INTERVIEW: Um, Jennifer? Want Their Trans Anthems to Make You Laugh
Brooklyn-based duo Um, Jennifer? have voracious musical tastes and a wit to match their curiosity. The band, made up of Fig and Leah, began the way most bands do: Fig and Leah met at a party in Brooklyn. Leah wanted to hook up with Fig’s friend. Now they make music together for nobody except the vengeful god, Jennifer. Jennifer thinks their music sucks. But we don’t — so here’s a glimpse at how the duo write their fun-loving trans anthems.
Who are some of your musical influences?
Leah: Some of my favorite artists are The Strokes, Dr. Dog, Earl Sweatshirt, and Cecil Mclorin Salvant
Fig: Big Thief, Illuminati Hotties, Clipping. and whatever I’m listening to at the moment. Right now it’s Nine Inch Nails and Redbone.
Name a perfect song and tell us why you feel that way.
Leah: “Young Hearts Run Free” by Candi Staton. There’s this inexplicable lightness to that song while still being so emotional. There’s also a story to it that you wouldn’t totally expect from hearing the music.
Fig: “Boyish” by Japanese Breakfast. It’s that perfect mix of classic and also the saddest thing you’ve ever heard in your life. It’s flowing and gorgeous and sexy and just so depressing. And also endlessly listenable. Like an extremely intimate version of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” It puts you in a space and takes you on a journey!! I love it!
Does your album have an overarching theme?
Leah: These songs are about different things- identity, relationships, love, heartbreak. But to me their commonality is that they all feel born out of a feeling of newfound understanding or clarity. Like you’ve just arrived at a new idea or you’re on the precipice of one.
Tell us about the first song you wrote.
Leah: The very first song I wrote I was maybe about 5 years old and it was about a boy telling a girl he had to go away but he was going to think about her whenever he saw the sunset, or something like that.
Fig: Oh god, the very first song that I wrote was for an Arby’s fan competition where if you wrote a song about the Arby’s menu then they’d put you in a commercial. The very first song we wrote together was “Girl Class” which is about being a girl, which is famously much cooler than Arby’s.
Do you have any songwriting tips you can share?
Leah: I like to stick with one idea that I feel really connected to and see where that wants to go. I don’t like too many elements to start out. Sometimes I’ll write on one chord until I feel moved somewhere else by the melody or by some point of tension.
Fig: Write something that makes you laugh.
Who would you love to collaborate with? why?
Leah: Mitski or Earl Sweatshirt. I think they’re the smartest lyricists around right now.
Fig: Adrianne Lenker or Rostam.
Do you play covers at your shows? Why or Why not?
Leah: We do!
Fig: Yeah we do and it’s honestly one of my favorite parts of our live performances. Like for three minutes the pressure is off and we get to sing a really good song that someone else wrote.
