Here is the latest single from Houston-raised singer-songwriter Jesse Lynn Madera. ‘No Place to Shine’ begins with pulsing guitar, then builds with changes in pace and new layers before the song finishes with a flurry of instrumentation. Throughout, Madera demonstrates her vocal range as her voice, which has a touch of characterful grit, reaches high and tumbles low, following an engaging, fluid melody. In the accompanying video, nostalgic footage of fairground rides locates us in the evenings of our youth, where the song’s narrative unfolds.
Madera says of the song’s subject: “I’m making fun of my younger self in this song. I was reckless, self-indulgent, and selfish at times when it came to boys. This song paints me as the fool, but it’s also so fun to sing. It takes me back to one summer night in Houston, being out with friends and looking across the way realising that the boy who’d been following me around all the sudden had no interest in me, and I had no place to shine. Does a teenage girl exist when no one is admiring her? It was the first one I tracked at Bear Creek with Ryan Hadlock (The Lumineers, Brandi Carlile). I added some small things at Plyrz studio with Dan Navarro and Jim Scott (The Chicks, Tom Petty) just to fill it out a bit and make it flow with the rest of the album.”
The single is from Madera’s second album, ‘Speed of Sound’, which was produced by Dan Navarro and GRAMMY-winners Jim Scott and Ryan Hadlock. The album is the follow-up to 2020’s well-received ‘Fortunes’ and is out now. Madera blends a variety of styles, including Americana, country, folk, soul and jazz influences. She explains: “I love so many genres. When I sit down at the piano to write, it’s a mixed bag. To me, music is music, and I go with how I’m feeling in that moment. The simple truth of human emotion and experience creates an endless palette. I listen to all kinds of different music and my influences are equally diverse. Inspiration is everywhere!” Indeed, music is music and what matters is that it’s lyrically engaging, well-crafted and performed with style. Enjoy.
