Today we’d like to introduce you to Jillian Ann Barrows.
Jillian Ann, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Music was always the focal point in my life. My grandmother started playing piano by ear when she was four years old, and when I was born she would sing to me all the time to soothe me when I would start crying. When I got older I picked up piano and started playing by ear just like she does. My parents had music playing in the house constantly and I would sing along to it. This is definitely where my love for and ability to play music originated.
I grew up in Medford and sang in the adult choir as a soloist at my local parish since I was 14 years old. Singing songs of worship brought me closer to music than I ever thought it could and nothing made me happier than seeing the smiling faces on the elderly parishioners there after mass and telling me how much they enjoyed the songs I sang. During this time, I wrote my first song, and after playing it for a few friends and family and getting positive reactions from them, I continued to write more songs. This is when I knew I wanted a career in music.
I always loved to write, so after graduating from Suffolk University with a degree in Communications and Journalism, I knew I needed to go after my dream and started at Berklee College of Music for Songwriting. Now in my fourth semester there, I feel like this is where I have always truly belonged.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
The kind of music I grew up on was from my parents’ generation, which was a lot of 70s singer-songwriters like Carly Simon and Linda Ronstadt, and classic rock artists. The music I like to sing and write definitely has that vibe to it, and I feel it’s important to keep that certain sound alive since music is progressing and changing into more contemporary styles. This is great, and I like to have that contemporary sound in some of my music while also staying true to my roots and preserving that 70s essence in my songs.
Being able to perform onstage is one of the most thrilling things and getting to share my music with others is what I love most about being an artist. Just seeing the reactions on people’s face or hearing that what I write in my songs is relatable makes me the happiest. It makes me think back to singing in church and feeling the positivity and oneness in the room, and how the music helps intensify that oneness.
I was always perceived as the more shy and quiet person in social situations but writing and performing songs has always been most natural way to get my words out. It helps me communicate the things that I want to say but never knew how to say. My art helps people to really see me and hear what is going on in my mind and performing them live displays a side of me that maybe some never would have seen by just talking to me on the street.
I want my music to be enjoyable to the listener. I want them to hear a certain melody or lyric that really hits them in the gut; make them feel something that might inspire them to want to create their own art for themselves. I think that’s what music all about is.
In your view, what is the biggest issue artists have to deal with?
The music industry can be a really tough business. As an artist, it’s sometimes challenging to get your music listened to or even get a gig sometimes. As a woman, I feel it can be even more difficult to be heard or even welcomed into certain situations in this business. I have faced adversity being one of the only females in a band once, where I tried to speak my opinions and ideas, or just get a chance to perform on songs I was really passionate about and was completely shot down by the males in the band. It’s very disheartening and takes a hit at your self-confidence, but all you have to do is push forward and make more connections with positive people who just want to do the same thing as you, which is to enjoy your craft. One of my mentors told me that the most important thing is to have people around you who support you, not bring you down. When you have that support system, it makes the challenging parts that artists face today more bearable.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My work can be seen on my website, Facebook artist page, and my SoundCloud page. You can also find some of my music on iTunes and Spotify.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jillianannmusic.com
- Email: jbarrows@berklee.edu
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjillianann/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillianAnnMusic/
- Other: https://itunes.apple.com/album/id1382880892?ls=1&app=itunes
Image Credit:
Images taken by Lauren Holahan, Yael Matthews, and Kate Cusick.
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