PRIDE MONTH: Artist JB Somers On Growing Up In Church And Upcoming EP

This singer is truly top-notch!

Singer-Songwriter JB Somers is quickly becoming a name to know. And, get excited, because the Nashville-artist is gearing up to release his debut EP “They Say I’ve Changed” on June 15th!

We had the amazing honor of talking with JB about coming out, dream collaborations, and more!

What inspired your song Leave it Behind?

J: “As those in relationships know disagreements happen. Shocker! One day I was having a little tiff with my boyfriend over something silly we resolved things thankfully, but it got me thinking. Luckily the next day I had a write with Alex Angelo and Max Boyle where we dove into that idea. I don’t mind conflict, but sometimes old arguments get brought back up and I just wanna “Leave It Behind”. That’s the whole idea to let the past be the past and remember that you love this person!”

What is it like being a gay artist in the music industry?

J: “It’s awesome and scary. I’m thankful to not have to hide that part of myself anymore. I feel like now I can write about every aspect of my life and bring songs to people that are more honest than ever before. I will say sometimes I struggle with feeling like I’m not “gay enough” for the industry. No one has made me feel that way just my own insecurities. Overall I’m just thankful to have a space to be my full self and make music!”

What was it like coming out for you?

J: “Rather easy to be honest. Luckily I surround myself with people who are true friends and love me so the response to this “news” was mostly met with “I love yous” and “this changes nothing”. That kind of blew my mind and made me very grateful since that’s not always everyone’s story. That should be the norm though. Not the exception. As I continue on this journey of self-understanding I hope to assist others as they come out to friends and family especially if they are coming from a church background.” 

What was it like as a queer person growing up in church?

J: “This is a difficult question for me. I have no ill feelings towards the church or fellow Christian’s like some of my friends in the LGBTQ+ community. I really had a phenomenal experience and met some of the most important people in my life through my time working at a church and growing up in that environment. Do I believe that there is a lot of work to be done by Christian’s to become more loving and accepting of all peoples and groups such as the LGBTQ+ community? Absolutely! Was I afraid to come out and ultimately missed years of understanding the fullness of who I am? For sure. Ha. The church’s most important role is to Love God and Love people. Sometimes the second gets forgotten. I hope to be a bridge to both communities and be a catalyst for change so that we can end this unnecessary hate of one another.”

What inspired your upcoming EP?

J: “Well. A lot. These songs mean a ton to me as they’ve been the music that’s helped me process how I feel about coming out. The title of the ep was inspired by one of my FAVORITE singer-songwriters of all time Joni Mitchell. Her song Both Sides Now has a lyric in the last verse that says “ and now old friends are acting strange. They shake their heads they say I’ve changed” and I remember being struck by that line when I heard it. Not everyone who has known me for years will understand this step I’ve taken to be my most authentic self, and that’s ok. I wanted to call that out before they had a chance to say it themselves. A little gotcha moment if you will. I said what you were thinking haha.”

Do you have a mentor, if so, who is it?

J: “I’ve had some amazing people in my life who guided me to be the best version of myself, but the person that stands out the most is Jeremy Smith. He was my youth pastor back in the day and boss for many years. He’s much more than that though he’s basically my Brother. Him and his family have been there and continue to be there for me no matter what.”

Who is your biggest inspiration?

J: “It’s hard to pinpoint one specific person because I feel like I’m making music not just for myself to process but for anyone who needs a bit of hope or love in their life. If I have to pick I would definitely say my sister Somer. She passed in 2016 but not before she lived a BIG life. She was an artist, a singer, a dancer, a linguist, and one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever known. Because of her I was exposed to a ton of different genres of music and learned the importance of an open mind. She was and still is a major influence on who I am today. Love you Somer!”

If you could collab with one artist, who would it be?

J: “Just one?! How do I pick? Jk I would love to collab with Holly Humberstone or Maggie Rogers. Both of them are what I feel a modern day expression of Joni Mitchell. Plus they are both bad ass women in music paving a way with such beautiful artistry. Who wouldn’t wanna work with them?!”

Do you have a favorite song you’ve written? If so, which one?

J: “It fluctuates but to date I would say either There For Me or Feel It both on the upcoming ep.”

What is your songwriting process?

J: “Ah it varies, but mostly starts with a melody in my head and then I process the emotions coming from the melody with lyrics. After I get some lines down I figure out what I’m trying to say and then we usually have a song after that! Once I was working out in the gym doing some chest presses and I had been thinking on my sister that morning. As I’m doing some reps I start weeping as the lines to a song I’ve called “Gut Punch” start flowing into my mind. I immediately dart out of the gym and head home to draft a demo. That doesn’t normally happen haha but it was a really emotional heartfelt song.”

Solstice Raeanne–Music/Mental Health Editor– Solstice Raeanne is a mental health advocate. As someone who has seen the way mental health is treated in our society they’ve wanted to make a change, and a difference. If they aren’t working, you can find Solstice on the phone scrolling through pinterest, or writing new articles and conducting interviews.