VIDEO: INTERVIEW – Jade Bird Talks Early Influences, Forthcoming Debut Album

U.K. artist Jade Bird has been seemingly parked in the U.S. for the last year or so, having spent time recording her debut EP, Something American and touring heavily throughout the country. Her latest single, “Lottery”, was released at the beginning for 2018, which saw Bird’s profile continue to rise with critical acclaim, perform at SXSW and Bonnaroo and has a growing fanbase. Born in Hexham, U.K., Jade’s early life was spent in South Wales, Germany and Chesterfield, as both parents were in the army. When her parents split up, she would be predominantly be raised by her mother and grandmother, who encouraged her musical ambitions with her grandmother giving Bird her first guitar. Influenced by empowering country heroines like Loretta Lynn to iconic alternative songwriters like Patti Smith, and following a thread through folk and Americana to incorporating such confessional, undiluted songwriting into pop music (Alanis Morisette’s Jagged Little Pill was a similarly early touchstone), Bird would find her sound performing at numerous open mic nights and gigs while going to the prestigious BRIT school in London. On the cusp of finalizing her debut album, written and recorded in the U.S., Bird will continue to tour through the rest of the year.

B-Sides met up with Jade Bird during her San Francisco tour stop to talk about her early influences, why she never got into the “emo” scene, what her debut album will sound like and more. Check out the interview:

Jade Bird - Lottery (Official Video)

Jade Bird 2018 Tour Dates
TUE 18 SEPTEMBER Club Dada Dallas, TX, US
WED 19 SEPTEMBER Antone’s Austin, TX, US
THU 20 SEPTEMBER White Oak Music Hall – Upstairs Houston, TX, US
SAT 22 SEPTEMBER Holler on the Hill 2018 Indianapolis, IN, US
SUN 23 SEPTEMBER Pilgrimage Festival 2018 Franklin, TN, US
TUE 25 SEPTEMBER The Fillmore Charlotte Presented By Cricket Wireless Charlotte, NC, US
WED 26 SEPTEMBER The Bowery Ballroom New York, NY, US
THU 27 SEPTEMBER Brighton Music Hall Allston, MA, US
FRI 28 SEPTEMBER Rock & Roll Hotel Washington, DC, US
SAT 29 SEPTEMBER The Foundry Philadelphia, PA, US
TUE 2 OCTOBER Horseshoe Tavern Toronto, ON, Canada
WED 3 OCTOBER The Magic Bag Ferndale, MI, US
FRI 5 OCTOBER Triple Crown Whiskey Bar & Raccoon Motel Davenport, IA, US
SAT 6 OCTOBER Fine Line Music Cafe Minneapolis, MN, US
SUN 7 OCTOBER Lincoln Hall Chicago, IL, US
WED 7-10 NOVEMBER Iceland Airwaves 2018 Reykjavík, Iceland
SUN 11 NOVEMBER Paradiso Amsterdam, Netherlands
MON 12 NOVEMBER Le Pop-Up du Label Paris, France
WED 14 NOVEMBER Privatclub Berlin, Germany
THU 15 NOVEMBER Le Botanique-Witloof Bar Brussels, Belgium
SAT 17 NOVEMBER Engine Rooms Southampton, UK
SUN 18 NOVEMBER Cavern Club Exeter, UK
TUE 20 NOVEMBER The Globe Cardiff, UK
WED 21 NOVEMBER Electric Brixton London, UK
THU 22 NOVEMBER The Haunt Brighton, UK
SAT 24 NOVEMBER O2 Institute3 Birmingham, UK
SUN 25 NOVEMBER The Deaf Institute Manchester, UK
MON 26 NOVEMBER Rescue Rooms Nottingham, UK
WED 28 NOVEMBER The Wardrobe Leeds, UK
THU 29 NOVEMBER King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut Glasgow, UK
FRI 30 NOVEMBER Whelan’s Dublin, Ireland