While Jayne Kelli thrived and excelled at making heartfelt and impactful Americana music with creative and life partner AJ Swearingen as one half of the duo Swearingen & Kelli, it feels as though Kelli’s musical and songwriting wings have really unfurled and she has fully taken flight with her new solo indie alt-rock creative endeavor. This is particularly evident on her brand new single, “Only in the Dream,” a driving, emotional, cathartic jaunt into and back out of the darkness. The relentless, driving melancholy of the piano is offset by Kelli’s confessional words, her plaintive vocals and rich tone offering a dreamy, almost feverish journey to a place where the deepest, soul-stirring love will follow you into hell and guide you back out again. It’s a stunning gem of a song, raising goosebumps when it plays, and it is a strong contender for our favorite song of the year. We sat down with her recently to chat about this amazing track.
Hi, Jayne! You have a terrific new song out in October called “Only in the Dream.” What’s the scoop on this song? And what inspired you to write it?
Most of what I write is from what I experience directly, and a smaller part is what I witness happening around me or with other people’s stories. I’m sure the percentage of that will shift and evolve in my songwriting. “Only in the Dream” happened to be one of those stories that I was directly immersed in.
It’s a stand-out track. What do you hope its message is to listeners? And what did writing it bring to you?
For the video, I’ve been citing some inspiration from the film “What Dreams May Come,” especially for some of its visual and conceptual themes of following someone into their darkest times. There’s a pulse to this song that plays with the idea of “the perfect plan” going off course, with everything against you, yet still fighting for your destiny to be together. That reminded me of “The Adjustment Bureau.” It was a cathartic write for me.
What kind of a vibe were you going for on this song when you recorded it? Do you think you ended up with a song that sounds like you expected it to sound? If so, how so, and if not, what’s different about it? Who joined you in the studio for this one?
“Only in the Dream” was originally written on my old Martin, but it didn’t feel fully awakened until I translated it to piano. From there, the production grew around that core. AJ Swearingen was at the helm in the studio, adding otherworldly texture on steel guitar woven together with slow, pulsing drums that give the song its heartbeat.
Your music and lyrics work so well together. Was this a music-first or a lyrics-first song for you? Which way do you tend to write in general, music or lyrics first?
Good question. There are some rare occasions where some line will come to me randomly that I’ll have to write down, but, for the most part, music and lyrics come in one swoop – and the song almost always feels channeled. I’m in a different part of my brain that goes with the flow when I write. “Only in the Dream” came from being swallowed up in an emotion, and there was no relief until I could let it flow out into song.
You’ve been living in Nashville for a bit. How do you think your time in such a music-centric city impacts the music you make?
It’s hard to believe I’ve been in Nashville for about seven years now. When I first moved here, AJ and I would frequent spots like The Station Inn and Dee’s. Back then, the songs I was writing leaned more country, and it was a highly creative period. After the pandemic, starting in 2021, I was on the road almost non-stop with little time to visit the city and absorb the music around me. With this, my current project, though, it’s fully immersive. I don’t even want to come out of the studio until I feel finished with the catalog of songs that need to get released into the wild.
What can fans look forward to next from you?
I’m pouring my heart and soul into these songs right now, letting this new sound unfold as I go. I’ve also stepped back into the producer role again for the next concept video, which begins filming soon. More is coming, and I’m excited for people to experience one piece at a time.
Spotify – open.spotify.com/artist/3dqpCOxK8xIH4QZ6GPLCp0
Instagram – instagram.com/jaynekellimusic
Feature.fm – ffm.bio/jaynekelli
Website – jaynekelli.com
