Today, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Jess Nolan has released a new single “Emergency Landing,” premiering at chorus.fm. “The vibrant track tackles the theme of having to be ‘on’ all the time, and making sure to take care of yourself in this crazy world that we all live in,” says chorus.fm. “With a sound that strays somewhere between the styling of Lucy Dacus, paired with the picturesque storytelling of Joni Mitchell, Jess Nolan is truly onto something magical here.” Written with friends Hadley Kennary and Jake Finch, the three were conversing about society glamorizing the grind and not prioritizing rest. “It’s up to us as individuals to draw our own boundaries around what we need to recharge,” Nolan told chorus.fm. “Taking days off and spending time alone helps me show up more fully for the people around me. Instead of viewing it as selfish, I now see it as a sacred step in community care. My hope is that we can all give ourselves a high level of compassion for our own needs so that we can better serve others,” she added. “Take a breath! We don’t need permission to care for ourselves.”
“Emergency Landing” is Nolan’s first release since signing with Righteous Babe Records; the label was founded by fiercely independent icon Ani DiFranco, who describes it as “a people-friendly, sub-corporate, woman-informed, queer-happy small business that puts music before rock stardom and ideology before profit.” “I love Jess’s voice, her melodies, they lift me,” DiFranco says. “So happy to welcome her into the RBR family.”
WATCH: “EMERGENCY LANDING” (acoustic)
Poet and psychoanalyst Clarissa Pinkola Estés said, “Do your art. Generally, a thing cannot freeze if it is moving. So, move. Keep moving.” These were words artist Jess Nolan has lived by over the course of the last three years. As everything in the world came to a halt, she kept her creative mind in motion – writing, drawing, singing, and painting her way through the unknown, pursuits Nolan has always relied on to help alchemize her surroundings.
An old soul continuously channeling a palate of creative endeavors, Nolan is a skilled creator. A member of Jenny Lewis’ all-female touring band, she is an in-demand collaborator, lending her writing, vocal, and instrumentalist talents to projects by artists like Joy Oladokun, Katie Pruitt, Lydia Luce, and more.
In the midst of the initial, involuntary stillness, she planted a backyard vegetable garden, moved her involvement in mentoring young female songwriters online, and traveled back to her New Jersey hometown to stay with family for weeks at a time. In the face of uncertainty, strong, deeply-rooted feelings came pouring out, resulting in a time of creativity, giving life to poignant reflections on rebirth, reconnection, and mindfulness. “Emergency Landing” is a beautiful taste of what’s to come.
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