Interview: Jaida Dreyer Discusses Her Upcoming Debut Album, Songwriting Process, What’s Next and More!

Jaida Dreyer has the kind of voice that makes you stop what you’re doing and listen. Recently, I had the chance to chat with this talented country singer/songwriter, and she is just as compelling when she isn’t singing! Her latest single, “Half Broke Horses,” is a powerful and personal tune that hits radio this month, and will no doubt have country fans wanting to get to know Dreyer better. Check out the interview below, and be sure to keep your eyes and ears open for this gal on the rise!

You’re a songwriter as well as a singer. Tell us a little bit about your writing process.

I’ve always had quite the imagination. I used to write elaborate stories in elementary school. As things got more interesting, and I had my ups and downs my stories became poems and then my poems became songs…Before I moved to Nashville, I’d never done any co-writing, and I quickly learned that Nashville is a very co-writing oriented town, and I learned that that’s a good thing. Someone might look at your idea a little differently than you did. I try to make time to write by myself most days, took work out my brain. You know its a muscle, and I never want to lose the ability to write a song on my own.

Do you typically pull from personal experience? Where else do you find inspiration?

On this first record, especially that song, I drew a lot from my life. It makes it a lot easier sing…maybe not easier to write about, though (laughs)…I also get my inspiration from a lot of other different places, catch phrases, headlines, other people’s lives…I was very very proud of this song ["Half Broke Horses"], but I was afraid to play it for my Mom. She’s my biggest fan, but she’s also my biggest critic. That was our life I was writing about. When you put those things out there for people to know…things that are so personal…it makes it a little weird. I think, can I say that? But I’ve learned that other people have gone through those same things and its cool to see how people relate to it.

Your upcoming album has a bold title [I Am Jaida Dreyer]. So, what can we expect the project as a whole?

You know I wanted to make a record that sounded nostalgic but also modern. I wrote or co-wrote everything on it, and I feel like its a good representation of who I am and where I am in my life. It’s a labor of love. A lot of blood sweat and tears went to this baby. Literally! [laughs]

Are there any particular artists that you grew up listening to that inspire you?

Kris Kristofferson, Steve Earl, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton – listening wise. Then when I moved to Nashville some really cool artists embraced me and kind of took me under their wing like Carolyn Don Johnson and John Rich.

Any big goals for 2013?

Hopefully the song will get some legs under it and people will be able hear it. Working on the video for the single next week. Its my first real, real video. I’m really excited.

If there was one thing that you wanted people to know about Jaida, what would it be?

Gosh, that I’m an open book!

For fun, if we were going to name a drink after you, what would the recipe be like?

It would have to have Titos vodka. Take a bottle of water, a crystal lite pack and put the vodka over ice and pour the crystal lite over that.

Jaida’s debut album drops on February 26th, and will feature 10 original tracks either written or co-written by Dreyer. In the meantime, you can keep up with her via Twitter: @JaidaDreyer!