Review: Chloe Jones Discusses The Release Of Her Latest Single “Damsel”!

Chloe Jones is an upcoming singer-songwriter from Greater Manchester, UK, who has recently released the sublime new single titled “Damsel”!

This gifted musician has kindly taken the time to speak with Fierce & Fabulous Revolution about her latest single, her appearance on The Voice UK, & getting to know more from the artist behind the music.

Hey Chloe, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Can you start by telling the readers a little bit about yourself?

Chloe: Hey, thanks for having me! I am a 27 year old singer-songwriter from Greater Manchester, UK. For the past six years or so I have been doing gigs and sharing my original music with the public. I also love to travel and have tried to combine my love of seeing the world and making music by spending my summers working in the USA teaching music at summer camps. Other than that you can probably find me staring into space having a lovely little daydream.

When did you first discover your passion for music & knew that it was a career that you wanted to pursue?

Chloe: I’ve always loved to sing and had dreams of being a singer ever since I can remember, although I didn’t think I was good enough back then and only sang in the shower or in my bedroom where I thought no one could hear me!

I didn’t know I could sing well until I was chosen to play a lead role in my school’s production of Blood Brothers and I had some really nice feedback from that, it was then that I decided to pursue a musical career and I went on to study Musical Theatre at college and university. I had been learning guitar on and off from the age of 9 but only found myself committed to playing once I was writing songs consistently in my teens. When I left uni I had a bunch of songs written and I wanted to share them (even though I was terrified) so I decided to pursue a career as a solo musician rather than one in musical theatre, so that’s what I did!

How would you describe your musical style to someone unfamiliar with your music?

Chloe: My music is pretty chilled out and storytelling plays a big part in my songs. I find it hard to put a pin on it but I place my style somewhere in between Folk and Americana with a little bit of Country thrown in. I’ve been likened to artists such as Tracy Chapman, Joni Mitchell and Karen Carpenter.

In 2019, you took part in The Voice UK. What inspired you to enter the show?

Chloe: I was unsure about taking part in TV talent shows, but I had been approached by the production team and was invited to audition so it seemed like an opportunity I shouldn’t miss.

Can you describe what it was like to take part in the competition?

Chloe: It was an interesting experience to be part of a TV show and with having been an independent artist for a long time it was hard to get to grips with having less control over my music and decisions regarding song choice ect. It was nice to meet other artists in the competition from different genres trying to pave their way in the music industry though.

What advice would you offer someone who is looking at taking part in any TV talent show?

Chloe: Use it as an opportunity for exposure and experience but try not to let the show take the reins on who you are as an artist, always stick to your guns. Also, try not to take things to heart too much, there are so many incredible artists out there resulting in a lot of competition, but that doesn’t mean that you’re not good enough. It’s not the end of the world if the outcome of the show isn’t what you may have hoped, it’s a learning curve.

You have just released your brand new single “Damsel”, which sounds amazing by the way. How did the idea to create this song come together?

Chloe: Thanks! This song has been a long time in the making so it’s a relief to finally have it released, especially with all that 2020 has thrown at us. It’s my first official release since 2016 so I wanted to make it a big deal for not only the ears but the eyes too, so I went to Portugal to film a beautiful music video! The song is called ‘Damsel’ and I was worried about the connotations of that word and what people may take from it, so I wanted to match the song with a video to show the positives of being a woman travelling alone to show that I’m not really a damsel in distress! We had such a great time filming the video, the weather was perfect and everything went to plan. I’m really missing travelling at the moment so I watch the music video and it takes me back to being by the sea and in the sunshine, I love it.

What would you consider to be the main inspiration behind this recent release?

Chloe: The song is all about being in a place where you feel anxious and uncomfortable, so much so that you’re longing to have someone by your side to make you feel a bit better. During 2020 i’m pretty sure a lot of people can relate to that feeling, so I thought it would be a good time to finally release the song. I was also just really eager to get new music out there after a long hiatus and I hoped it would give my fans something to enjoy too.

How have your family & friends reacted to the song?

Chloe: I wrote this song at the end 2017 so my friends and family have heard it plenty of times since then, but I tried to keep the music video and the song production under wraps so that it was a nice surprise for them when it was finally released and they loved it.

What does the song personally mean to you?

Chloe: This song is very real and raw for me, it tells the story of when I travelled to Guatemala and had a bit of culture shock when I got there. I was in a long distance relationship at the time and although having my boyfriend on the other side of the phone was a small comfort, it wasn’t enough and I longed to have him by my side rather than on the other side of the world.

If listeners could take one thing away from this song, what would you like it to be?

Chloe: I’d like it to give some comfort to people who might be feeling anxious and alone during these lockdowns and restrictions. I’d like the song to let them know that they’re not alone in those feelings and to encourage them to reach out to loved ones and give them a call to help them feel a bit more sane, like I did when I was stuck in Guatemala City!

Are there any further musical releases planned that you are able to tell us about?

Chloe: I have been working on my next EP for a while now but due to the Covid restrictions it has been hard to get into the studio to get the songs finished up, I’m hoping to have the EP released in 2021 but it’s all dependent on how things go with the pandemic. One track in particular is almost finished, so if I can get into the studio to finish that one off at least, then there will be another single release ahead of the EP to look forward to!

What are some of the things you enjoy outside of music?

Chloe: I love anything creative and whilst having time out from gigging i’ve been enjoying doing some arts and crafts that I wouldn’t usually have time to do. I’ve been making earrings and accessories from polymer clay and have made so many that I have started my own little lockdown business! (Follow @clojo.creative on Instragram!)

I also love to read and write stories whenever I find the spare time.

If you could perform a duet with anyone in the world, who would you choose & why?

Chloe: I think I would choose Stevie Nicks because the vibes would just be amazing. We could duet something dreamy and haunting, I’d love that. The rest of Fleetwood Mac would join us too of course!

What is one song you always keep on your playlist & why?

Chloe: Emmylou by First Aid Kit. It’s my favourite song and never gets old for me, it never fails to give me goosebumps when the song kicks in with the beautiful pedal steel intro. I’m a sucker for nostalgia and it takes me back to spending my summers in America.

Finally, is there a message that you would like to share with the readers of Fierce & Fabulous Revolution?

Chloe: Stay fierce, stay fabulous, then get even more fierce and fabulous and then share it with other fierce and fabulous people and then combine all the fierce fabulousness!
Also, if you think someone is fierce and fabulous then make sure that you let them know, it just might be exactly what they need.

You can check out “Damsel” on Spotify below.