Artist Selects: Janelane
All photography by Natasha Ribeiro-Austrich
I’ve been seeing Janelane’s name on lineups for years amongst my other favorite LA scene staples, but sadly, I haven’t actually had the chance to see them live. Thankfully, we’ve crossed paths online for this Q&A where I’ve gotten to know Janelane’s frontwoman, Sophie Negrini, as well as learn how interconnected and collaborative the LA music scene truly is. From touring with Peach Kelli Pop to rocking out with her sister of Mo Dotti, Sophie’s presence has long been on my radar. Described as a "witty songwriter with a gift for earworm melodies" by LA Weekly, Sophie professes her unrequited love for a man she meets between the pages of a magazine in her newest song, “Celebrity Crush.” Engineered by Joey Oaxaca (White Reaper, Mamalarky) and featuring guest performances by members of White Reaper (Elektra Records) and No Win (Dangerbird), this vinyl release is a perfectly pop whirlwind drenched in harmonies and guitar solos so sweet, you might get a toothache.
Listen here to “Janelane Selects” while you read the Q&A.
Let’s kick off this Q&A with a silly icebreaker: If you were introducing yourself to this Trash Mag audience via a “show and tell” day in a classroom, what would you show and tell us?
I would probably show you my vintage 1970’s New Haven turtle clock named “Herb”. His eyes are ginormous and he’s a bit scuffed, but every time I see him on the wall in my kitchen I feel so happy. He may be one of my favorite purchases of all time. I’m a huge fan of cutesy vintage animal wall art.
As we are all collectively acknowledging a year of COVID, could you reminisce with me about when the last time Janelane played a show together?
The last live show Janelane played was a super special one at the Highland Park Bowl in October of 2019, with my friends from Japan, “The Pats Pats”, and my sister’s band, “Mo Dotti.” We celebrated my drummer Shelly’s birthday and surprised her with a cake onstage - chocolate with sprinkles! It was such a fun show, and so cool to see Los Angeles folks giving The Pats Pats the wild applause they deserve - they are so talented it’s ridiculous.
How has your experience been making music under quarantine? What challenges or blessings in disguise affected you or the band's ability to create?
I have to say, it feels kind of impossible to write anything new that doesn’t feel forced, which is the case for most of my musician friends I’ve spoken to. I haven’t practiced with my band once since before COVID, either. Janelane is more of my solo project than a traditional “band” (I write the songs and my super talented friends play them with me), so it hasn’t felt right to reach out to my bandmates and ask them to practice my songs, risking getting each other sick when we don’t even have anything lined up. The idea of doing a livestream bummed me out, and I think there was just a silent agreement that it’s probably best to wait. I was also incredibly depressed in the beginning because I had just finished an album that I had been working on for almost 3 years, and all my plans were put to a halt. I will say, I’m an incredibly hasty decision maker and SUPER impatient, so being forced to just stop has made me take the time to make sure the creative decisions I am making are the right ones. I feel very lucky that I got to film the “Flowers from Athens” video exactly how I wanted, taking as much time as I needed. I have very fond memories of walking through my old neighborhood’s secret trails trying to get inspiration, and making crafts on the bedroom floor.
What hobbies/interests have you started as a result of quarantine? Have these new activities lasted through the year?
I got really into filming with my sister’s VHS camera while making the “Flowers” video! I also edited the whole thing, which was low-key a nightmare, but hey- I now know how to use Adobe Premiere! I love the fuzziness of VHS, and will definitely use it in the future for other videos…I would love to film another band’s music video! I also learned how to screen print, which is probably the biggest thing. My set-up is a little rickety since I couldn’t just throw down hundreds of dollars to buy all the nicest equipment, but it’s a fun process once you get the hang of it! It’s also very empowering to hold up a t-shirt with a print that you made yourself. I haven’t printed shirts in a few months since I moved in with my boyfriend over the winter and all my screen printing stuff is still at my folks, but I’ll get back to it soon.
When live music comes back, what would be your dream lineup and where would you want to play?
Honestly, it would mean the world to just play a backyard house show with my friends' bands. I just want the ‘rona to get the fuck outta here, STAT!
All photography by Natasha Ribeiro-Austrich
I love your latest track “Celebrity Crush.” Listening to it astral projects me straight into an energizing mosh pit. The persistent, high-powered drums and the howling guitar riffs--especially the solo-- are so evocative of 2000s pop rock. Who is the “celebrity crush” you are professing your love to in the song? Who are your other celebrity crushes when you were young? How about now?
I wrote “Celebrity Crush” when I was maybe 18 or 19 and had too many celebrity crushes to count, so I’m not entirely sure who inspired it initially. I did used to be in love with the bass player from the British boyband, McFly, when I was 15 or 16, and forced my sister to wait in line with me for 4 hours to get a good spot at the Roxy, so that maybe he would lock eyes with me and fall in love with me, and then find me outside after the show and tell me I was the most beautiful girl he ever saw and ask me to marry him? PG-13 fanfic style. Guess what? It never happened. I also used to be INSANELY obsessed with River Phoenix and would only listen to his old band’s demos and had photos of him taped to my guitar. Other noteworthy ones were Aaron Carter (age 3), Uncle Jesse from Full House (age 7), and Tim Curry in Rocky Horror (age 12), Jack White (OBSESSED at 15/16), and Danny Elfman (forever). Right now it is, without a doubt, Harry Styles.
How has working with collaborators such as members of White Reaper and No Win on this release defined the sound?
I think the fact that the Wilkerson twins (White Reaper) and Danny (No Win) are all just so damn talented and fun to work with just really shines through in the song, giving it the excited energy it has. The whole recording process of the song, as well as them playing on it, was very impromptu, organic, and easy! Last summer, I was showing my boyfriend/engineer, Joey, old demos of mine, and he really liked “Celebrity Crush” and said we should re-record it just for fun. Nick and Sam were coming into town, they live in Louisville, KY, so we asked if they’d play on it. It was the first time I played music with anyone since the start of COVID, and it was definitely weird to wear masks and stay far apart from each other, but I was also just so happy to finally be playing music again. My guitar solos sucked pretty badly, just a little cheesy and predictable, so Joey and I called up Danny, because he loves all the same pop music I do. Of course he totally nailed it and wrote the perfect solos!
Who are some dream collaborators that you’d like to work with such as other artists, collectives, organizations, etc.?
I know this sounds really sad but the emotional rollercoaster of the pandemic has scarred my brain so much that I can’t even think as far ahead as dream collaborators. I’d be so happy to just play a show with my band again. But also…Harry Styles. I know that sounds ridiculous because he’s one of the most famous people in the world but I wanna write a song for him! Or sing with him! Dammit!
Last but not least, can you explain some of the picks that you’ve chosen for this playlist?
“Glow in the Dark” is my favorite song by my sister’s band, Mo Dotti. That whole EP is incredible, and was also engineered by Joey (who did “Celebrity Crush”) - dreamy jangly goodness! “Black Licorice” is a song by my friends, Peach Pit, and has such a beautiful, nostalgic melody…definitely a song to savor while driving as the sun sets. “The Best Time Around” by The Muffs is such an underrated song of theirs. I have LOVED the Muffs since I was a teenager, and was devastated when Kim Shattuck passed away. I think she is a fucking genius pop songwriter that doesn’t get nearly as much recognition as she should, and I’m so sad that the only interaction I ever had with her was asking her where the bathroom was at a show, even though I knew where it was, I just wanted to say something to her. “You Didn’t Have to Be So Nice” by the Lovin’ Spoonful is everything I love in a song. I can’t describe it, you just have to listen - it’s perfect. Obviously I put my favorite White Reaper and No Win songs on there, as well as my friends Post Life, Nic Hessler, Dove Armitage, and Suzie True! Check ‘em out!
Stream Janelane’s latest track “Celebrity Crush” and follow them on Instagram!
