The Los-Angeles based artist shows vulnerability and resilience in a powerful ode to the City of Angels and the complexity of her relationship with it in her single “land of the fame."
Jaci Butler is no stranger to the stage. Jaci is a multi-talented artist who is equal parts singer, songwriter, and content creator. She has graced the stage over 600 times with her band Jagged Row, bringing her silky yet powerful vocals to listeners across the country. Having already firmly established herself as an act to watch for the future, she turns her attention to “land of the fame" from her Debut ep LUCKY.
If you were to hear “land of the fame" for the first time and believe it was an uplifting ballad about the City of Angels, you would be forgiven. Even as Butler laments the people who don’t care about her the way she does about them in lines like “all I got are a bunch of people to save / Who wouldn't give a damn if I threw it away,” her powerful vocals uplift the track and lend a certain hopefulness to the vibe.
From the moment Butler opens “land of the fame" (“you say I’m successful / then why do I feel less full?) to her closing salvos (“I feel suffocated now / I can’t even breathe anymore, anymore”), there is never a time where Butler sounds defeated, even as she navigates the difficulties of fake friends and personal relationships coming and going. Pitfalls of the City of Angels be damned, Jaci Butler is coming, and no one can keep her down.
Jaci Butler’s “land of the fame" flips what should be melancholic into something powerful. One thing’s for sure. We’re rooting for the girl with the green hair.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Jaci! We have to say, your vocals in “Land of the Fame” were amazing! Did your personal relationships provide some inspiration behind “Land of the Free?” If not, what was the inspiration?
Thank you so much for having me! That means a lot. I would say it's a mix of both. I've lived in Los Angeles for about five years now, and I think anyone who's lived here knows the ups and downs, the kind of love/hate relationship you can have with this city. It's a beautiful place with so many amazing and talented people, but the harsh reality is that it's also very brutal. It's crazy that you say the song feels sad but hopeful because that's exactly what I was going for! It's a kind of love letter to this place [LA] that I love, but it's also shown me a lot of heartbreak - in my personal and professional life.
You put a lot of effort into connecting with your fans, whether it be through your music or your lifestyle, gaming, and comedy videos! What did you want fans to take away from “Land of the Fame?"
Aw! Yes! Thank you. The lucky charms are the best fans in the world. I was really excited about "land of the fame" but also kind of nervous...it's the first ballad I've put out in a long time. I don't know how people are going to take to it because it's definitely a tone shift from the other songs I've recently released. In my head, the song IS a love song at its core- just not one about a person, but about a place, a lifestyle.
I wrote, "land of the fame" with Matt Marino and Tony Rodini, who also both live in Los Angeles. It really means a lot to all of us. I think anyone who has ever lived here knows the struggles of L.A. and, more specifically, the music business itself. I personally have been doing music professionally since I was 12 years old. I've been told no more times than I can count. The lows are LOW, but the highs are so high. With "land of the fame," I hope listeners can feel that inner struggle, that love/hate relationship, but I also hope that they can relate it to their own ups and downs in life- whether that be with a personal relationship or an addiction, or starting over.
Your debut EP, LUCKY, drops later this month. How does it feel to be able to bring this project to your fans, and what was your favorite part of bringing this project to life?
It's so exciting! I've been working on this collection of songs for a while now, and though some of the tracks have already been out there for a while, I really wanted my fans, the lucky charms, to experience these songs as I originally intended them to. These five songs, in the order I have them on L U C K Y are meant to take you on a journey. I hope people enjoy that journey as much as I do.
What’s next for Jaci Butler? What can we expect to see from you next year?
I'm already working on new music for the new year! I have two songs that I'm super excited for the world to hear that I hope to put out at the start of 2023. A big goal for me is to get back to playing more shows - in Los Angeles and all over the country. The stage is my first love, and I've missed it dearly. Besides that, you can always catch me on TikTok, Instagram, and live-streaming on YouTube!