Insider Beat: Jordana dances with destiny on new album, 'Lively Premonition'

It's been a little more than three years since Jordana Nye, known simply by her first name, teamed up with the band TV Girl to deliver "Summer's Over," a modern indie classic that explores the many sobering realizations of young adult life. Summer flings, unpaid train fares, dwindling parties — at some point, you have to leave it all behind and face the music. 

But even with all the chaos and uncertainty, who says you can't dance along?

The Maryland-raised artist maintains this signature blend of upbeat production and poignant lyricism on her latest release, "Lively Premonition." It's another mature, contemplative moment for the artist, now 24 and living in Los Angeles. Yet, instead of the usual lo-fi fare, listeners are greeted with patient guitar strums, bouncy drums and a killer violin solo on the opening track, "We Get By."

It signals brighter days and marks the beginning of a whole new era for the artist.

In an interview with The Daily Targum, Jordana discussed the transition into folk and soft rock for her "L.A. record," as well as her personal growth within the music industry.

While there are many factors contributing to the distinctive sound of the album, two deserve the most praise. The first is Jordana's emergence as a songwriter. Throughout "Lively Premonition," she displays a willingness to diarize genuine feelings and, in a more recent development, embrace the creative freedom of "making sh*t up!"

Whether portraying a desire for someone's love like a loyal dog seeking admiration in "Like a Dog" or depicting a child clinging to the last moments of adolescence at a fictional sleepaway camp in "Heart You Hold," the album shows listeners that certain feelings are universal.

Another key figure fans should thank for the existence of "Lively Premonition" is producer and songwriter extraordinaire Emmett Kai, who helped give the project its color. Unlike the sample-heavy instrumentals of the aforementioned "Summer's Over," Kai welcomes in a poppy blast straight from the 70s. 

Jordana's growth as a vocalist and Kai's rich, sonic tapestries make them a natural fit.

"He's a crazy multi-instrumentalist, crazy producer," she said. "I had always wanted to work with him, and we finally started that record, but I had moved across the country to L.A. And then I was just flying back and forth, and we would go to his studio … He had everything, pianos and synths, and we just kind of got free reign over (everything) in a big room. So, it was fun."

Even with fresh beats and rhythms, the release never feels like a betrayal or too far removed from the artist that music aficionados have come to know and love. Tracks that come out of left field, like the disco-inspired "Raver Girl," are anchored by the usual catchy hooks and devastating one-liners that only resonate when sung aloud.

Or consider "Wrong Love," one of Jordana's favorites in the collection. It features a bit of everything, including low-register vocals that build up to a "Bee Gees moment" where she lets loose and belts out the rest of the track.

"I just always try to do something different every time," she said. “There's too many sounds to be made, and it can get boring really fast, so you just have to keep doing different things."

Among the standout tracks is "Multitudes Of Mystery," a psychedelic synth piece interspersed with skits about friends trying to score some drugs while repeatedly encountering the same awkward, nerdy guy. As Jordana's glossy vocals narrate another intense moment of her trip, goofy voiceovers, which sound as though they were recorded on a retro phone, interrupt.

In many ways, the track and its recording process exemplify the delicate tonal balance Jordana strikes throughout the album. It's the reason why the song's centerpiece fart joke can somehow be simultaneously hilarious and crushing.

"That's just a little sneak peek of how much we goof off in the studio," she said. "There's a fart noise in it, and that's an armpit fart. That's my armpit fart. I'm very good at it, actually. I do it a lot, and a piece of me is in that — it's very personal. That armpit fart — very personal."

It's hard to tell based on the mostly sophisticated themes of the record, but Jordana, like most 20-year-olds, is still figuring things out. Dealing with anxiety before getting on stage or finding a cohesive way to capture all the thorny feelings surrounding a breakup are ongoing challenges.

Still, the artist has discovered a shortcut that makes both artistry and life a bit easier.

"I've learned to embrace the cringe," she said. "It will set you free. I can't recommend it enough, honestly. I'm happier than I've ever been because of that."

This improved state of mind shines through in "Lively Premonition," a piece dedicated to both the good and the bad moments in life. No matter the circumstances, don't let them stop you from doing what you love. You can either jam out to the music or let it drown you out — how you respond is entirely up to you.

With her future wide open to any direction she chooses, whether it means dipping into country music or incorporating way more violins, Jordana embraces the freedom of choice, along with all the cringeworthy moments that come with it. One day, she might wake up in an "indie-folk mood" and cobble together a song in that genre. It's a mindset she hopes her fans and aspiring musicians will adopt as well.

"Do whatever you feel is right in your gut — and in your heart," she said. "Follow your stomach and follow your heart because if you're hungry, you gotta eat. And if your heart is pounding for something, don't f*cking give it up. That's so lame."