After the post-valentines day crush, it can be comforting to indulge in a little dramatic yearning. What better way to do so than to listen to some jazzy pop? Let me introduce you to an up-and-coming, college-age vocalist for you to follow this season of love: Natalie Jones. Known by her stage name, natalie jinju, her music has a consistently soft tonality that leans heavily on dreamy jazz instrumentation. This past week, she released her first EP, “nobody cares.” Contrary to the title, you should care.
“nobody cares” is a tight five tracks, four of which were previously released as singles. The album opens on the only new song, “letters to my lover,” a delightful romp about the singer’s devotion to her love and subsequent correspondence. It sets up the EP with a sweet, loving tone, backed by the jazz standards expected in a traditional pop piece. It is the perfect taster for the EP, telling the story of her love, easing the listener into her hazy musicality, all while subtly suggesting that this album is a love letter on its own.
The next track strikes a more realistic tone. “buttons,” a more popular single of hers, conveys the singer’s frustration with her lover; the universal experience of loving someone despite their idiosyncrasies. It cuts through the lovey-dovey haze of her first track, while sticking with some semblance of affection. Throughout the chorus, she repeats the line, “…you push my buttons, but you push ‘em just right.” It is a cute joke and by no means extravagant lyricism, but the simplicity adds to her meaning. Though it first seems that jinju presents an idealistic version of love, in acknowledging its reality, she adds legitimacy to her message. It is worth working through conflict, and learning to love all of a person makes a relationship work.
“calico” leans far into the acoustic feel of the album. jinju meanders through her confusion about whether or not her lover cares for her at all, backed by guitar strums and sweet vocals. The metaphor of a lover as an aloof and beautiful cat is sweet, if obvious. Again, its simplicity does not detract from jinju’s storytelling. The image of a calico lazing about a bed, ignoring our beloved singer is easy to conjure. It works; especially with the dreamy mood jinju has already established, you can’t help but feel sympathy for her.
Her most popular track off the EP and my personal favorite is “reminisce.” The penultimate track brings us back to when she first met her lover. She places you right in the moment, and the music swells with her feelings, building to an almost bossa nova backing. jinju conveys the heart of a relationship and how it all builds from one single, fateful moment. Fitting with the theme of her album, it makes you believe in the simplicity of love while inviting you to think back to when you first met those you care about. “reminisce” warms your heart and puts some pep in your step.
The final and title track “nobody cares” carries over that upbeat mood and turns jinju’s narrative of love on its head. In her last track, she tackles the most underlooked aspect of love: self-love. Jinju embraces the mantra “nobody cares” to take pressure off oneself, in her words, “who will you be when nobody’s watching?” jinju could be talking to anyone here: the listener, her lover or maybe even herself. Mirroring the opening of the album as a letter to her lover, “nobody cares” is a letter to her audience. She has breathed love into this whole album through compassionate vocals and gracefully jazzy instrumentals, and now she gives that love to her audience.
It is refreshing to see traditional vocal pop coming back so strongly. Barbra Streisand and Jennifer Hudson have been major players for years, but with superstars like Laufey and newcomers like natalie jinju entering the scene, it seems like the genre is really alive again. Tackling modern themes of yearning and devotion set to dreamy jazz standards creates an ambiance no other genre can capture. natalie jinju takes advantage of this to the fullest extent. “nobody cares” and jinju’s entire body of work is worth checking out if you need a little love in your life.