Jolianne Is All Grown Up With The Release of ‘Plain Girl’: “This is my ‘for the plot’ era.”

Not every debut EP takes four years to complete, but then again, Jolianne isn’t just any artist.

At the age of just 21 years young, the rising R&B-pop star has just unveiled Plain Girl, a deeply personal and sonically rich collection of songs that encapsulate the defining moments of her teenage years. Capturing various scenarios of her life between the ages of 16 and 20, the record serves as a musical journal of self-discovery, heartbreak, and the exhilarating messiness of growing up.

With a sound she affectionately dubs “Disney R&B,” Plain Girl blends dreamy nostalgia with Jolianne’s soulful vocals, crafting an immersive experience that resonates far beyond its personal origins. The EP is more than just a showcase of Jolianne’s artistry — it’s a statement of her ever-evolving identity acting as a coming-of-age soundtrack for anyone navigating life’s uncertainties at their own pace.

On the six tracks from the record, each song captures a pivotal chapter in Jolianne’s life. It’s a testament to her evolution over time, both on the personal and artistic front, as she reflects on the emotions and experiences that have shaped her journey. Every track serves as a story of its own, as a specific vignette or moment in time captured in melody and lyrics, that give listeners a glimpse into her formative years.

In this exclusive interview with Billboard Philippines, Jolianne opens up about the origins of the newly released record, delving deep into her creative process, songwriting approach, and personal growth over the years it took to release Plain Girl exactly as this sonic journal that encapsulates the saccharine moments of growing up.

Billboard Philippines: So Jolianne, how are you feeling now that the EP is out?

Jolianne: Oh man, it feels like a whole weight that came off my shoulders just because this is a project that’s been in the works for so long. It’s a four-year-long wait for me, so it’s just a lot of pressure out the door. Like I can breathe again. Yeah.

Well, I’m glad that it’s like a weight was lifted off your chest. Because, this EP spans a very significant period of your life, from the ages of 16 to 20, if I’m correct. So what was the writing process like during all these years of growing up? And how did your perspective on the themes of love, identity, and even independence evolve over that time?

Well, we actually planned to release this project in 2021 initially, and it came with a completely different set of songs. But there were just a bunch of delays and it ended up coming out now. And I feel like it’s the perfect time because it’s like the culmination of my coming of age as well as Jolianne. 

So in those four years, well, a lot’s happened. For one, I moved to a new city. I started living independently. I started pursuing music as a career. I graduated high school. That’s what I wanted to document. So these are stories of a plain girl stepping out of her bubble for the first time and experiencing and making her first encounters with life and love, and I’m the plain girl in question!

I wouldn’t say you’re plain or anything. Especially with how colorful you were able to channel a lot of the more vulnerable parts of yourself onto this record. So I think plain is definitely an understatement here. 

Awww, thank you.

As you mentioned, it was delayed since 2021, and you mentioned that there were a different set of songs for that too. 

Every year was a different set of songs. I think the only one that lasted from the first set was the last song “Are You Happy Now?” But everything else kinda got scrapped. *laughs*

So what made you decide like what made the cut and then what didn’t?

For me, it was just about what was truest at that moment. Like if I released this in 2021, with the set of songs that were there in the first place, it would make sense to put it out. But it wouldn’t now because that’s not who I am anymore. So it was more of just what aligned with that version of me at that moment.

Oh, I love that. So this is really like a testament to your growth.

But yeah, growing up in Cebu, I kind of lived in a very sheltered environment. All I ever really did was study. So I never got to explore anything else beyond academics. And it was when I moved here that I discovered I had free will. I just learned it myself.

I remember reading up one of the press releases for this record, and it said that you experienced a lot of “effing around and finding out” — as you described it. How did that process influence your music, and how you were able to channel your creativity through this process?

Well, I feel like for the first time, I allowed myself to make mistakes. I gave myself the permission to fail and to fail hard. And I feel like there’s no better time to do that than when I’m young. So this is my ‘for the plot’ era. *laughs* And it’s made my writing so much more colorful because it’s expanded my worldview. And I think that’s the job of an artist. I think it’s important that you experience the world as it is. And the artist’s job is to show people your perspective of the world.

I love how you put it. And, you know, what’s so nice about this is the fact that I’m not a teenage girl. But when I listen to this EP, it kind of transports me into your footsteps. 

But since you mentioned how a lot of this came from moving to a new city and beginning your journey as an artist who’s coming of age, how did all of those things impact the way that you wrote and approached this record?

I think that making the move to a new city made me realize that I could actually make a career out of music. Because up until that point, I’d been making music just for my own enjoyment. But then when I came here and made that big decision, it made everything so much more serious. So I was like, this is my career now. And it isn’t just for myself anymore, making music. It’s a means of living for me and about balancing both the artistic side and the practical side of things.

Oh, that’s so true. And what were you able to learn about that? You know, that balance of balancing the artist and the practical side of your career. 

Well, I’d always been very selfish as an artist because when I created art back then, it was always, like oh, this is for me. And it was an ego thing. I was like, “This is art” to whatever I’d put out. But when I decided I wanted to make a career out of it, I had to think of all the other things. I had to think about it from a business perspective because this is how I’m making my living. So I think a balance can be found. 

I also don’t want to be a sellout. *laughs* But I’m living somewhere in the middle, and that’s something that you really do learn along the way.

Was there a big adjustment process to that?

I don’t think it was too much of an adjustment process just because my music has always been in that realm that’s in the middle of commercial —  but also kind of niche. It’s somewhere in the middle. I don’t know how, but it kind of just lined up for me. 

On the project, you talked about growing up and the uncertainty of stepping into a larger yet more complicated world. What was the most surprising part of that journey for you? 

Okay, well, I grew up in a very conservative space. I grew up with very strict parents, and I went to an all-girls private Catholic school. That was really all I’d ever known up until that point. But stepping into this new city was the most surprising thing. I was thinking about it now and I think for me the most surprising thing was finding family amongst my fellow Bisaya creatives. 

A lot of my support system I’d say maybe like 80% of my support system they’re all Bisaya. And I noticed that the Bisaya community amongst the creatives is super close-knit and we’re genuinely there to uplift each other because we all know the hustle and the grind that it takes to come out here and make this whole thing work for ourselves so yeah we stand by each other and I think that was surprising for me.

I love that. If you don’t mind me asking, like, who are these people that you were able to find a community with on the scene?

Well, it’s not just the artists themselves, even my team, like half of them are Bisaya. Amongst the artists, I have a lot of really good friends who are Bisaya. I have Dom Guyot, who I’ve known since I was a kid. And there’s also Janine Berdin, who is also from Cebu, JK [Juan Karlos], Mrld, and also someone i’ve collaborated with recently Arthur Nery, as he’s also Bisaya. So we kind of stick by each other, and it feels like a home away from home whenever we’re together.

Speaking of, you know, people you’ve worked with, can you describe, you know, the process of working with, you know, such a diverse group of producers such as RJ Pineda, Jonah Brew, and J Greg for this record? 

Yeah, well, they all have their own processes and I’m very heavily involved in production as well because I like to get my nose in every area of the creation process. So it’s hard to generalize the whole process thing because they all work so differently.

But because they’re all artists that I do respect, it was really nice to see how they work in real-time and get my inspiration from that. Yeah.

I absolutely love that. But what were you able to learn from each of them? Like is there’s something that you’ve learned about the recording and production process along the way? 

I think something that I can say that’s similar with all of them is, well, they’re all very well-versed in music theory. RJ is like a chord god. So is J. Greg. But more than that, I have learned to be more open with my taste because of all the new ideas of what they can bring to the table. So that’s always what I look for whenever I work with producers or other creatives. 

And how would you describe your taste? 

My taste? Gosh, I don’t even know. I just draw inspiration from everywhere because I’m like a boiling pot of all of the sounds I grew up to. My dad, he was very much into folk and rock. And then my mom was more into pop divas. And then I grew up to One Direction and Ariana Grande. I’m kind of just a mixture of all of that and that’s what I aim to channel with my music.

Yeah, I think what’s interesting is, even sonically, the EP, you know, blends a lot of sounds altogether. I guess I could describe it as very R&B-infused pop, but then there’s still very much a sense of whimsical nostalgia to it.

Yes exactly, that is something I enjoy doing a lot. I like doing things like a hybrid of genres because it’s hard for me to pick just one thing one genre to stick by. Because I love everything! I just love music so much. So I like mixing things together for a lot of the songs, especially the first two [tracks], “Maybe I’m Yours” and “Plain Girl.” This is a completely made-up genre, but I call it Disney R&B. *laughs*

I love it. *laughs*

Yeah. It’s very whimsical, very dreamy. But I think because of the way I sing it, it still has its roots in R&B. I don’t know really, we just made that up.

Honestly, I love it. Since your voice is very soulful, it’s able to convey the lived-in nature of all of these tracks — even amplifying what your songwriting is trying to say. Especially because a lot of this EP balances a sense of nostalgia with a need for the very raw and real emotions that you were experiencing during like this coming-of-age period of yours. 

But speaking of a particular song on the EP, in “Let Me Down Easy,” you talk about a relationship that didn’t really take off, but it still left a very deep and emotional impact. So what inspired you to channel such a specific yet relatable feeling on that track alone?

So I was going through something with a guy. It wasn’t a relationship, but it also wasn’t a situationship. It was just a situation! *laughs* I guess it was like that impending sense of doom that you feel when a relationship when that sort of situation is about to end.

Yet I wasn’t asking this person to stay. It was more of me asking for compassion, kindness, and closure. I never want resentment towards the end of a relationship. I really just wanted things to end as clean as possible. So that’s what the song was about.

I think it speaks a lot about your ability how you find a balance between emotional depth in your lyrics and a way of making it feel as accessible and relatable to so many people.

Well, something I like to do with my writing is I like to make it universal, but I also like to add things that are very specific to my situation. So I really do believe that there’s universality to specificity. I like writing something that a lot of people can connect to, and something they can all find themselves in. But I also like to put in details that are very specific to my situation. It’s a very Taylor Swift songwriting style as well. That came out of nowhere, but for some reason, everyone resonates with it. 

For example, in Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso,” the lyric “I’m working late because I’m a singer” and half of the people who sing it aren’t even singers, but it just works. So that’s something I also like to do in my writing.

So now that you’ve shared your story with Plain Girl, how do you feel about how you’ve grown as an artist?

As an artist, I think I have a better sense of my sound now. Because for the past couple of years, I’ve really just been throwing paint to the wall. I didn’t have any direction. It was honestly aimless but I guess it was also part of my aforementioned ‘eff around and find out’ era because I needed to do all that experimentation to figure out what felt truest to me as an artist.

And now, I think I’ve found what it actually is. It’s really rooted in what I started, albeit just a little more elevated this time around. 

I think it’s just so admirable to see your growth. Not just as an artist, but also with who you are as Jolianne. Because this record is really about the coming-of-age experience, and I’m glad to hear that it meant that much to you.

Exactly. I think not only did I grow as an artist, but more than that, I really felt like I grew as a person. I feel like that comes hand in hand, and all of these songs are snapshots of where I was creatively and personally at that point in time.

I’m pretty sure that as you record more, whether it’s another EP or even a full-scale album, there’s a lot more room for you to evolve in the future. And one day, you’ll look at “Plain Girl” and be like, this is like a capstone of who I was in this particular period of time.

Yeah. Eleven with some of the songs on this project, I’d written them maybe like three years ago, and I don’t even relate to them anymore. So they’re just snapshots of myself at those specific points in time and I’m ever evolving both as an artist and as a person. And I could be something completely different the next day.

Given the big-time jump with some of these songs, when you look back on them, how do you view it? Like, what’s your reaction? Like, do you cringe a bit, or just laugh about it? Or is there a sense of affirmation where you’re like, “Oh, I have a lot more wisdom than I did back then.”

Yeah, I think it’s the last bit. I just feel so much more at peace with who I am now. There’s one song in particular, it’s actually my favorite, it’s called “Afterthought.” I listen to the lyrics now, and I’m like I would never do that anymore. I actually do mind being an afterthought. *laughs* So these days, it’s just it’s a reminder to me of how much I’ve grown.

Whenever I listen to that, I love that song. But man, I do mind being an afterthought! It’s like there’s a reflection all these years after, when I look back at what I wrote, and I realize, “Oh man, that was a rough time for me!”

Now that we’ve touched point on where you could go in the future, is there anything you’re eager to explore in terms of your future work that you weren’t able to dive into with this debut EP?

I love making pop. So I do want to lean into a more pop-oriented sound for my next projects. A lot of my demos are very pop-sounding. At one point, the Careless team, we were making a mixtape actually and it was a very global pop sound for me. At the time, it wasn’t my own sound but because I was working on it for so long, I grew fond of the sound and now it’s one of my favorite things to write.

So I would love to do that for a personal project. 

I think we’d love to see that. Just to see you branching out into new sounds and trying out new things. As it is, you’ve already established yourself as a rising star. 

But how has releasing this EP changed your perspective on the expectations that you’d like to set for yourself?

This was my first bigger life project, and I had to think of a storyline for it too. Whereas previously, I’d only been doing singles so that didn’t really matter too much. But I do find so much joy in putting out a whole cohesive piece, especially on this one.

So I would love to do more of that soon. The next project will probably be another EP, but I hope to do an album eventually when I’m ready.

And we’re looking forward to that already. Given the nature of this record, if you could give yourself advice to your younger self, who you were when you were writing all these songs, what would it be?

Oh, I would tell myself that it will all fall into place. I never imagined myself putting out an EP just because my songs had always been so haphazard. The way I write is so haphazard! I just throw paint around, so I’m just glad that things fell into place. 

Because when I first started working on this project, I didn’t start with a storyline. I was like, oh, this doesn’t need one. But the story found itself. And it really just fell into place. So I would go back in time and tell younger Jolie that it would.

I think what’s so admirable is that it ended up finding its own vibrant hue. Like going through this EP, it’s like I’m going through your journal. And you’re allowing the world to see all of this from your perspective and from your lens.

But for my final question, what would you want listeners to take away from your music, especially with all these tracks on Plain Girl?

I want people to feel like there isn’t any rush to life. That there is no set timeline that everybody has to follow, and you really just have to go at your own pace. Because I feel like for most of the project, I talked a lot about rushing into things. But you kind of just have to go at your own pace.

Listen to Jolianne’s debut extended play Plain Girl below: