Music Editor, Henna Amin sits down with the latest Coffee House Sessions performer, alternative pop/rock artist, Jennings Couch.
Hi Jennings, thanks for sitting down with us, how are you feeling today?
I’m feeling very good yeah, not too bad.
Good good. So tell us a little about yourself – where are you from and how did you get into music?
So I was born in New York City, in 1995, and I moved to London 14 years ago, so I feel a bit more English than I do American. I started doing music at a very early age, I started playing guitar when I was like, 6 years old, then I moved to piano, drums and vocals. You know, I’ve been doing it for so long now, I feel that I really know my craft.
And how would you describe your music style?
I would say, um, I aim for the more alternative side of music, especially when I play solo, because I don’t really enjoy playing solo acoustic. Whenever I write it’s more for bands and stuff – you know I don’t just want to be another guy with a guitar, because there’s so many of them. I just don’t feel that at all, you know? I’m just trying to make things a bit different.
Yeah, I mean listening to some of your music you do seem to have more of a rock sound – it has more of an edge to it, you’re not just like an Ed Sheeran-type.
Yeah, I really love putting a bit of edge in the music. But then I still want to have a commercially good song, still a song that people can like and listen to.
You’ve got a single called “Love Hearts”, so what’s the inspiration behind that?
That’s about social media and how I really don’t like using it, but I have to because otherwise I’m not gunna get anywhere, right? It’s sort of an ironic song about how social media’s taken over our lives, and we can’t do anything without it.
It’s quite refreshing though, to have that type of content out. Is the Coffee House Sessions Tour your first? How are you finding it?
This is the biggest tour I’ve ever done, it’s the most dates, like 21 dates, which is a bit mental. I’m half way through now. I’ve done a few gigs overseas with the band which was really cool too.
What songs are you going to be singing for us today? Is it all your own stuff of some covers too?
In my acoustic set there’s one cover, a song called “Wicked Game”, quite an old song by an American artist – it’s a really great song and I enjoy covering it. Otherwise it’s just my songs, I play “Love Hearts”, there’s a single that’s actually coming out in two days too.
An exclusive for the Coffee House Sessions Tour then! And what’s next after this then?
So in a couple of days my new single comes out, then the video after that. I’m on this routine now of a new single coming out every 6 – 8 weeks, instead of putting out a whole album I like to drop singles, because I feel like no one has the patience for a whole album nowadays. And then just a lot more gigging really.
Sounds good. Well good luck Jennings and thanks again for chatting with Label today!
Check out Jennings’ Facebook, listen to his music here, and remember to check out Coffee House Sessions every Tuesday in the Union!
