- 2023-02-07
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MUSIC
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Donate to support families affected by the crisis in Ukraine ➔ Jessica Cotten Releases Debut EP “Edge of the Wilderness”: Streaming
American electro-pop singer-songwriter Jessica Cotten released her debut EP “Edge of the Wilderness” on January 20, 2023.
The EP comprises 6-track, produced by Josh Bahl and Jessica Cotten.
All songs were written by Jessica Cotten, She recorded the EP at Attic Recording Studios.
“Many of these songs I wrote when I was angry. I'm still angry,” Jessica Cotten said of the EP. “I'm angry about hypocrisy, I'm angry about people living in denial regarding systems that prop up the rich and neglect the poor, I'm angry at controlling, manipulative, religious environments. I don't want anything to do with them, and yet here I am, in a world full of them. So, I wrote songs out of a need to express my feelings, to tell my experience of existing alongside broken systems. I didn't intend for the songs to be a way of exposing harmful people and ways of thinking, but as I wrote I realized I was naming things like abuse, cultic behavior, power-lust, and gaslighting. And they needed to be named.”- Jessica Cotten shared on social media, “Edge of the Wilderness is my contribution to the conversation. It's an experiment, a statement, an exploration of the complexities of being human. I'm still trying to figure out what 'edge of the wilderness' means. But I think I'm talking about leaving a place (or a time, or a way of being, or a person) that used to be safe but no longer is. The road out of there and into whatever's next feels like wandering around in some desolate wasteland. But it's actually a refuge compared to the thing you left. And even though it's hard, you can't go back. I think that's close to what I mean. Anyways, come along for the journey. We'll sing about everything from the fate of remorselessly corrupt leaders to quantum entanglement to friendship to lies to love; we'll tell gender discrimination to shove it, we'll get brave, tender, loud, and lullaby-ish.”
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She explained track-by-track for the EP.
“City on Fire”
“I wrote it off and on from 2016–2020, when it felt like so many things were falling apart…but it also felt like they needed to fall apart. So, if at any point during those years you felt disillusioned, angry, afraid, utterly confused, or disappointed — or if you currently feel any of these things — I think you might like this song.”
“Another Love”
“I wrote 'Another Love' when my heart got broke and I was angry * Basically, it's a breakup song * It's hard to talk about it * It's hard for me to explain stories behind my songs * I wish for them to mean whatever they mean to whoever is listening * But here's another little offering.”
“My Heroes”
“'My Heroes' is about my experience as a female with gender discrimination and the systems that perpetuate it. It's about the ridiculousness of it, the pain it causes everyone, and the path it has taken for me to rise above it. It's about how so many of the ways we measure success and heroism are harmful. I've been in so many environments that champion maleness and diminish femaleness. Environments that make plenty of room for males and not plenty of room for females (who are often just as – or more – qualified for the same roles).
Sometimes you can stick around at a place and try to change the system from the inside. Sometimes you have to leave the place. Sometimes leaving is best.
Some of my biggest heroes are people the world doesn't pay attention to. Those who defy the toxic definitions of success, leadership, and power.
I hope I can always work towards moving the needle in the direction of equality and belonging. The way I feel most compelled to do that right now is by telling stories. And this is one of them.”
“Steady Now”
“The snow is thick on the ground today where I am ~ I enjoy making word art ~ It is meditative and slow ~ These lyrics are from my song 'Steady Now'”
“Reach Out to Me”
“I wrote 'Reach Out to Me' when I was lonely, wondering who my friends were, and thinking about the fascinating field of quantum entanglement * I don't understand it all * No one does * But it seems we are connected to one another * It seems we can sometimes transcend time and distance * Maybe I'm wrong, but that's partly what I get from it * It has been my experience that we can lift each other up as much as tear each other down * Whether we are close or apart * So maybe when someone comes to mind it's a chance to connect with them, whether through a text, a call, a card, a positive thought or a prayer * I really don't know * I just think we matter a lot and we can be there for each other in lots of ways.”
“Every Golden Hour”
“The sun was bright * I had yellow paper * There were shadows * I printed some lyrics from “Every Golden Hour” & put them there * It took me six hours to get this shot * just kidding * it only took a few minutes because this paper was a PRO * this paper has been places * this paper came in fierce and confident and knocked it outta the park * it said it learned its moves from Tyra Banks * which, of course, explains EVERYTHING.” - source : Apple Music
