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If you aren't familiar with Jem already, you should expect to be introduced to her and her music sometime very soon. Oops, you just were. Jem is a Welsh-born singer-songwriter getting ridiculously good reviews for her debut album, Finally Woken. The kind words are well-deserved: her diverse influences and love of bouncy melody, crunchy hooks and irresistible beats come through on every song. The album's first track, "They," is an ideal introduction to Jem's jubilant, genre-bending songwriting. A simple vocal loop opens into an explosion of sound, with smart, wily percussion, charmingly delivered lyrics, and what sounds like a children's choir suddenly bursting from some auditory limbo. Jem started making her own music after working for two years at a breakbeats label. It was a good job, but not the one she wanted. She left her normal life behind to take a chance on being a rock star, and after years of hard work, it all finally seems to be coming together. At the time of this writing, the album is number 11 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart, which lists the best-selling releases by new and developing artists. As if that weren't enough, she's also performed on Fox's "The OC," a show that deserves props for playing excellent new music. Oh, one more thing. When Lunchboxing CEO Jamie Flam saw Jem's picture for the first time, he said, "My God she's cute! When you do the interview, pretend you're going out with her and try to work in a lot of first date questions!" My answer was the same as the one I give to all of Jamie's suggestions: "No." But I eventually agreed, with fairly positive results. We conducted the interview a few weeks ago, just days before the album came out. Jem was about to move from London to Los Angeles to start rehearsals with her new band for their upcoming tour. It so happened that I was calling her from L.A., where I live, and she was delighted when I reported sunny weather and blue skies. Lunchboxing: So, the name Jem. Is it something you made up, or are you named after an aunt? Jem: Well, um, my name's Jemma and so it's just kind of shortened. My mom actually named me. When she was in college one of her friends was called Jem but his name was Jeremy. She wanted me to be her little Jem so she called me Jemma. And that was that. Lubo: In the United States, I don't know if you knew, there was a cartoon called "Jem and the Holograms"? Jem: I know about this! All these people are asking me. But also when I was in school, I don't remember seeing it, but I remember it being, "Jem - she's truly outrageous." But I don't remember it being so big. 'Cause lots of people seem to know about it. Did you ever watch it? 
Lubo: Yeah, it's not bad. The songs were okay. Some of them were a little bit schmaltzy. There was this bunch of rival musicians called the Misfits. Jem and the Holograms would do their gigs and then the Misfits would try to sabotage them somehow.
Jem: My publicist in New York was a bit freaked 'cause people kept ringing her and saying, "Is she truly outrageous"? Like as a joke. And she was thinking, what has Jem been up to? But then I explained to her about the cartoon. Lubo: It seems like a lot of the reviews and articles about you say, "This is someone who's about to become extremely famous. This is going to be a real breakout singer-songwriter." Do you feel weird when you see that? With the album just about to come out? Jem: You know, it's a really weird time. Not only because I've never wanted to be famous. ... I want everyone to hear the music the music, definitely of course, but the thought of... Yeah. I mean, I left the studio yesterday and I sat on a bench in the park on my way home and I looked around and I just thought I have no idea when I'll next come back to London. I just have no idea what's going to happen with my life, you know? It is freaky. I think the album definitely is commercial. We'll have to see what happens, but I don't know what to say about it. Also it's kind of a strange thing and nice thing to happen at my age. Cause I'm a bit older. If it does really kick off and I do become famous, at least I've had a really wicked time up until now being anonymous and doing the things like camping. I've lived up to this point a very normal, fun life. Lubo: You said you were a bit older. How old is older? 
Jem: I'm 28.
Lubo: Oh, me too. Jem: But its kind of weird. I don't feel - actually when I was in America it was great cause I kept getting ID'd. I know they ID a lot in clubs and stuff, but it was really funny. A lot of people were asking me if I was 18, which is great! ... I think I feel about 21. But I'm not 16, I'm not straight out of school or anything. So I feel really thankful. Lubo: When you're at this point - where your label is obviously trying to sell it really hard - are there people saying, OK, these are the things you have to do? You have to go to the tanning salon at whatever time? Jem: You know, it's funny actually. No, not at all. ... I'm quite stubborn so I wouldn't ever do anything I didn't want to do. My management starting making me wear mascara about a year ago. I'm happy to say I quite like wearing mascara now. But in terms of all that, I really couldn't care. ... It's kind of like with interviews. I'm sure some younger people get briefed on what to say but I really feel like I'll make my own mistakes and learn from them and say what I want. Lubo: I have to apologize for this, but my editor has all these questions I'm supposed to ask for this feature we're doing called "Celebrity Dream Date." Jem: Celebrity what?  Lubo: Celebrity Dream Date. Jem: Oh, right. Lubo: I'm supposed to ask a series of first-date questions. Jem: You ask away. But it's funny, because I've never actually been asked things like that. Lubo: I live with my girlfriend so it's especially terrible. I haven't been on a first date in I don't know how long. Jem: I don't think I've been on a date! Actually I just separated from a really, really, really, really long relationship. So I can't remember. Even with him I don't think we had a date. Yeah, I don't think I've had a date! I've been in a relationship forever. So maybe I'll start having first dates soon. Lubo: So this will be an example of some of the terrible questions you'll have to answer. Jem: Okay, so what are they? Lubo: So... Wow! So like what are your hobbies? Jem: My hobbies are music, obviously. Movies. I absolutely love films. And I really like walking which is why I don't want to be famous, 'cause I love to walk around. 'Cause I'd hate the gym. I would never go to the gym. And I also really like boxing. ... I don't go to the gym because I just think they're awful places. So the first thing I bought with my publishing money, I bought myself an upstanding huge boxing bag that's on a spring. And it's totally inappropriate. It's in my bedroom, it's completely massive. But I tend to put Eminem on and I just box away. It's fun. Lubo: So, what kind of music are you into? This is like if you're on a date with a guy who doesn't know what you do. Jem: Oh I get it. Hey, by the way, can I just refine that and say that I'm not into boxing as a sport, but I like to box in my bedroom. So okay, what was the other one? Lubo: So what kind of music are you into? 
Jem: I am into everything that's good. I really love soul music, I really love hip-hop, I love classical music, I like soundtracks, I like reggae and I love dance music and I like cheesy love ballads.
Lubo: The only other question is, what's your sign? But I don't know if that's a first date question or a talking-to-someone-in-a-bar question. Jem: I've heard that if people ask that question you should be worried about them, especially if it's a first date. You know? It's actually Taurus, which makes me stubborn and loyal but a hard-worker. ... I don't take no for an answer basically. Lubo: Back to hardworking, you actually had a 9 to 5 job at a breaks label, right? Jem: It wasn't ever 9 to 5, it was 10 'til 6, and I was always a bit late. Probably I worked in the evenings too. In terms of a regular job I think I've done like four days probably in my life in terms of getting up early and having to be somewhere at nine. The good thing about working about music, it's just so much more relaxed. I mean, you definitely work hard, but it's not the same as working in a bank or something, you know? But I worked in the label for two years and I worked on festivals for a year before that. Lubo: You must have taken a pretty big risk to walk away from that. Jem: I always knew I was going to be a singer. I really followed my instincts. Up until that point I knew I'd go make music. I wasn't feeling any pressure to go and make it 'cause I knew at some point I would. And then during the second year of the record label... everyday I'd just say, I've got to get in the studio. This is right, this is the time. And so then I actually wrote. Even though it was risky in the sense of not having a job and no money... I think I thought I was going to going to get a record deal in like six months. I had no idea it was going to take four years. It wasn't risky for me because I knew, definitely, it was the right thing. It was just from the heart, like, Yup, today, now that's it. I'm gonna quit. I'm gonna go do it. It was quite radical, but it didn't seem like a risk just because I've always known since I was young that I would sing. To learn more about Jem click here. To read the last installment of "Celebrity Dream Date" click here. To e-mail Tim Molloy click here. |
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