In an interview with CelebMix, singer-songwriter Jilian Linklater discussed her new journey and the new single “Break Up With Your Best Friend”.
The track is the first in a new batch of songs that are produced by Grammy-nominated and Billboard #1 Producer, Dan Agee. The collection will highlight Jilian’s signature stellar songwriting and heartfelt artistry. They will eventually be assembled into an EP and full-length album.” Break Up With Your Best Friend” was written with two other Nashville-based songwriters, Claire Douglas, and Danielle Blakey.
Jilian has had her music placed in the Disney trailers, the Amazon series ‘Eat the World’ with Emeril Lagasse, A&E’s ‘Born This Way,’ and Degrassi. She has co-writing credits with Christian recording artist Jason Gray, Mama Dear, and Caroline Kole.
A previous release, “Walking Stories” has more than 5 million streams on Spotify by virtue of being featured on the flagship Spotify editorial playlist, ‘Your Favorite Coffeehouse.’
Check out the complete interview below:
Hi Jilian! Can you please tell us a bit about your musical journey?
Hello, I played piano my whole life but I didn’t start writing songs until early high school. My dad would turn off the cable for the whole month of August and he encouraged us to learn something new – so I taught myself guitar and the songs just started pouring out. Flash forward a couple years and I ended up winning a trip to Nashville where I got to record two songs in a studio on music row, attend CMA fest, and meet Taylor Swift. It was on that trip that I learned that a career in music was actually a possible career path. So from then on I just went for it – I went to college in Nashville where I majored in Songwriting at Belmont University and there was no turning back.
We read that you initially wanted to be a pediatrician. How did the changes in the plans happen?
It wasn’t really a conscious decision for me. When I started writing and performing it was like the pieces just kind of fell into place. It felt like something I was “meant to do” and I just couldn’t deny that.
Being a singer-songwriter, we would like to know a bit about your vision as an artist. What kind of music do you wish to put forth?
I always try to be as honest and vulnerable as I possibly can be in my music in hopes that people can find their stories in my own. I hope they can say “oh my gosh, I feel the same way. I guess I’m not crazy.” There’s so much comfort and healing in knowing that you are not alone in a situation. I hope my music can be that comfort for people.
Do you have any influences who you look up to?
I’m a huge fan of female artists that are first and foremost songwriters – Carole King, Maren Morris, Taylor Swift, Julia Michaels. Songwriting has always been my first love and these women know the value of a good song.
Your song “Walking Stories” garnered a good attention from the listeners. Since the release of your first single, how do you see your evolution as an artist?
For me it’s about discovering more and more of myself and what makes me “me”. Music has always been a place of self-discovery for me, where I can take off my mask and be most myself. I think it’s a process to do that. So as I release more and more music it seems I’m getting closer to finding who I am.
Your songs have been placed in movies and series. As an artist, how do you see yourself placed in the industry (at present) in terms of opportunities?
I’ve always liked keeping myself diversified. I love having songs placed in film/TV/advertisements, I love collaborating with other artists for their own projects, and I love writing and performing my own songs. I hope to continue to have a hand in each of these areas of creating.
Please tell our readers about your new single “Break Up With Your Best Friend”.
Break Up With Your Best Friend is a song about losing a very important relationship in your life. Whether it’s a friend, a boyfriend or girlfriend, whatever it is – this song talks about the painful affects of a “break up”.
The title is atypical of what we usually see for the music tracks and it does create a factor of curiosity. We would like to know the story behind the conceptualization of the track.
I wrote this song when one of my closest friendships was ending. It was so incredibly painful and I thought to myself “this feels like a break up”. So I started writing Break Up With Your Best Friend as a way to process the situation. Writing this song was definitely a sort of therapy for me.
Would you like to share with us your future projects or endeavors?
I have some really exciting new songs I’m working on for an EP or maybe even a full-length record if it turns into it. I’ve been putting together a super fun live show with a band that I’m excited about. Plus maybe some remix and acoustic versions of songs as well.
What do you think about the single? Share your thoughts via tweet @CelebMix.