Sicily Jordan is a rising hitmaker who has gained the respect of music industry legends like Grammy Award-winning producers Barry Fasman and Dana Walden for her abilities as a singer-songwriter. Her debut album features a GIANT pop-dance single that is sure to be popular, a tear-jerking ballad, and a love song that personifies Californian aspirations. Along with these three original songs, Sicily also includes a psychedelic, electro-infused cover of Jefferson Airplanes’ “White Rabbit” to cap off your musical journey through her EP.
Be sure to follow along and pay attention to Sicily’s EP, “Between Us,” released this summer of 2022. And check out the exclusive Interview below:
1.Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how you got started?
SICILY JORDAN: I was born and raised in Alabama, and I think the music I write draws a lot from the honest storytelling you find in Country music. My passion for music started from my childhood because I was surrounded by music daily. My dad is an incredible musician, and songwriter, so he’s always been an inspiration. Because of his influence, I basically grew up singing constantly both on and off stage.
2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?
SICILY JORDAN: I’m self-taught in the instruments I play as well as singing and songwriting.
3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘SICILY JORDAN’?
SICILY JORDAN: One of my earliest and strongest music influences is actually musicals, and particularly from my first time watching Les Miserables in concert. I fell head over heels for Lea Salonga singing Eponine, and I dreamt of performing on Broadway. In fact, my first degree was in theatre. There’s just something about the power that comes from telling stories through music. There’s nothing else like it.
4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
SICILY JORDAN: I’ve always been a lyric person first and foremost. I’m fascinated by the ability for words to do anything you shape them to do: inspire, comfort, heal, connect. And when the right lyrics are combined with the right music, something so magical happens. I feel that every time I write a song.
As far as my sound, the best way I’ve heard it described is actually how a producer I work with described it: cinematic pop. There’s a kind of orchestral drama with luscious soundscapes, so that each song is an immersive experience.
SICILY JORDAN:
This is such a good question, and I think my answer is that I’m continuously discovering myself and my sound as an artist. I think for me it’s less about being original and more about being true to what I want to say and how I want to say it. I just want the art I create to be an authentic expression of myself and the world around me, and since both of those things are every-changing, my music hopefully also always has some element of newness.
6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative and entertainment?
SICILY JORDAN:
As I mentioned before, I think that music, like literature and really most art, is a way for the artist to not only express themselves but also to connect to the human experience. The best songs offer us as listeners a lens through which we can examine some aspect of our humanity and the stories we all share.
7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfilment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?
SICILY JORDAN:
Creating music honestly doesn’t feel like a choice to me. There’s a space in my life that can only be filled when I’m doing something with music, be that writing a new song, singing at the top of my lungs, or producing an album. I get so much out of creating music. So really it feels more like I should be giving something back. That’s why I share my music, because if I’ve been blessed with the talent to write great music, there’s no way I can keep that to myself.
8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?
SICILY JORDAN:
Ah, the ever elusive creative process! I’ve written songs starting with a melody, or with a cool lyric idea; “Only in Dreams” I wrote because I needed to tell the true story of a friend’s experience, and “California Boy” I actually wrote starting with the last line of the song! I’ve collaborated too. In fact, my husband often comes up with some pretty great lyrics that have made their way into my songs. There’s just no one way to do it because inspiration can come from anywhere at any time. You just have to be ready to drop it all and capture that song when it arrives!
9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
SICILY JORDAN: I’ve been so fortunate to be surrounded by family and friends who support me. Of course everything isn’t easy-peasy, but I’ve never been one to flinch at a challenge. However, to answer the question more directly, one thing I have been struggling with lately is finding how to maintain my authenticity as an artist in my social media presence. I definitely guilt myself into posting because I know the music deserves to be shared, and as an independent artist, social media is really an amazing resource to build an audience. But I have to say, I could do without the self-promotion if there was a way.
10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
SICILY JORDAN: Oh goodness, I’m just glad I have music; that I can sing and play, and that I can write meaningful songs. Making the “You Got Me” music video too, was definitely a highlight because of all of the amazing talent I got to collaborate with. Jesse Kahle and Dustin Willis, who are the video production team extraordinaire at Whitford Foundry were a dream to work with and made our shoot literally one of the best experiences of my life! That’s really what it’s all about for me, connecting with others through music.
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