2020 SCMA Emerging Artist of The Year Jordyn Pollard hails from Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, and this newcomer to the music industry is becoming a household name in her home province. It won’t be long that her unmistakable talent, her drive, and her duty to credibility and integrity will see her burst forth onto a more extensive Canadian audience and further.
Pollard’s single “Good On Me” made the Top 100 on BDS and continues to garner airplay. Her single “Back To Us” has reached the Top 50 country songs on the Billboard Canada chart that also garnered her the honour of being named the first-ever Stingray Music Trending Track Artist.
Now, on to the interview I had with Jordyn Pollard, via email. This was a great opportunity for me, through Canadian Beats, to chat with Pollard about her music, this time in her life and more. Check out our questions and her answers. You will enjoy what you read.
First of all, we at Canadian Beats want to congratulate you on your recent successes – 2020 SCMA Emerging Artist of the Year, the first-ever Stingray Music Trending Track Artist and reaching the Top 50 country songs for “Back To Us” on the Billboard Canada chart!
Let’s start with you and your 2020 SCMA Emerging Artist of the Year award.
You now have at home the same hardware that The Hunter Brothers (2017) and Tenille Arts (2016) also hold near and dear to their hearts. What was your reaction when you heard the news – in both garnering the nomination and winning in that category?
I am huge a fan of both Tenille and The Hunter Brothers and to be accepting the same award that they have accepted is quite surreal! I am so honoured to be part of the Saskatchewan Country Music Association and to be recognized among a group of individuals I look up to! I found out about the nomination with my mom and the win with my boyfriend, both of which celebrated the honours just as much as I did! It’s really special to celebrate with the ones you love and I’m so glad they were there when I got the news.
What was it like for you to accept the award via the Internet and not to be able to celebrate with your fellow Saskatchewan artists and friends?
It was definitely unexpected and unique to accept my first award during the 2020 global pandemic! However, Covid-19 did not stand in the way of the celebrations and my family and I had a watch party at our farm! I definitely missed being alongside my SCMA family during the awards weekend, but this just means that next year’s celebration will be even bigger and better!
Now, on being named the first-ever Stingray Music Trending Track Artist, for your new single “Back To Us” on October 12. The Stingray Music Trending Track initiative supports emerging Canadian talent on participating Stingray radio stations. What that means is this … every other month, Stingray will select a different artist’s track to be featured and receive two months of support and a minimum of 25 spins per week across 19 stations.
Who was the first person you told about holding this honour? What was their reaction to the announcement?
My mom and dad were with me when my radio tracker called with the news! I don’t think it truly sunk in until after I hung up the phone! I was so surprised, and my heart was racing out of my chest! Mom and dad were super ecstatic and eager to tell the whole family! But they couldn’t!
I feel you were beyond grateful and you mentioned you were in such utter shock. Tell us a bit about this and what it means to you and your career.
Being recognized by radio is a huge honour! Radio plays are one of the few ways to reach out to a greater audience and this title has given me the chance to be heard by country music fans across Canada! It means the world to be recognized on this level.
Onto “Back To Us” …
Can you tell us about what the song and video mean to you, or what you hope people take away from it?
I hope people are able to listen to this and feel nostalgic for a time that has passed. This song isn’t melancholy and it isn’t a sad song of reminiscing. It’s looking at the good times, and I think we need to look at the positive now more than ever.
The single:
Can you tell us how this song came about? Who wrote “Back To Us” and who produced it?
Abby Cone, Mark Bright, and Victoria Banks wrote this song and my producer, Bart McKay and manager, Angie Morris and I loved the lyrics and message they had crafted. It is very rare to find a song that is instantly a favourite, but this was one of those gems! I was just coming out of high school, so wanted a song that reflected my emotions as I looked back on the good memories. Bart McKay was the producer on this track and he really captured the vision I had for it!
You reached the Top 50 country songs on the Billboard Canada chart! That’s pretty amazing. On October 17, on social media, you stated, “A dream since I was a little girl is becoming a reality.” Describe that dream.
My family has videotapes of me dancing and singing melodies and song lines before I was two! The dream of performing on stage has always been a constant in my life and I have always put on shows in the kitchen
The video:
How did this video come together, including the concept, where it was shot and anything else you want to share with your fans?
Jared Ramsay of Proper Creativity produced this video! My manager Angie Morris and I had been discussing a video concept that would fit the Covid-19 restrictions and we thought it might be cool to just have one location, but create some fun and quirky sets! The will is filled with so much sadness these days and we really wanted to do something contradictory to that. Ideas kept on coming and evolving and then we ended up with our final project! It was tough trying to create a video during such hard times, but we did it!
Can you tell us a bit about the making of this video?
This video was shot throughout the course of what I would consider the hottest day of the summer! We had a small crew due to Covid restrictions, but were able to work fast! Some of my friends joined in the video and it was really great having them a part of it.
In November 2019, you released your debut four-track EP Good On Me, so let’s chat a bit about that. It includes “genuinely exciting, personality infused songs, including the radio hit title track, as well as the self-penned “That Kind of Love.”
How did you feel when you heard the news that the single “Good On Me” from this album made BDS Top 100?
I felt so honoured, as I always do when my music is acknowledged in such a way! I did not expect any of my songs to get this high, let alone my first single so it was super shocking!
What was it like to work with veteran music producer Bart McKay to create Good On Me?
Bart McKay is just as talented and kind as everyone says he is! He succeeded my expectations and produced an album that I am very proud of! Being in the studio with Bart was a breath of fresh air, and I easily got over my nerves and first-album anxieties!
Can you tell us a little more about the EP? Describe the vibe of the music or the sound that you were aiming for?
I wanted something fun for my first release and I think we really hit the nail on the head with this one! I released this album in my first semester of college, and it was a new, exciting beginning for me. I really wanted to represent that through these songs!
Where did your inspiration come from for Good On Me?
This one was sent to our team from MV2 Entertainment and was written by Thomas Archer, Hannah Ellis and Curtis Gibbs. My team, family and I all knew this song was the perfect match for me as it was sassy! I’ve always been so picky when it comes to dating and I think the lyrics of this song showcase this attitude that I had towards my (nonexistent) high school dating life. It’s fun, it’s catchy and we had a heck of a time creating the sound for this one!
Has this album empowered you as a female pop/country music artist?
This album allowed me to fully engage in the pop/country realm and it was a great experience! Getting to create the original sounds and cool melodies while still keeping a country charm really allowed me to experiment and find my true sound! I think this album has empowered me in the sense that it solidified my sound.
Pollard’s four-track EP Good On Me is available digitally everywhere.
Let’s chat about some random things that will make your fans get to know you better.
What artists have the most influence over you?
If I could choose one person who’s had the most impact on my career, it would have to be Taylor Swift. She is constantly evolving as a musician as well as a businesswoman and I admire her drive to always create experiences for her fans. But I couldn’t tell you all the others that have contributed to the person I am today as there are too many!
What have you learned about your career and fans now that you’ve been at this for a while?
I have learned that my career is constantly changing and that my fans are super critical to my success. I would not be able to succeed and grow as an artist if it wasn’t for the people that come out to shows, follow me on social media and listen to my songs.
What do you think your “biggest break” or your “greatest opportunity” has been do far in your music career?
Being Stingray’s first ever “Trending Track” is definitely a highlight! This title has given me so much exposure and if it weren’t for Canadian radio’s support I would not be gaining this title! This title has allowed me to reach farther than I ever thought possible.
If you could choose just one artist to collaborate with, one who you haven’t worked with, who would that be?
I would 100% hands down say Aaron Goodvin. I have always respected him as a songwriter as his lyrics are so well thought out and his melodies are so catchy! He also has a stellar personality and is such a humble person. It’d be an honour to write a song with him!
And last but not least, if you can have one thing that your fans could remember about you, what would it be?
I would want them to know that I’m not as cool as my songs makes me seem, I’m a pretty normal 19-year-old with lots of homework and crazy bed head!
We, at Canadianbeats.ca, thank you Jordyn so much for taking the time for this interview and helping your fans get to know you a little more. We wish you much success with all your future work.
Connect with Jordyn Pollard:
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