Former Beacher JACELYN releases multi-genre holiday album Ice Flower
By RUSHANTHI KESUNATHAN
Former Beach singer JACELYN’s latest musical endeavour — a holiday album that captures the joy, nostalgia, and diverse emotions of the festive season — “will take you on a journey of all different types of music.”
Known for her ability to sing in multiple genres and including them into her work, Ice Flower features an 18-piece jazz band, an orchestral symphony, acoustics, a Greek band, and choir, alongside a country-pop song.
“If I were to make all of the songs just jazz or pop, it would not serve the songs,” said JACELYN. “(The album) is about all the moods and shades of the holidays, so the songs and story required something different each time to express the world of that song.”
Ice Flower comprises 10 songs, including seven originals co-written by JACELYN and three covers. She believes that during the holidays, people are happier, making it the perfect time for her to channel her own happiness and jolliness into a festive album.
“I love the holidays,” said JACELYN. “I can die happy if I could do one regular album, one holiday album, and release singles after.”
The album’s first song, All The Days That End With Y, is for those experiencing a less-than-cheerful Christmas.
“It’s a versatile heartache song,” said JACELYN. “It relates to people who are not experiencing a cheerful Christmas, people who are grieving, heartbroken, and people who don’t get to be with family on Christmas.”
All The Days That End With Y was co-written with her mother, Lea Holmes, after she resolved a creative block. During a call with her parents, JACELYN shared the challenge of finding the right ending for the chorus.
“I know, just say all the days that end with Y,” Holmes told JACELYN on the call.
The track has already garnered over 30,000 streams on Spotify, with a video expected soon.
One song on the album with a “controversial” title, is called Spike My Drink. It is co-written with Eddy Ruyter, is about the intimate traditions of a couple eagerly looking forward to each other’s company.
“It’s about all the things they miss about one another, especially their tradition where he spikes her drink and makes it stronger – but its ‘consensual’,” she said..
Reflecting on the holiday hustle, JACELYN said the song To Do List is about the hustle and bustle of the season but serves as a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas.
JACELYN described the song as having a “Disney song” style. When played for her young nieces, they thought it belonged in a Disney movie, drawing parallels to Frozen. She said she plans to surprise them with a Disney-esque cartoon music video.
The song In the Light features the Greek band, PanArmonia. “It’s not really a Christmas or holiday song, but it also is because it is the essence of connecting with other human beings and souls filled with light,” she said of the song.
“We’ve got a lot of cool things happening for this album (making it) sort of an untraditional holiday album.”
For two of the album’s covers, Deck the Halls and Jingle Bells, JACELYN collaborated with the 18-piece jazz band Orange Devils Big Band, and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas was added based on fan votes.
JACELYN, a multiple Niagara Music Awards winner, has received recognition for Single of the Year and Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year for songs in her debut album, Dovetailing. Her music, which has also seen syncs in films, television, and commercials, can be found on https://www.musicbyjacelyn.com/ and Spotify.
