring with The Struts was great! They are kind genuine people and of course incredibly talented.

Any notable memories you made on that tour?

The start of the tour was pretty crazy. We couldn’t join the first few dates as planned because of some issues, so we were waiting for the call to give us the go-ahead and once we got it we drove from 6pm to 10am to get to Nashville to play the show that night. It was incredible!

It must have been so cool getting started out on a journey of your own when it comes to music, especially this year. Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t it true you were working multiple jobs at one point. Then it kind of hit you to follow your dreams and passion?

Yes and no. I was working three jobs plus playing gigs 2-3 times a week and it was very tiring. But I had always wanted to follow the music and make it into a career, I just wasn’t having any luck with the way I was doing it. It wasn’t until I almost gave up the thought of it being a career and went to a local college to see what my options were that I realized I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else. It did hit me then that even if I wasn’t making any money if I was doing music I’d be happy. So I went forward with that mindset and met my manager a week later.

It really shows on your first EP release how much rawness is included in your material. I absolutely relate to your content as someone who’s only 23 and working her butt to make her dreams a reality. The response seems to be amazing since you’ve released this EP!

The response had been great so far. It truly makes me happy to know that people are relating to the same things I go/ put myself through. If I can inspire even one person to do what they want I’d be happy.

You also recently released two music videos. One for “Wired” and “State of Mind”! How cool was it to record your music videos?

I had a great experience doing those videos. Both were very different from each other, one in Toronto, and the other in LA. One in an apartment, the other in the middle of the desert. I’d say State of Mind was my favorite shoot so far, how can you argue with a desert sunset?

Although you’ve only recently released your debut EP, are there any more tracks coming out this year?

Yes, I have many more tracks coming. I’m constantly writing. It’s a way of self-reflection and almost therapy for me. The album is currently in the mixing/mastering phase.

Lastly, are there any tour dates coming up for you?
Yes, I’m doing a few more shows with The Struts in Toronto and Cleveland, playing in Buffalo October 12th and then I start my first headlining tour October 30!