Today we’d like to introduce you to Jocie Adams.
Jocie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have played music all my life, but the path to standing on a stage with a leotard and wings began in 2012 when I decided to step off of the stable cliff that we had formed in The Low Anthem and fall into an abyss of dreams veiled by dark unknowns. In that pit is where I would grow into my role in Arc Iris. As that transformation began to take place I found a lot of pieces of myself that had been tucked ever so slightly out of sight. The person I became is a combination of one who both doesn’t care what people think, who wants to make something great for the world without the confines of Dr. Cool and who is interested in presenting that great thing with ageless grace. The combination of those guidelines both opens infinite doors and makes it hard to make something that sucks. It’s been fulfilling exploring an infinite world of music and presentation while slowly uncovering what it means to be in Arc Iris.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
As a living breathing creature I am taken with music and expressing myself through it in every way, however, I am cursed with stage fright. When I started playing music as a kid, I could play through my piece perfectly over and over again in the safety of my own home when nobody was listening, but as soon as I went in for the audition or performance I would start trembling out of control and was easily derailed. In college I believed I had slyly conquered the issue or stage fright through avoidance. I studied classical composition and was completely in love with it. However, a wrench got rammed into the center of my plan in my senior year when my classmate and songwriter, Ben Miller, left me a note asking me to come by to play some “clarinet whimsies” with him. I went over to his house and was surprised to find him and his bandmate, Jeff, at the kitchen table with some shots of bourbon lined up. This definitely made me curious but not curious enough. After cleaning up the table with our gullets we shuffled into their music room where I found a lyric sheet on a music stand and began to understand what the shots were about. About a month later I was playing on all of their shows, which were quickly becoming our shows, and slowly and nervously beginning to sing. My nerves were so intense that people reported back to me that they could see me trembling on stage. I am sure I was a treat to observe for people comfortably seated in their skin and an absolute nightmare for those with traces of anxiety. Long story short, the composition career dreams were pushed aside for this new path that came with an adrenaline induced resolve to overcome my stage fright as well as a reverence for Ben’s songwriting.
My run in The Low Anthem was a very important period of my life. I learned a lot about songwriting from Ben and also Jeff. We shared a lot of music with each other and sang traditional songs and classic folk songs. I learned to be one version of a performer. Eventually my role in that band felt out of place and the writer inside of me became very antsy to produce more. Arc Iris was born. When I stepped into my role in Arc Iris I wanted to connect with the audience. I still struggle with stage fright but have a new freedom on stage that is liberating that I learned through flipping the script. The new name of the game is: I am here to communicate to you what this is all about. For some reason changing the script from playing music to communication changed my sturdiness on stage. I kicked my slightly concerning drinking habit, kicked the beta blockers, and am now completely free (most of the time). I am sure that a small portion of my anxieties come from some weird over-arching social structure that teaches women to be quiet and look pretty, but if I were to give one piece of advice to women it is – “don’t be afraid to suck at something!” I think that women tend to be more afraid of showing their weaknesses than men. If you don’t try things, you will never be comfortable doing them. I still recoil when a bunch of virtuosic musicians (inevitably always all men) are playing together and encourage me to join them. I was always the only girl in my class. I think if anything my reaction to the male dominance issue in both physics and music was to be the best. If someone tries to out-talk your talk, don’t let it get you down. Simply out-walk their walk and you will be nourished inside and out.
Please tell us about Arc Iris.
I am proud to make music that is different. I am proud to put extra thought into our show. I am proud to perform at a high level no matter where we find ourselves performing. I feel lucky to be able to make music at a high level with two really incredible musicians, Zach Tenorio-Miller on keys and Ray Belli on drums. Between the three of us we are able to create a small orchestra of sound. I feel even more lucky that people are intrigued by our sonic and lyrical explorations. I think we are known for our live performance, but I am really excited for our new record, Icon of Ego, to drop this October on Ba Da Bing records in NYC. I hope that people are as inspired by this record as we were to create it.
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
Work harder than you think you should and don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself. Patterns are formed quickly. If you cage yourself through the appearance of niceties you will bottle up resentment which will come out in a burst and will look far worse than simply stating your thoughts clearly each time you experience a difference of opinion. Communication is key. If they aren’t listening, tell them again. Give people the same courtesy by listening to them and working through their ideas, bad or good.
Pricing:
- Icon of Ego LP $20
- Icon of Ego CD $ 11
- Foggy Lullaby (Arc Iris reimagines Joni Mitchell’s Blue) 2xLP $25
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.arcirismusic.com
- Email: info@arcirismusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcirismusic/
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/arcirismusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/arcirismusic
- Other: https://grapefruitrecordclub.com/products?keywords=arc+iris
Image Credit:
both of the photos with yellow BG are by Dana Tarr
The two in strange glasses are from our music video directed by Julia Liu
live wings photo Jonathan Pirro
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
