Embracing The Collective: An Interview with Jess Hall of Oldsoul
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Photo by Hannah Kuhn
When I think about bands that are defining true community and excitement for the DIY scene right now, Oldsoul is high on the list. Their most recent album was hands down one of my favorites from 2023, but not only are they incredibly talented artists, they are committed to fostering an engaging, welcoming vibe wherever they go. It’s a common occurrence to see their lead singer, Jess Hall, operating with an unrelenting positive energy anytime I log onto social media, constantly uplifting bands and sharing good vibes. I myself resonate so deeply with this mentality, so when Jess mentioned on Twitter that Oldsoul was open to interviews, I jumped at the chance to pick her brain. We dug into Oldsoul’s approach to their social media presence and checked in on how the band has been since their most recent LP, Education On Earth, released last year through Counter Intuitive Records.
SWIM: Hello, Oldsoul the band! How have y’all been lately?
JESS: Hi, loves. We're doing fantastic, thank you so much for asking.
SWIM: Y’all are very publicly adamant about there being no space between “Old” and “soul.” For readers who may not know, where did the band name come from, and why so much passion for the spacing?
JESS: Oldsoul was my “cellar door” as a kid. I always liked the way the word sounded when you said it out loud. Also, it's extremely unsearchable, and I was definitely not considering that as a young person coming up with a band name. My logic was that it would help make it more searchable...? Maybe...?
SWIM: Congratulations on the release of your third LP Education on Earth last year! Now that y’all have that record a good year or so behind you, what is next for the band?
JESS: Thank you so much for all the love and support you've shown us over at Swim Into The Sound. We are so happy ya'll received it well. Since the release in August, we've been jumping around our favorite northeastern hubs to hang with our friends / make new ones / promote our banger of a record. We were even lucky enough to play Fauxchella VI in October (shout out Summit Shack). We're also hanging in Scranton, PA, for Good Things Are Happening Fest in August. Oh! And we're writing new music. Very exciting.
SWIM: Education on Earth has been described as “fighting your own inner demons and the pull of nostalgia.” In an era of seemingly endless attempts to harvest people’s nostalgia, what are the dangers of this to you as a band?
JESS: Personally, I don't really find it too dangerous because, at the end of the day, Oldsoul writes music we like that other people can connect to, and that's what really matters to us. What I find "dangerous" is how fast the world moves and how hard it is for everyone to keep up with all the content being blasted at us. We consume too quickly, in my opinion.
SWIM: There are so many layers to the music in Education on Earth that reward listeners for revisiting the album. Is that something you are thinking about as you write the music, or is it just the product of having so many musical ideas you want to fit into a project?
JESS: Tom and I are big texture people. We love adding layers and theatrics to our music because A) it's sick, and B) it keeps our music interesting. We also have a lot of fun adding final on-the-fly touches with our good friend and audio engineer Zach Weeks. He is the Master of Tone and always brings out the best in our songwriting. We're very lucky to have had God City as our playground.
SWIM: What does “post”-pandemic songwriting look like for you as a band? You’ve described Oldsoul as “collaborative” and “a collective.” How does this translate to future creation within the band?
JESS: Typically, Tom [Stevens] and I formulate initial ideas on our own and then build the songs together. Sometimes one of us will have a heavier influence over the other, but we like to make it a collaborative effort. I've been using the words "collective" and "collaborative" more to describe how it feels to be a part of Oldsoul Nation. We wouldn't be where we are today without the support and love from the people around us. A band is a team effort.
SWIM: You’ve seen a personnel shift in the band in recent years as well. How did y’all come to this current iteration?
JESS: Dan [Sweeney], Cam [Chapdelaine], and Justin [Sterchele] have been some of our best friends and biggest supporters over the years. We've all known each other for a long time. Super talented and driven people who help bring out the best in our live performance.
SWIM: I’ve noticed that you're pretty active online and interested in building out those online community spaces, which I’m always a huge fan of myself! Why do y’all feel it’s so important to have a more high-energy approach to your online presence?
JESS: We want people to feel the energy wherever and however they choose to interact with us. I also get extremely excited when it comes to anything music-related.
SWIM: Jess, I loved your contributions to the latest Jimmy Montague album! Is there a collaboration y’all would love to see in this current DIY scene, either for the band or in general?
JESS: I really appreciate that. James is a genius, and it was an honor to work with him. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I could think of a million insane collabs that could happen, but I find it really cool when bands explore alter-egos / different versions of themselves, whether they revamp an older song of theirs or experiment with an entirely different sound.
SWIM: Genres and music styles are so fluid these days, with so many bands venturing into completely different genres than they’re used to. If y’all made a record in a completely uncharted genre for the band, what do you think that would look like?
JESS: Oldsoul goes metalcore or Oldsoul goes twangcore.
SWIM: As a born and bred Pacific Northwesterner, I’ve noticed y’all have made it around the US quite a bit but somehow missed us up here. Are there any plans to make it up to the PNW any time soon?
JESS: A dream to play the West Coast/PNW for real. With touring being so expensive and our band being the size we are, I’m not entirely sure when we'll make it there. Hopefully we can spread the good word and change that, though.
SWIM: Are there specific cities y’all love playing in when you’re on tour? Favorite venues?
JESS: Not sure how much of an answer this is, but it's hard for me to pick a favorite place. We've had so many cool experiences all over – each city and crowd of people bringing their own energy. Chicago and Austin are really cool. Good food.
SWIM: Y’all have released all of your LPs through Counter Intuitive Records and are label mates with so many other incredible bands. What are your favorite things about working with CI that have kept you coming back to release with them?
JESS: It's been great working with CI and watching them build their empire from the ground up. They are extremely kind and hard-working people who have fostered an incredible community around music. We love our fam.
SWIM: Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview! Did y’all have any closing thoughts to leave us with? What should the online people know about Oldsoul right now?
JESS: Thank you for asking us!!! We appreciate people like you spreading the good word about what's happening in the DIY world of music and giving bands like us a chance to share about ourselves!!!!
Stay locked in, excited to show y'all what's next. Love you. Thanks again.
Xoxo Jess.
Ciara Rhiannon (she/her) is a pathological music lover writing out of a nebulous location somewhere in the Pacific Northwest within close proximity of her two cats. She consistently appears on most socials as @rhiannon_comma, and you can read more of her musical musings over at rhiannoncomma.substack.com.
