Jenevieve casts a groovy spell over Manila
Listening to “Crysalis,” the sophomore album by the genre-blending singer Jenevieve, you may find yourself looking for synonyms for “chill,” “silky,” and “sensual,” because no single word—or combination of them—does justice to the vibe she creates. But while the record has a focused aesthetic, the songs aren’t so similar that they bleed into each other.
There are discernible influences of R&B, disco, neo-soul, and pop in her work, though the 28-year-old artist has an eclectic taste and isn’t one to box herself into a category. And true to form, the production across 14 tracks—or 20 in the album’s deluxe edition—makes use of warm soul samples, funky grooves, and hypnotic, woozy beats.
Jenevieve is a proficient, emotionally flexible vocalist, but you won’t hear her revel in excess—whether she’s flirtatiously cooing over jazz brass flourishes on “Flight Risk,” floating in the dreamy production on “Haiku,” or singing in a detached staccato on “Beam Me Up.”
Soothing voice
We got a similar impression of her showmanship when we saw her live at her recent Manila show.
With the lights dimmed, Jenevieve appeared mostly in silhouette, gliding across the stage—sometimes playing with her hair and moving in little shuffles—as she had the crowd bobbing their heads to some of her biggest hits such as “Baby Powder,” “Medallion,” and “Resume.” Every so often, she lost herself in the music, swaying to the rhythm that hinted at her dance background. (Both her mother and grandmother were ballet dancers.)
We caught up with her shortly after. Calm and composed, her speaking voice was as soothing as her music and, quite surprisingly, lower than when she sings; at times, it almost trailed into a whisper. You wouldn’t have guessed she had just headlined a concert minutes earlier.
Here’s what she shared in our brief chat backstage:
How was the tour?
It’s just nice to see the people in different cities. We don’t really have a lot of time to hang out, but maybe go to the malls and stuff like that, and eat good food.
You performed at a music festival here last year. What do you remember most about your past visit, and how does it feel to finally headline a show here?
Yeah, it’s awesome. It’s great to be back, and I love the vibes here. Everybody’s so lit here.
How’s your relationship with the Filipino fans?
I feel like it has grown a lot. There’s so much love there, and also, I understand some of the words you guys say. (Fans taught her Filipino phrases like, “Ang angas mo” and “Akin ka na lang.” )
Your song “Baby Powder” really took off during the pandemic—when we were all in isolation. Now you get to share it in person.
It’s awesome because I didn’t think that I would do that during COVID—I mean, it’s not awesome COVID happened!—but it’s awesome that people connected to it and found something new to vibe to at the time, you know?
“Crysalis” is a cohesive collection, which feels refreshing now that dropping singles is the norm. Was that your intention—to make an album people can sit down and listen to?
I know there’s a lot going on in the world, and there’s a lot of stuff going on for me. So I just felt like it was a good time to release something that meant a lot to me, and to see the fans enjoy it means a lot.
Can you tell us a bit more about working with Jihyo of Twice on “Hvnly”? How did that collaboration happen?
She apparently was a fan already, and she would post my music along with her pictures on Instagram. Then we got connected by our manager. She cut her part, and we shot the video immediately. I love Jihyo. She’s really sweet, so I’m honored to do a song with her.
Have you always been a K-pop fan?
Oh yeah—Shinee, BigBang, and 2NE1. Those are my top three, for sure.
I know that you have a background in dance. Does that kind of inform how you move on stage? Because I see you doing little dances there.
It definitely influences me. Having a background in Cuban music and the music we listen to, I feel like we just love to move and dance. So I want to make songs that make people move and dance.
Have you ever considered doing proper choreography on stage?
Oh yeah, for sure. Eventually. But I need to bring up my budget for that!
Lastly, what’s your message for your Filipino fans? What can they expect?
Definitely new music in the summer. As soon as I get back, I’m going to work on my album. And I love you guys. Thanks for having me back.
