Johnson City. That’s where Jill Andrews hails from. She ventured down to Knoxville with then bandmate Sam Quinn as the everybodyfields. They made beautiful music that was heralded all over the country, gracing the pages of Paste magazine, and even had their own Daytrotter session. In the year of aught-nine, unfortunately, the everybodyfields called it quits. Luckily, from that split came, first, Jill Andrews’ beautifully low-key EP entitled, funnily enough, Jill Andrews. Now she’s back with her first full length solo album, The Mirror.
Knoxify: Your new album, The Mirror, has a slightly different tone than your previous, eponymous EP. What was the thought process behind evolving your sound?
Jill Andrews: I tend to write about very personal subjects in my songs. My writing is constantly evolving due to what I’m living through in my life. When I was writing for The Mirror I felt really free to go in whatever direction the song led me.
K: There’s a good balance between the peppy and the somber on the album. Do you feel that balance better serves you both in your songwriting and in the live performance?
JA: I think the balance fits my personality a lot. I am a very happy person, especially at this point in my life. I get sad too, but it is a small part of my reality these days. It’s a nice balance to have on stage. Audiences are given the chance to feel a wide range of emotions.
K: You utilized Kickstarter to help fund the making of The Mirror. What was your experience with the micro-funding site?
JA: Kickstarter was an amazing way for me to see how much my fans really believe in me. They helped me raise over $12,000 which funded a major portion of “The Mirror.” Making an album is so expensive. It made a lot of sense for me to raise money through pre-sales since I didn’t have a label backing me financially.
K: Will there be a big tour upcoming?
JA: Yes. I am going on a national tour for most of the summer with J.D. Souther. I am really looking forward to it. I also have a headlining show in Knoxville at Relix Variety Theatre on Friday, July 8th that I am very excited about. I love playing to my hometown crowd.
K: Any place in particular you’re looking forward to visiting?
JA: I am looking forward to playing two nights in Santa Monica, CA. It should be fun to spend a little time out on the west coast.
K: You used to ping your fans, asking for cover song suggestions. Any chance that any covers will pop up in near-future live performances? Maybe a Tone Loc cover? Iron Maiden perhaps?
JA: I play an occasional cover. They are always fun. You never know what I’ll come up with.
K: What do you love most about Knoxville?
JA: The people.
K: Do you have a favorite off-the-beaten-path in town?
JA: I love going to Ijams Nature Center and walking around with my son. Yesterday we saw a snake and he got really excited!
Jill will be performing at the Disc Exchange today [Tuesday, June 7, 2011] at high noon. Please help support local businesses and one particular musician by purchasing Jill’s latest, The Mirror, at the Disc Exchange. You can follow Jill on her official site, Facebook and Twitter.