Jenn T. Champion talks Carissa’s Wierd, S, and making 'Cool Choices'

? Jenn T. Champion, formerly of the sadcore/indie-rock group Carissa’s Wierd sic. has been making music under the name S for well over a decade. But for her new record, Cool Choices, which she began writing in the midst of a breakup, she decided to make it a full-band rodeo, with the help of longtime friends Zach McNulty (drums), Betsy Olson (bass), and Carrie Murphy (guitar). The result is her most pop-sounding record yet — even though it may be her saddest offering to date.
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? Champion, who was formerly known as Jenn Ghetto (she explains her reasons for the name change here), took some time to speak to us from the road before the group's show tonight (Wed, Oct. 21) at the Drunken Unicorn.
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? Before this record, S was just you. You’ve said that you went for a full band approach on Cool Choices, in part, to create a more pop-oriented sound. However, when most people conceptualize this sort of emotionally vulnerable record, they imagine a singer-songwriter figure. Did this contrast strike you when making the record?
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? It’s hard to say. I don’t think it was so much on my mind at the time as, that’s just how it came out. Like, I think if I had the band on the record before this one, it’d be similarly poppy, y’know? I’m not surprised by how it resulted.
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? ??? Will you continue with a full band on your next record, if you’re even thinking about that yet?
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? Yeah, most likely. Multiple instruments, anyway.
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? Were you occupying a similar cognitive, emotional space for this record as you were with Carissa’s Wierd?
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? Hmmm… no, I was definitely in a different space back then. A very, very dark place. Like, we were all dealing with a lot of bullshit back then. If anything, I think I’m better able to express it all now — well, actually, maybe not. I don’t know.
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? Yeah, those Carissa’s Wierd records are just so emotionally harrowing, and both bands are similar in that regard. You were younger back then, so naturally you were in a different space, but you’ve said that you are unable to write ‘happy’ songs in general ...
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? Yeah, actually we were all talking about this today — I can only write sad songs. Like, I’ll be writing a song about a carnival or a parade or whatever, and it’ll just be really sad. We cover a lot of pop songs live — this tour we’ve been doing “Tik Tok” by Ke$ha — and they always turn out really melancholic.
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? You recently changed your name from Jenn Ghetto to Jenn T. Champion. How long have you been thinking about doing that?
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? I guess it’s been on my mind over the last year, mostly. Having ‘Ghetto’ in the name just doesn’t sound good, y’know? The community I’m involved with has been really helpful and informative to me in that regard, and the whole process has been great; everyone is just so supportive. You know, there are a few people online who say ‘It’s just a word’ or whatever, but that’s mostly it in terms of backlash.
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? You’ve also commented on the ‘unGoogleable’ nature of S. If you had the opportunity now, would you have named it differently?
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? In the beginning it was cool to be able to hide behind such a moniker, but now, it’s like, I want people to be able to Google me! Would more people be coming out to my shows if my name wasn’t just ‘S’? I’ve definitely been considering changing the name for that reason.
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? In general, who and what would you say are the major influences on your music?
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? Honestly, I’m just influenced by people making music in general. When people get on stage and do their thing, that’s just incredibly moving to me.
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? Radiator Hospital, S, the Hotels, and Femignome play the Drunken Unicorn tonight (Wed, Oct. 21). $8. 9 p.m. 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE. www.thedrunkenunicorn.net.
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