Indie-rock singer-songwriter Jennifer Silva recently released Runaway, a new album that delves into the truth in self-reflection of following one’s wanderlust. We recently reviewed this album and now we are fortunate to have interviewed Silva herself about it. So without much more than this introduction, here is that interview!
Jennifer Silva, on Runaway‘s Beginning
SBN: What was the process for you to begin to write the lyrics for your album Runaway, from a thematic standpoint?
JS: I wrote these songs (plus many more) leading up to, during, and after my exodus from New York City into the woods of the Catskill Mountains. They were my therapy, they were my guide, they were my hopes and they were my saving grace. I threw myself into the songwriting process every day and spent hours in my basement studio crafting and rewriting songs and just singing, which is what I absolutely love to do. Coincidentally, I shared that basement space with a ghost (both my daughter and I saw him on separate occasions), and one song that, unfortunately, didn’t make the album was called “Basement Ghosts”. I like to think he gave his blessing to these songs.
Is Runaway as an album at all autobiographical?
JS: Oh, it’s entirely autobiographical. Every one of these songs is personal to me and my journey. From my chance meeting with a psychic named Madame Sonja who told me not to sign the Brooklyn lease I was considering and convinced me to leave the city, to the planetary star gazing I did with my family every night, to the family of deer that I had a personal relationship with and the damselfly that actually landed on my shoulder twice. All of the songs are inspired by actual events and real experiences.
Regarding “Interlude”, what research went into the effort to make the arrangement so reminiscent of the vibes of the rest of the album? Without any lyrics that must have been a big deal.
JS: My guitarist, Jeff Berman (@JeffBermanMusic), has been with me since my first album Bluest Sky, Darkest Earth was released. He is incredibly talented and I am extremely lucky to have him. He is so proficient at his instrument that all my Producer Errick Lewis and I asked was for him to do a guitar solo that could lead into “The Devil That You Know” and he came to the studio prepared and did exactly that in probably two or three takes. He understands my music and voice and loves the direction this new album has taken and just gets it intuitively.
On “Madame Sonja” and Deer
I wrote in my review of Runaway that “Madame Sonja” felt like a love song. Does this interpretation feel apt to you, and if not, what kind of take do you feel is more apt?
That is such a great way to look at this track. I do love Madame Sonja. I loved my conversations with her (I saw her twice in 1 weekend) and I felt her authenticity and truthfulness in both readings. I truly believe she was not bullshitting me and had my best interest at heart. She is a beautiful and powerful and confident and wise woman, who also happens to be a Romanian Fortune Teller. And honestly, she opened my eyes to a possibility that I hadn’t really considered and that ultimately, was the best decision I could have made. She helped me save my family so this track is an ode to her and my way of thanking her.
Does the deer motif found in “Madame Sonja” recur in “Run with the Deer” as a bookend to that particular set of tracks? Either way, what was your reason to use that motif in both songs?
One day, I heard a loud cry out in the yard. It sounded like a child wailing and I was frightened. I ran outside and searched the perimeter of the yard and saw a baby fawn crying for its mother. I didn’t know what to do but the fawn continued to cry all day. It was heartbreaking and I was worried that its mother was killed. I brought it a bowl of water and some lettuce to eat (silly I know, but I didn’t know what else to do!), and then I called the ASPCA. They told me not to touch the fawn and that its mother would come back eventually for him. Well, that baby deer, continued to cry for its mother for FOUR days. But I never saw a dead deer in the area so I had no specific reason to believe that its mother was dead. On the fourth day, the most beautiful doe and magnificent buck walked into the center of my yard when I was standing out on my deck, to retrieve their baby after all those days. They came into the yard when I was out there as though to tell me, “It’s OK, we’re back now. Thank you for watching him”. It was powerful and i felt honored that they felt he was safe with me. A few days later, I was running in the neighborhood and the mother jumped into the road in front of me and stopped me in my tracks. The little baby proceeded to follow her, came into the road, stopped, and walked toward me several steps. It was as though he was also saying “thank you” to me. I started to cry and they ran away into the woods, together.
After I saw Madame Sonja, when I was contemplating all that she told me earlier that day, and strongly considering a full-time, permanent move from the city and all I had known my adult life, I once again stepped outside onto my deck. And as I gazed out into the yard, a single doe walked into my line of sight, about 100 feet away, and stared directly at me for several minutes. I believe that this wild animal made itself known to me, to give me a message. According to my animal symbolism book (Animal Speak by Ted Andrews), when a deer looks directly at you and makes eye contact, they are telling you to walk consciously without fear into whatever challenge you are facing. That deer helped finalize my decision to move into the woods and begin this journey with my family.
These two stories are true and had very powerful effects on my life so I write about them in my music to acknowledge them and how important they are to me. I welcome all spirit animals and their messages, as they give me peace and purpose and understanding when I am lost or unsure.
Silva on Her Process and Next Steps
Throughout the album, you’ve proven that your voice is extremely strong and full of passionate, soulful will. What went into the process of training your vocal cords to be as powerful as they are, and do you keep a regimen to maintain this vocal strength?
Thank you for asking about my voice. Not a lot of people ask me about that. I am very lucky because I am a natural-born singer. I have been able to belt and sing with a very strong voice since I was a small child. I always sang in Church, as I went to Catholic school for most of my life. I would belt the hallelujahs and all the hymns, much to the nuns’ pleasure lol. I also grew up singing Classic Rock songs alongside my dad, who played guitar around the house. I never warmed up or practiced though. I just sang. I did some musical theater in high school and of course, sang at almost every wedding and funeral I’ve been invited to. It was only after working in the corporate world for many years that I realized my passion for music was really what I was meant to be doing full-time. So I quit my job, and learned to play guitar and began playing and singing for three hours a day. Once i had an instrument in my hands, I couldn’t stop singing! That was probably 15 years ago. Now I give weekly voice lessons to kids, so I’m doing regular warm-ups with them and so I am learning to take care of my vocal cords, much more than I ever did. I can see now, how warming up and vocal exercises have increased my range and breath control, so i teach these kids from experience. I don’t have any official training or schooling on Voice. Everything I know is from YouTube, books, and by studying my favorite vocalists. But I am very lucky that it comes naturally.
With Runaway released, what’s next for you? Do you have any concerts, tours, or similar events planned?
It feels so wonderful to have Runaway out into the world. People seem to really love the songs and the new direction my music is taking. We had the album release show last Friday and I had a show last night, upstate. My plan is to put together a small, regional tour and play shows over the spring and summer of 2025. I’d like to play some festivals, hopefully this summer, and just keep promoting the album. Live performance is definitely something I love to do and I think I do pretty well, so the goal is to play bigger and better venues with great sound systems. I am driven to share my voice with the world!
We thank Jennifer Silva for allowing us to interview her for the site and hope that her music career goes even farther than she has imagined!
You can find Jennifer Silva’s newest album, Runaway, on Spotify:
