JILLIAN DAWN

Tuesday February 14, 2023

New Faces Night @ The Basement in Nashville, TN

(Review by: Jeffrey Kurtis)

There are music pockets spread all across the city of Nashville that boast flashy chic designs, cutting edge culinary menus, and a self-created ambiance that can best be described as hip while carrying a modern, new aged flare.

But then there are those true music spaces that slide away from all those kitschy aspects to lean heavy on the simplicity of their vibe, a renowned history that they have within the city limits, and the consistently great music that they welcome to their stage.

Places like The Basement!

The South Nashville spot to be since it opened its doors in the mid 1970’s litters its walls (and part of their ceiling) with show posters and stickers that read like a history lesson of the past heroes who’ve graced their stage, while maintaining its aura with a continued combination of established acts from all genres of music smashing into a healthy smattering of the best of the best emerging talent; confidently making them one of Nashville’s most solid venues for discovering your next favorite artist.

And there’s no better night for doing that than on a Tuesday when they host their weekly indie music event, New Faces Night!

As per the norm, this night offered a little bit of something for everyone with a lineup that featured the Americana branded Liv Lombardi, the power pop punk rock infused Mozart Gabriel, the grungy alternative rock sound of Hidden Sixes, and more.

But the spotlight of the lineup was pop infused songstress Jillian Dawn.

The 23-year-old, Boston native who has called Nashville home for the past year and a half has found her most recent success with her latest single, “Watered Down,” and as this song has been hailed a pop-anthem, Jillian has also proven that her overall vibe can’t really be placed inside of any one genre box.

She perfectly tiptoes the lines, blurring them with ease to create a unique style that keeps focus on her crisp songwriting and stellar vocals, presenting a catalog of songs that can make you pop your hips while then expertly shifting gears to tug heartstrings with emotionally driven ballads that pull you through a hushed tone in her vocals that commands you listen intently to every word.

Armed with an acoustic guitar, her endearing voice, and a cup of hot tea to sip on between songs, Jillian took the stage in the second position of eight acts, immediately feeding the enthusiasm of the packed house as she opened with “I’m Not Seeing Anybody,” enticing the audience with the soft, albeit catchy melody, of the pop laden singer-songwriter style that had the crowd slow dance swaying their hips in time with the rhythm as she laced the lyrics with a sultry vibe in her vocals before leading a sing along with the crowd through the bridge and into the final chorus.

“This is a new one,” excitedly told Jillian. “But I figured I’d play on the night of love,” she said with a slight grin as she stuck to the softer tilt of her singer-songwriter vibe on “Crash,” allowing the built in hush of her voice to the surround the lyric that sung of the butterfly feeling you get when falling, while she expertly further drove her signature feels as she moved her vocal range into its peaks, but then also momentarily added a new dynamic when she hit her lower register in the final chorus. 

“This next one has an awkward story to it, but not a true story for me,” she cleared up before asking, “Has anybody ever been the other person in a relationship? Because that’s what this song is about…how it can suck being that other person!” she sympathized as she played “Boston,” a song lifted from her 2021 EP how simple this all started, which perfectly allowed room in its instrumentation for her voice to capture the emotional drive of the lyrics as she layered them over a float on the breeze melody that took us on a lost love, heartbreak tour of her hometown.

“I was part of a show through the Song Suffragettes called She Believed She Could, and this last song is the one that I get to play in that,” she stated as she put an exclamation point on her debut performance at The Basement by solidifying her vibey style, striking the right chords with the receptive audience who let out a rousing cheer for her when the final notes were played.

FULL SET LIST

1) I’m Not Seeing Anybody

2) Crash

3) Boston

4) For The Night

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