It’s not even 10 hours since her return from her girl’s holiday to Greece, but if the lack of sleep and post-holiday blues are getting to Jo Hill it’s not showing. Originally from Cheddar in Somerset, this indie singer-songwriter is guaranteed to put a smile on your face, whether it’s with her bright and contagious energy or her unique lyricism and toe-tapping music. Big things are coming for Jo, tomorrow is the release of the first single on her upcoming album, marking the beginning of a new and exciting era.
“I think that girlhood and the traits of that, like the raw honesty can be infectious and should be adopted to some extent by all members of society…”
Growing up in a small and quiet village Jo began making up stories about the world around her which morphed into songwriting as a way to understand and process the events in her life. “Sometimes it’s the sadder stuff, sometimes the happier stuff. I love writing songs for people I know or the things that they’re going through.” Jo’s latest single “Big Boys Cry Too” is a prime example of this, delving into topics such as men’s mental health and toxic masculinity, the thoughtful track was inspired by the impact Jo has seen the men close to her experience due to the social expectations that are projected onto men. She explains, “I think that girlhood and the traits of that, like the raw honesty can be infectious and should be adopted to some extent by all members of society. People should feel like they have a safe space to talk about how they’re feeling.”
Jo’s music career has not been a straightforward journey (life rarely is); originally signed to a major label, she struggled with feeling restricted in the music she could release, leading her to feel lost and eventually drop the label. Jo describes the time she has spent since then as her “regaining control” and trying to find her community and place in London. Inspired by iconic cosy folk pub tours from artists such as Mumford and Sons, Jo searched high and low in London to find the perfect venue to create her own safe haven for her growing community of “pow-girls”. These unique and intimate gatherings continue to grow in popularity and have featured special guests such as SOFY, Alfie Jukes, and her dad – who joined her in playing “Big Boys Cry Too” at the release party.
“I think with social media, it’s always really hard to gauge, especially at the beginning of your journey, who’s into what you’re doing and who’s not. And it’s really lovely. I’ve got this WhatsApp community group where I communicate with my fans and, I think that’s where you can have a real connection and make things they can get involved in.” This connection with her fanbase is evidently crucial to Jo, and it’s evident that this fondness is reciprocated by her fans, who have already had an overwhelmingly positive response to the new song. “It’s been really special releasing something that feels like a lot of people feel like the song will help someone they know. It’s been a really cool thing to have people messaging in like, “Oh, I’ve actually had this or can you include this person (in the music video) because they’ve been through this?” The result is a beautiful visualiser for the song which features the important men not only in Jo’s life, but those in her fans lives, creating a heartwarming and emotional tribute to all the “fathers, dads, brothers, cousins, coaches, gym buddies, sons, and teachers” that need to be reminded that big boys really do cry too.
With her debut album lined up for release at the end of November, the coming months are full of exciting gigs for Jo and her band. From in-stores around the UK where the record will be available on vinyl to her first official headline gig, there is an abundance of opportunities to feel the love and experience the uplifting community that Jo has curated live. Seeing her perform is a delightful experience that will have you singing along to catchy and upbeat tracks such as “Glastonbury”, and waving your torchlights in the air for her more mellow songs like “The Circle”. Her country-folk style twang paired with her acoustic guitar and a healthy serving of fairy lights create a magical atmosphere, where you can close your eyes and let stress drift away, whilst Jo transports you to her home town (metaphorically of course), to experience the nostalgic close-knit vibe she carries around with her.
“Big Boys Cry Too” is available to stream now on all major music platforms, and to keep up to date on Jo’s gatherings and music you can follow her on instagram @joohill.
Bonus Questions: Quick-Fire
Can you describe your music in three words?
Real, honest, girl-boss.
If you could eat one of your songs, which song would you eat and what would it taste like?
Stay At Home Girl and it would taste like a toxic waste, it’s got a tang to it. Or Honeymoon which would taste like watermelon, which is better cause we’re in summer and I wanna be hydrated and it’s just got a sweet freshness to it that’s pretty tasty.
Which Muppet do you resonate with the most?
Does the Cookie Monster count? I get very hangry at points and want cookies.
If you had to bathe in any condiment or edible liquid, what condiment would you choose?
Am I allowed to choose pickles? It’s not a condiment but what about the juice? That’s weird, isn’t it… I’m just obsessed with pickles.
By Lucy Fudge @lfudgephotography
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