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ON THE RISE
A savant singer and composer, the California-based artist Odelet began performing her own music while in college studying visual art at Portland State University. But well before that, she had already developed an eclectic taste in music.
Odelet is a native of Detroit, and one of her fathers was all about the Detroit music scene. Her other dad, meanwhile, was into old school country music. And a young Odelet soaked it all in.
Now an independent artist with a fast growing following, Odelet has followed a similarly diverse musical path with her own releases: she debuted with the avant-garde 19-track album Experiment in 2021, which served as an exercise in minimalism; then she dropped twelve songs on The Angels Album in 2022, which took her into the world of soul and R&B––genres that have been close to her heart since she was a child in the Motor City.
And now Odelet is preparing to release her third album, Pisces Pie, on May 11, which she describes as an ode to classic hip-hop production and siren singers.
“It was right after I got out of high school that I delved more into hip hop and listened to artists like A Tribe Called Quest,” she says. “It’s really evolved over the years because I’ve always been around very different kinds of people and music listeners. I’m always just eating it all up.”
The idea for Pisces Pie was born a few years ago when Odelet was recording Experiment, which served as a compilation of sorts for her body of work as a stripped down and very minimal singer and songwriter. But already she had an idea for something like lo fi hip hop, with beats serving as the backbone of the project.
“I’ve always really loved playing around with presenting writing in a stripped down way, it’s really fun for me creatively,” she says. “With The Angels Album, it felt like I was ready to stretch out into that sort of soulful soundscape, but things are never really planned out for me. Even when I’m in the midst of getting a project done, always in my mind I’m on to the next thing, too and I love feeling expansive in that way. I have an idea, then I have the next idea and it always fits together like each perfect puzzle piece and I just roll with it.”
The 11-song album Pisces Pie isn’t the only new puzzle piece; she’s also released a new EP titled Odelet’s Hufflepuff that’s something of an appetizer for the full project.
“It’s a little grouping of songs that are setting the tone that gets to continue and build to the full project,” she says. “It’s not dissimilar to courses in food; it’s kind of like prepping the palate.”
Songs like “Cinderella,” which feature on the four-song EP, are an amalgamation of sorts of her works: it’s driven by a minimalist beat and instrumentation over which Odelet sings with her soulful voice––it’s even got some jazz in it. The result is a sound both timeless and brand new.
“The sound I am really drawn to is very much rooted in an analog sound,” she says. “It’s the depth of it and I’m super nerdy about it so I love creating a sound that feels sort of like it’s of a bygone era. I’ve always been really into old world things in general.”
“I love how much it can be read in a very literal way or felt in a very literal way,” she says. “It’s a love song, or about this notion of someone talking about themselves. It could be taken in a very literal way but I also love that all the new songs can be interpreted by people in very unique ways to themselves. They are really love letters to myself, and ‘Cinderella,’ especially, is kind of falling in love with yourself.”
Odelet still has her passion from college for visual art, too, and she accompanied The Angels Album with an award-winning experimental music visual which has since been screened in more than 50 film festivals. In 2022 she also co-founded the production company Everlasting Tape, which produced her second project (and first full band effort) and is very connected to her visual art work––more of which is on the way for Pisces Pie.
“I’m very much interested in playing around with a more abstract approach to a visual representation or accompaniment to the music, so where it feels connected but almost in an ineffable way, very dreamlike,” she says. “I was calling it dream-scaping. It’s creating this multidimensional world that you get to feel transported into.”
Stay connected to Odelet for new music, visuals and updates:
ON THE RISE
Sienna-Rose Jerak has a voice well beyond her years, and is a name in the pop music industry you’ll want to watch out for.
The 14-year-old singer from Australia released a pair of singles called “You Got Me” and “To Fly,” which showcases her vast range and ability to fill the air with her powerful vocals.
“You Got Me” is a love song about liking someone so much, and not being sure if they like you back. She said it can be super confusing and drive you crazy with the hot and cold, and Jerak brings this out in the music.
“You feel like you’re wrapped up in their games and you don’t know how to get out,” Jerak said. “And you keep going back to them. It’s basically about not having that experience or insight to work out if you like them as much as they like you.”
In the song, “You Got Me,” Jerak said she feels lucky because the way the vocals were recorded gives a “very live feel.” She works with a song writing and production team that includes Grammy winners Jordan Omley and Michael Man, who have been mentors to her in the process.
“They’ve really inspired me to be my best self,” Jerak said. “They are really kind, so it’s great to work in that kind of environment.”
Jerak is a fan of music that came out even before she was born, saying that she listens to the likes of Brandy, Carrie Underwood, Jessica Simpson and Monica. This inspiration bleeds into “You Got Me,” as well.
“I love old ‘90s music,” she said. “It’s got a lot of soul to it compared to music now. I take from a lot of life experiences, as well, when I sing. I try to make my music relatable.”
While “You Got Me” shows off her skills as an Pop/R&B singer, “To Fly” is much more of a ballad. Releasing both ends of the spectrum was intentional, as listeners will be able to get some variety of where her talents lie.
“In a pop song, they can’t really hear too much of the runs,” she said. “For a ballad you can be free and express yourself.”
Jerak has been involved in acting, singing and dancing since she was six-years-old. She attended performing arts school three times a week, where she would work on musical theater, jazz singing and more.
From 2022 to 2024 she trained at Margie Haber Studio in Los Angeles, and has since been cast as a lead in TVCs for “Earth Choice” and “IGA Ritchie’s.” She has also played the role of Sophie in the Paul Hogan film, “The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee.”
Now Jerak mainly plays pop and R&B music, saying that this is something she truly loves. She has always wanted to perform, and when she is on stage she feels so free.
“I really want to continue to grow as an artist, and grow with my music as I get older,” she said.
Jerak’s focus with music is in the way it connects with people. She said she is just an ordinary girl from Melbourne who is trying to do something big with her life. It is all about creating art, which she called a beautiful process.
“I just want to inspire people to be who they want to be without the pressure to cover up their true selves,” she said.
Jerak is a huge fan of LA, saying that someday she wants to live there full time because it is so supportive of the arts. She’ll be back in the city this summer to record more songs, saying that she really enjoys being in the studio putting together a track.
“Just singing all day and working on a song is such a beautiful vibe,” she said. “It’s what I love to do.”
Jerak will be out promoting these two singles, but she plans to record plenty more music in the future. Her goal is to get signed onto a record label, so she can show the world what she’s got on a grand scale.
Be sure to check out Sienna-Rose Jerak’s music available all on all major platforms.
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