Jessica Gerhardt is a singer/ songwriter/ ukuleleist who comes all the way from Santa Monica, California. She has been singing her whole life and then started to write her own compositions at the age of 8. Fast forward 7 years, Jessica was gifted the ukulele and this was when she self taught herself how to play.
In August of 2014 she released her debut EP and this being Words Like Rainfall under the guise of Feronia (this was a collaboration with producer Patrick Doyle and mutual musician friends). In 2016 Jessica recorded a cover of Emmylou Harris’s “Little Bird” under the name Feronia as well, on the tribute record “To Emmylou” featuring a number of LA artists, including Phoebe Bridgers. After a few years, and having taken a step back from actively performing under that name, Jessica decided to retire her former moniker, and to begin performing under her own name.
2018 saw the unveiling of Aquarius and this being an enchanting treat which was well written. This was in fact the first released under her own name, from listening to the track Aquarius in an enchanting piece of perfection. The following year then saw the emergence of the sophomore single. Be My Hands dropped on 18th January 2019 (also produced by Patrick Doyle), is the upcoming EPs title track which is slated for an early 2019 release.
The first time I played through this tempting track I was thoroughly entranced. This was blistering folk aided by super catchy lyrics and Jessica’s vibrant vocals that were like a breath of fresh air. In fact these sultry words focused on the sexual tension that exists at the beginning of a relationship “We don’t say the things/ The things we’re afraid to feel/ We don’t say what we think/ The thoughts we’re afraid to reveal”. Anyhow everything about this well written number was pure perfection, firstly it help massively that I’m a massive adopter of the genre and secondly there was a richness to Gerhardt’s sumptuous tones which hooked me. Be My Hands is so relatabe, it paints the picture of being in a new relationship but you are struggling to express how you feel. These issues could quite easily be down to being hurt in the past.
To accompany the single Jessica unveiled the official music video. Directed by Beau McCombs & Nan Siribunlue Be Me Hands was literally a visual delight.
Be My Hands is available from Bandcamp
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