Jordana Brings Bedroom Pop to Brooklyn
brooklyn, ny - june 6th, 2024
A typical night in Brooklyn might include heading to a historic Polish community center, turned concert venue, to enjoy some incredible live music. Last Thursday, hundreds of fans lined up outside Warsaw, known for its enticing slogan “where pierogies meet punk”, to see Jordana and TV Girl. Jordana, a frequent collaborator with TV Girl, started off the evening with a stripped-down and authentic set that highlighted her talents and distinctive sound as a solo artist.
Jordana. Photo via @jordananye on Instagram.
While many of Jordana’s songs are driven by layered pop instrumentals and fun melodic taglines, she set aside the flashy production and stepped onto the stage with just her baby blue electric guitar. Opening with "Go Slow," a track from her 2022 EP of the same name, Jordana showcased her vocals in the intimate ballroom without the accompaniment of a band. She playfully mentioned feeling nervous, but as she sang a few songs, her nerves seemed to fade away, encouraged by the lively and vocal crowd. While she sang "Sweet to Dream," the purple and orange lighting swirled around her, reflecting off the antique chandeliers that date back to the venue’s origins in the 1900s. Jordana delved into themes of heartbreak and love through a couple unreleased songs, "Anything for You" and another untitled piece. In contrast to the rhythmic guitar in the first few songs, these songs were accompanied with gentle guitar fingerpicking. While these songs may have a different vibe in their final versions, the acoustic renditions highlighted Jordana's vocal prowess and her knack for crafting charming melodies with authenticity.
As she re-tuned her guitar strings and bantered with the audience, new fans cheered enthusiastically while some longtime supporters in the back also chimed in. One fan yelled out “I don’t know you but I love you” while another countered with “I know you and I love you.” Jordana shared stories about touring with the night's headliner, TV Girl, and reminisced about the EP they created together in 2021, which features some of her most beloved tracks. The energy in the crowd surged when the opening chords of the EP's standout songs, "Summer's Over", filled the room. Jordana surprised everyone by flawlessly singing the twangy guitar riff during the instrumental bridge, perfectly matching the guitar's tone with her voice. Her stage presence exuded focus yet playfulness, captivating the audience throughout her performance.
To wrap up a set that proved that sometimes all you need is a girl and her baby blue guitar, Jordana played “Sparks” by Coldplay. The crowd, now warmed up, swayed and sang along to the adored tune. Luckily, we didn’t have to say goodbye to Jordana for long because she joined TV Girl on stage later that night, with the same blue guitar and even an electric violin, at times. While she stayed close to the mic to sing some backing vocals, she spent most of the set jumping and dancing around. The lead singer, Brad Petering, introduced the entire band and took an extra moment to highlight Jordana and her history with the band. They ended the night by playing a few songs off their joint album which received excited screams from fans, old and new.
Jordana's voice and musical style harmonizes effortlessly with TV Girl's, evident in their acclaimed collaborative album, Summer's Over, and her stellar performances as their opening act. While she brings her best qualities to collaborative pieces, it's within her own music that these qualities find their fullest expression. Jordana's solo set served as a refreshing reminder of her individual sound and impressive repertoire.
Jordana still has a few more tour dates alongside TV Girl scheduled for this month. Following that, we can anticipate the release of "Anything for You," which she hinted would be coming out in the fall. She recently released a music video for her newest song, “My Idol” which you can check out below!
