A Dirty Dozen with JAYCEE CLARK from A LIGHT DIVIDED – September 2023

According to a recent press release: “A LIGHT DIVIDED released their latest single “RAIN” to all major platforms on August 11, 2023. The single was produced by Kile Odell (Nita Strauss, Motionless in White, Saul). In support of the single, the band will hit the road this August with Rise Among Rivals.
This track promises to showcase their evolution as musicians and further solidify their place in the music industry.” We get vocalist Jaycee Clark to discuss new music, influences, and more.

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

One of the most isolating parts of battling depression, is feeling like you have to pretend to be fine, when you’re not to avoid burdening the people in your life. So “RAIN” is about that moment when it all comes pouring out. Musically, the song kind of follows that same idea. We took sad lyrics and hid them inside an upbeat song to mimic the “fake it til you make it” message the song touches on.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

I’ve been into music as long as I can remember. I can even remember listing “the Grammys” as my favorite tv show in elementary school because I was so obsessed with awards shows and the music industry. So it’s always been a part of who I am. As someone who grew up shy and afraid to speak up, I felt music and performance were the only outlets I had where it felt safe to express myself.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Seeing Gwen Stefani on tv performing with No Doubt really changed a lot for me. She showed me not only could women be a force to be reckoned with in the rock world, but that you could be tough and a bad ass… but not have to sacrifice any of your femininity in order to be taken seriously.

4. Who would be your main five musical influences?

If I had to pick 5, I would pick in no particular order: No Doubt, A Day To Remember, Bring Me the Horizon, Garbage and Taylor Swift (which I know will probably get me a lot of hate).

5. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

I think the easy answer for me would be to say Jeremy McKinnon of A Day to Remember.  I grew up following their career as sort of my own personal roadmap for how to be unapologetically yourself through your music and I’d absolute die to sit in a room and pick his brain through the writing process.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

A Light Divided has a reputation for bouncing back and forth between the heavier and softer sides of rock. But the common thread is that we always keep it high energy and fun. So if you like heavy riffs and crazy production we do some of that, but then we also offer more straight forward  rock bangers… so we cater to every mood.  As far as comparisons I disagree with, We used to get a lot of “you remind me of Paramore” compliments, which is awesome because I love that band and Hayley Williams is a monster vocalist… but I think stylistically our bands aren’t very similar at all and they’re only making that comparison because I’m a female vocalist with colorful hair.

7. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

By far the best thing about being a musician are the connections you make with the people who resonate with your music. All of our songs come from very specific times in my life so it’s amazing to be able to heal my own wounds by helping others struggling through similar situations.

8. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

I’m loud and constantly in need of coffee, Scott is the first to crack a beer and bitch about the AC not being high enough, Adam is playing dad and trying to wrangle us all together, and Doug is the one pulling all the overnight drives.

9. When was the last time you were star struck and who was it?

Has to be when I met Lzzy Hale a few months ago. You honestly forget she’s a real person until she’s standing right in front of you. She has such a presence and she’s so beautiful and sweet. But yeah, every bit of imposter syndrome I had inside me came flooding out in that moment.

10. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

I’d love to flip houses or do interior design like I’m on one of those HGTV shows. I’m obsessed with transformation and bringing a sense of renewed energy into peoples lives.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”, even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I’ve definitely put up with a lot of disrespect and held myself back by trying to prioritize everyone else’s needs before my own. But to say I regret it would be wrong. I did the best I could with the knowledge I had at the time and I’m the person I am today because of all those lessons learned the hard way.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Homesick by ADTR because it is the BIBLE for all of us who grew up in bands hellbent on escaping our hometown and hoping to find success.

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Category: Interviews