JILLIAN JONES
$25
Or More
A digital download + 1 signed copy of the album
$50
Or More
A digital download + 3 signed copies of the album
$100
Or More
A digital download + 4 signed copies of the album + exclusive audio commentary about the album + digital download EP that includes 3 unreleased songs in demo/pre-production stage
MAP
Of An Album
Curious about the process? Each album is unique in the way it develops, but here's a timeline of how the last album came together.
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Writing
Some songs are written in an afternoon; others may take months, or even years.
Either way, each song has a unique journey, from the first musical or lyrical thought to completion.
As an artist, it’s important to me to pursue topics I’ve personally experienced, so most song ideas on my projects are my own. I often share these ideas with other writers and ask if they’d be willing to collaborate in the writing process.
Most of my last album, Perfectly Clear, was written over the course of ten months. My next project is still being
written, but finally approaching completion after nearly 18 months!
Fundraising
No way around it, recording is expensive.
I don’t have the capability to self-fund my projects and I’m not always sure if or how they will happen. But somehow, God brings the right people to it each time, and I’m continuously amazed at the love and generosity shown by my supporters. It has truly taken an entire community to make my previous albums and this project will be no different.
When fundraising for Perfectly Clear, my goal was $18,000, and remarkably, a little over $19,000 was contributed - which nearly covered the cost of the project ($20,000). For my next album, the goal is to raise $15,000. While the project cost remains the same, growth in recent years has led to an increase in opportunities to perform at concerts and other live events. (That is, B.C. - Before COVID.) This is my primary source of income, and every dollar I make - from performances, merchandise, and album sales - is reinvested into future projects.
If you are considering supporting this next project, please know that I am so grateful.
Pre-Production
When the songs have been finished and the necessary funds have been raised, the next step is to spend 3-5 days meeting with my producer to explore the unique sound and direction for the album.
During this process, we record “scratch tracks” - simple, temporary demos with vocals and either piano or guitar. These are later used as a foundation for the band members when they record their instrumental tracks.
This was one of my favorite parts of the process when making Perfectly Clear. Dreaming and visioning; hearing the early sounds that would influence the growth from demos to a complete project.
These were the moments when it finally felt real. I can’t wait to reach this point in the process for the upcoming record!
Hit play to watch a little behind-the-scenes clip from the studio!
Recording / Producing
REMEMBER HOW I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT I THRIVE ON COLLABORATION?
In a typical year, this would be the most collaborative stage of the process; the time when the band members come together in the studio. However, COVID changed a lot of the landscape for working musicians, so things may come together differently this time
as the industry adapts and evolves.
I’m looking forward to the challenge of navigating a different path, and trust that learning a new approach will provide fresh avenues for creativity and growth.
Some video clips of the band recording Perfectly Clear
Mixing /
Mastering
The next 3-6 months are honestly kind of boring. A lot of things happen - tedious mixing, editing and mastering - so I won’t get into the details.
But this step does include one hidden gem: hearing the first mix of each song. I anxiously await the arrival of these mixes in my e-mail inbox - the culmination of every instrumental and vocal piece in a single glorious MP3 file. It’s literally music to my ears.
Me hearing Through The River mix for the very first time.
Waiting...
Side note from Jillian’s manager, Jessica:
This is the part of the process where Jillian’s stress is so high, wondering if the record will be done on time, that she paints walls to maintain some sense of control over her life. ;) I sit in the middle of the floor and watch, calmly repeating, “It will all be okay. The album will be released. I promise. Repeat. Repeat.” For the record, her bedroom walls changed color THREE TIMES during the month leading up to the release of Perfectly Clear.
Releasing
This might be the craziest stage of the process. Everything noted above was the actual making of the album. But there’s a laundry list of to-do items that my team and I were simultaneously tackling for months in order to prepare for release day. Things like...
Some Instagram stories leading up to release day!
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Designing the album cover
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Photo shoots for the album cover
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Writing the album insert (credits, lyrics, etc.)
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Designing merch
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Ordering merch
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Sending licensing contracts
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Submitting the album for digital distribution
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Writing news releases
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Media interviews
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Ordering physical CDs
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Picking up CDs
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Signing hundreds of CDs
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Packaging hundreds of CDs
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Mailing hundreds of CDs
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Revamping the website
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…..you get the picture
Oh, but there’s also the release concert.
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Writing newsletters
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Creating promotional materials
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Advertising
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Selling tickets
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Printing tickets
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Gathering volunteers
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Creating lanyard IDs
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Rehearsing the band
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Prepping chord charts
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Catering food
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Setting up merch
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Printing signage
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…..and a whole lot more
What happened on release day, you wonder? The very best kind of chaos. The crazy joyful kind, which reminded me that every moment in that 20-month-long journey had a purpose: to bring these songs to the community who made them possible, and connect people with common struggles and experiences.
I hope you'll watch this video that shares my heart about the project.
Every $25 contribution will receive a
digital download + a physical signed copy when the album releases.
There are fun perks for other contribution levels too! Check them out below the video.
Thanks for being here with me!
So....that's how a record comes together. Thanks so much for giving me a few minutes to read about the process. - Jillian