The Oh Wells: a dash of Taylor Swift's songwriting combined with Juno's quirky charm

What do you get when you mix Taylor Swift's songwriting charm with elements of the quirky, indie flick Juno?  Why, The Oh Wells of course.

Vivian Dang 
Aug 7th, 2011
(Page 2 of 3)

Photo courtesy of The Oh Wells

The big break

Currently signed to Activemind Productions, Jickling recalls how the worst day of her life became a career-defining moment for her. Having broken up with her boyfriend the day before, Jickling was a mess at one of her sets.

After a tearful performance, she recalls, "I guess we played well, because the guy who set it up said, 'I want you guys to open up for Stef Lang.'" 

That particular gig is where they met their current producer/manager. Though he had mostly worked with pop artists such as Stef Lang herself, taking an indie band like The Oh Wells was a new departure for him.

Sound off

With no vocal training whatsoever, the indie songstress sounds reminiscent of a huskier Alanis Morissette. Jickling, however, worried about training her voice to sound like other artists. "I kind of just want to do what I want - whatever comes out," she comments.

Direct and blunt in their songs, their music is comparable to the soundtrack of Juno. Unsuprising, considering that they've been compared to the likes of Kimya Dawson, whose songs were featured on the Academy Award-winning film. 

 

Photo courtesy of The Oh Wells

The Storyteller

Jickling's ability to craft a story adds a sweet touch of Taylor Swift that infuses a unique blend of folk elements. With witty and autobiographical lyrics such as, "I'm sorry I'm not that girl from Transformers/I'm sorry that I cannot fix your car," from their single, "Is it too late to apologize" can be seen as the indie counterpart to Swift's hit single, "You Belong with Me."

 

Despite pointing out their (endearing) quirks and so-called flaws, they are more than comfortable with who they are, as expressed through these lyrics: "And J.K. Rowling does amaze me/I'd read those books 'til I went crazy/And you can laugh but it won't phase me."

For Jickling, songwriting is cathartic. In the same way that she writes to deal with her own personal issues, she hopes that fans will seek comfort and find a relatable aspect to their songs. 

 

"It’s always great to listen to a song and be like, 'I feel that too.'"

Just the girl-next-door

In the music industry, looks seem to overshadow the music itself. Sometimes appearances help distinguish artists among their fans (ahem, Lady Gaga) and assist in building an artist's brand. All of this doesn't seem to concern Jickling, however, whose focus lies in honesty and relatability.

 

Photo courtesy of The Oh Wells

Having the right look or "being cool" doesn't faze Jickling at all.  

"I don't care - I just want people to listen to my music," she states, "and be like, 'Yes, she gets me.'"

Blonde ambition

"Everyone says it takes 10 years to make it in the music industry ... I’m going to try and do it in five. It’s a hard industry but hopefully I’ll be able to make it."

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