Her first shows were open mics at the sports bar next to her mothers underwear shop in Maryland.
By 15, she was already touring as Snail Mail, hercritically acclaimed indie rock project.
Whenher debut LP,Lush, came out in 2018, it launched her into the stratosphere.
She was hailed as an indie prodigy, a guitar virtuoso,the Gen Z Liz Phair.
Writing a sophomore album, one that required introspection and careful thought, was simply not in the cards.
Its a weird thing trying to just have your career life not harm anything in your personal life.
Though it was created in a period of quiet contemplation, the record is by no means soft-spoken.
Listening to Snail Mail makes the prospect of picking up the pieces feel less lonely.
Theres something really heartbreaking and also beautiful about being in a human relationship.
You discover that relationships are super ugly and real love and loss is ugly, says Jordan.
Its always a process, she says.
One that ultimately allowed her to chronicle her missteps onValentine.
Below, Jordan muses on falling in love, dealing with fame, and her favorite unreleased song.
I need to be true to myself and what I want to do.
I had never heard of Pavement whenLushcame out.
I thought I was just writing original music.
Valentinemakes some fun new musical choices.
Were you nervous to debut a different sound?
I was so scared to put out Ben Franklin.
I was like: This is fire.
I love this song, cause its one of my favorite things I’ve ever written.
But I was like, are people gonna be mad that [my sound is] changing?
Being scared to put out something that youre proud of sucks.
There was apprehension where there shouldn’t be any.
I just attempt to stay as tuned out as possible, cause my brain is already so busy already.
Where you are at now in the realm of romance, a few years out fromLush?
What do those lyrics mean to you?
That lyric just really speaks to me.
All that stuff just gets you further away from actual intimacy.
I think that I was feeling it heavily on tour…
Your personal life becomes so precious.
Youve always written about love in various forms.
What about this sensation of longing, lovesickness, and adoration fascinates you?
Why do you keep coming back to those feelings?
Its the beauty of a crush that doesnt get returned.
Are you good at being in love?
Maybe now Im better at love but maybe not.
But no, its definitely not natural for me.
I live a life that is generally self-serving.
Thats something that I really learned, that taught me to be better at love.
Right around the end of high school, we had a lot of interest from labels and managers.
I guess having all that buzz definitely makes you put everything into perspective.
All the people around me were like, you could’t go to college right now because why would you?
That was pretty cool.
Who is your current musical idol?
I’m really loving PinkPantheress.
I don’t know about idols, I’m just gonna pick PinkPantheress because she’s sick.
What what the first CD you ever bought?
I think it was a CD ofSo Wrong, Its Rightby All Time Low.
Do you have a go-to karaoke song?
Maybe the ferocity [that] I love The 1975 [with] would surprise people.
I love that band.
I just think they’re good, theyre really good.
Theres just so much of it that I really really like.
I just love well made pop music and I think theyre sick.
Whats the weirdest thing youve ever written a song about?
Me and my friend wrote a song about getting cucked one time and its actually really good.
I dont know if it will ever come out.
There is something about just having a dude steal your girlfriend.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
