Spotlight: Jessica Lynn

Lynn talks supporting young artists, facing vocal issues and blending musical styles for her upcoming album, ‘All I Own’.

‘All I Own’ is a deeply personal album, shaped by your experiences with vocal challenges and health battles. How did these struggles influence the music and themes of the album?

2024 was a very difficult year for me personally. The majority of writing for this record, I had to do “silently.” After having major sinus surgery in January, I had begun writing tracks for the record during all of February however I couldn’t sing. I would quietly talk the lyrics and melodies into my phone and play my guitar so I never even actually got to sing the songs until we were in the studio. The plan was – once I was “healed” in March, we would have almost 3 full months to do all the recording and finish the record before we left on tour from end of May until Christmas. The real difficulty came when I started to record unfortunately. It was an incredibly scary moment in my life when I realised I wasn’t able to hit certain notes, and I was feeling a lot of pain in my throat when I was trying to sing which would be followed by extreme hoarseness and losing my voice. We are still unsure of the exact cause; it could have been longtime steroid use from pre and post-surgery or just my throat muscles becoming a bit atrophied after surgery, but I was unfortunately diagnosed with Muscle Tension Dysphonia. From March until the tour in late May, it was a race to the finish to find a way to complete this record, through intense vocal and physical therapies and find my voice again. It was one of the most difficult times in my life and something I kept extremely private and quiet. Finishing and releasing this record is a true triumph in my life and it means a lot to me because of how long and difficult the road was to get there.

Once in the studio, it was the first time actually being able to try to sing these new songs we were recording so it was a lot of stress. Not only could I not use my voice for long periods of time, but now I had to use those short bursts of time to not just physically be able to sing, but also creatively figure out how the song was going to sound vocally. My struggles greatly impacted the theme of determination within the record and the way the music was presented. There is more passion and heart than ever within those recordings.

Can you share a bit more about the song ‘Something ‘Bout You’ and what makes it special to you, both as a writer and a performer?  

This song was written about the period of time that I was falling in love with my now husband. That time was so full of magic and adventure, and I really wanted to embody that in the music. There’s also a double meaning within the lyrics as it is also a love song to touring, making music, and being on this adventure with everyone who’s been there and supported me.  

You’ve mentioned in the past that you didn’t want to admit your vocal issues were real for fear of losing opportunities. How did you manage that internal battle while continuing to perform and record music?  

I had to just believe and keep faith that I would be okay. It was extremely difficult, but I told myself every day that there was light at the end of the tunnel and that I would persevere… and I did. 

Your album features a range of musical styles, from boot-stomping country classics to rock-infused tracks and South American rhythms. What inspired you to blend these genres and experiment with your sound?

I have always loved so many different genres of music. My biggest inspirations range from Selena, to Richard Marx, to Shania Twain, Neil Diamond, The Beach Boys, The Temptations, and beyond. It was never a conscious choice to include all of the genres – it’s just how my music comes out because of everything I love to listen to…

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