Alison Stewart: This is All of It on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. The last time Jay Som released an album was in 2019. Pitchfork called it exploratory and playful, like a jam session among friends that just hit its stride. Then Melina Duterte, the artist who performs as Jay Som, took a break from the project and dove into working as a producer and engineer. Over the last six years, she's handled a bunch of projects, including the supergroup Boygenius, with whom she was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys. Rolling Stone has called her Indy's secret weapon.

Now, with the experience of those collaborations, Melina Duterte is back as with a new Jay Som album titled Belong, and they'll be at Warsaw tomorrow night. She and her band are here with me in studio right now to play some songs from it. Welcome back.

Melina Duterte: Yay. Thank you for having us.

Alison Stewart: Are you gonna kick us off with a song?

Melina Duterte: Yes, we are.

Alison Stewart: What are you gonna hear?

Melina Duterte: It's called Casino Stars.

Alison Stewart: We'll talk about it on the other side.

Melina Duterte: Thank you, Alison.

[MUSIC: Jay Som- Casino Stars]

Turn it up now, baby, put the car in park

I'll lift you up now, baby, kiss me in the dark

I'm winning big, start praying, won't you play the part?

Casino stars won't quit, I've gotta have it all

I'm on my hands and knees

I'm on my hands and knees

I'm begging, please

Just give me the keys

Just give me the keys

I lost my luck, last time I found it by us

Call it, when the stars are mine

We're gonna have it all, I'm winning big

Start praying, won't you play the part?

Casino stars won't quit, I've gotta have it all

I'm on my hands and knees

I'm on my hands and knees

It's all I need

Just let me leave

Just let me leave

I gotta have it

I've got a habit

I gotta have it

I've got a habit

I'm on my hands and knees

I'm on my hands and knees

I'm on my hands and knees

I'm on my hands and knees

I'm on my hands and knees

I'm better, please

Just give me the keys

Just let me leave

Alison Stewart: That was Casino Stars by Jay Som. So, Melina, would you introduce us to everybody in the band?

Melina Duterte: Yes, I can. Over here, we have Joao. He plays guitar. Then Aubrey, she plays bass. Carrie is on lead guitar, and Eric is on drums.

Alison Stewart: All right, we got everybody taken care of. This album, it's been six years since your last time you were here.

Melina Duterte: Yes, it's been a while.

Alison Stewart: That was a long time ago. When did this album start to take shape, Belong?

Melina Duterte: It took shape a couple years ago, but I would say it mostly took shape this year. The beginning of this year went to Philly. Worked a lot with Joao in LA as well. He was a co-producer on this record. It was finalized within the mixing process as well until we turned it in. Happened kind of fast this year.

Alison Stewart: You actually told Interview Magazine that there was a couple of failed attempts at this. What was going on in those attempts?

Melina Duterte: I think what was going on is I felt a little burnt out from touring. I was doing it for five years straight, and I think as an indie musician, it is pretty hard to tour, especially right now. I mean, even back then. I wanted to just see what it would feel like to be a musician without touring, and production and engineering and session work is a really awesome alternative to experience.

Alison Stewart: Over the last few years, you've gotten really serious about production and engineering, working on albums, like we said, with Boygenius. Was that a turn that you expected in your career, or did it just happen?

Melina Duterte: I didn't expect it, and it also felt like it happened. I was kind of working hard and teaching myself things, and annoying all of my friends.

Alison Stewart: Like, what?

Melina Duterte: Just engineer friends, just like, "Hey, how do you plug this into this? What do you do here?" I was on forums, and I was basically in YouTube University, just watching videos all day long.

Alison Stewart: What was something that you really wanted to learn how to do?

Melina Duterte: I really wanted to learn how to work on a console because I really wanted to learn how to walk into studios and patch things in without having to ask people. It was really inspiring to get into the studio with Boygenius because Catherine Marks was the main producer, and she's really cool and inspiring to watch.

Alison Stewart: How much has the success of being part of that Boygenius album changed the way that people approach you about engineering, about producing?

Melina Duterte: It's all been pretty positive. I did a lot of additional production on that and played bass. I think everything Boygenius-related, that universe is just really special. I think the way that Lucy, Julian, and Phoebe write songs is so personal and vulnerable, and people relate to that. To be a part of that is really cool. I have a lot of conversations with their fans that come to the shows.

Alison Stewart: That's interesting.

Melina Duterte: They come and say, "I saw you with Boygenius a couple years ago,' and they have been to our shows for the first time.

Alison Stewart: It's interesting because in an article you wrote that you need a hunger when you're in the studio.

Melina Duterte: I think I meant I feel hungry in the studio.

Alison Stewart: You actually feel hungry.

Melina Duterte: Literally.

Alison Stewart: I need a snack. [laughs]

Melina Duterte: No, literally, Alison. Sometimes people don't eat in the studio, and they get hangry. Sometimes, as a producer, you need to be like, "You need to eat."

Alison Stewart: I love that. What's your snack of choice?

Melina Duterte: My snack of choice?

[laughter]

Melina Duterte: I'm going to say I really love Hot Cheetos. I'm trying not to have that ever again, but it happens.

Alison Stewart: [laughs] My guest is Melina Duterte. We are talking about AKA Jay Som. That's how she performs with her band. We're hearing music from their latest album, Belong. By the way, we're playing in Warsaw tomorrow night. Am I saying your first name correctly?

Melina Duterte: It's Melina, but it's okay.

Alison Stewart: Melina.

Melina Duterte: Melina, yes.

Alison Stewart: Melina.

Melina Duterte: Yes.

Alison Stewart: I got it. Melina. Let's hear our next song. What are we gonna hear, Melina?

[laughter]

Melina Duterte: We're gonna play Appointments.

[Music: Appointments- Jay Som]

I heard that you're back, you changed your mind

Wanted to feel something you're not

Name on your tongue, you're coughing it up

Your back's on the sidewalk, thought you were done

Don't call

Don't run

Loose ends

Missed your appointment, your head on my lap

Change your phone background, smiling again

I wanted to see you, I wanted to cry

I wanted to let myself live in a lie

I don't have the reasons, I don't wanna try

I don't wanna try, I don't wanna try

Don't call

Don't run

Loose ends

I must've only went

Don't call

Don't run

Loose ends

I fell in love, it fits like a glove

Holding the grains, quicken the sun

I don't wanna cry, I don't wanna cry

I don't wanna cry, I don't wanna cry

Alison Stewart: That was Appointments by Jay Som. So that song is. It's about a relationship, right?

Melina Duterte: Yes.

Alison Stewart: What kind of relationship?

Melina Duterte: Usually, it is. I feel like, especially with this album, I've been writing a lot about platonic relationships more than romantic relationships. I think sometimes we have those friendships that border on, "What is this? What's going on? There's too much going on between us." There's tension, or this person's asking for too much. Maybe I'm asking for too much, and the lines get blurred for expectations and boundaries.

Alison Stewart: Were you working through something personally when you were writing this?

Melina Duterte: Probably like I usually am.

[laughter]

Alison Stewart: We'll have more with Jay Som after A quick break. This is All of It.

[music]

Alison Stewart: You're listening to All of It. Hey, pipe down. Is that you? Oh, it's you. Oh, hi. You're listening to All of It on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. Joining me in studio is Melina Duterte, AKA Jay Som, and her band. We're hearing some music from her latest album, Belong. They'll be playing at Warsaw tomorrow night. There are a number of collaborations on your new record, Belong. Did you go into this album knowing you were gonna collaborate?

Melina Duterte: I did, yes. I usually work by myself, and I wanted to try something else.

Alison Stewart: Why did you want to try something else?

Melina Duterte: Because I think working by yourself is really hard. I think you're stuck in this echo chamber of your own emotions and decisions, and working with people gets you out of that. It also offers new ideas and things you just could never get to. I don't know.

Alison Stewart: Did you learn anything that's really useful to you that you think, "Maybe I'll even use on my next solo album"?

Melina Duterte: Oh, you know what? Let's see. Maybe not overthinking certain things, like the tone of something, and just first take is best take. First or second take, I think, is always the best.

Alison Stewart: Oh, were you the kind of person who wanted to do it again and again and again?

Melina Duterte: Oh, yes, because you strive for perfection in the studio sometimes. You think that you're going to get your best take after the 10th one, but usually it's not the case.

Alison Stewart: Jim Adkins is on your record. What was the inspiration for getting Jimmy Eat World on the album?

Melina Duterte: I love Jimmy Eat World. Bleed American is one of my favorite records of all time, and my brother and I used to listen to that record all the time on our boombox CD, and I just thought it'd be so fun to have someone singing on this. I kept hearing his voice, and my lovely manager, Susan, made the connection, and Jim and I talked on the phone, and he just remotely recorded vocals.

Alison Stewart: He did it remotely?

Melina Duterte: Yes. In Arizona.

Alison Stewart: What was that like?

Melina Duterte: It was awesome. We just talked on the phone, and we were texting about gear, and he's a super, super nice guy.

Alison Stewart: Have you had a chance to meet him in person yet?

Melina Duterte: No, I would like to, but we're playing with Jimmy Eat World next year.

Alison Stewart: You will get to meet him?

Melina Duterte: Yes.

Alison Stewart: Around the middle of the album is Past Lives featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore.

Alison Stewart: I'm getting a sense that maybe you listened to punk rock, punk pop-

Melina Duterte: I love [crosstalk]

Alison Stewart: -when you were a kid. What did you like about it when you were a teenager?

Melina Duterte: I love how it makes me feel.

Alison Stewart: I think I love Hayley Williams. She's great.

Melina Duterte: Yes, she's great. I love Paramore. I mean, I love Blink-182, and I grew up with Green Day, and I think living in California was a big one in the Bay Area. 104.1. I think it was called the Hawk, or Maybe it was 97.3, but there was an alternative rock station that always played-

Alison Stewart: Always?

Melina Duterte: -pop rock.

Alison Stewart: You're growing into your 10th anniversary. I think it's going to be this year. It's going to be for--

Melina Duterte: Turn into.

Alison Stewart: Turn into. Do you pay attention to anniversaries?

Melina Duterte: When people tell me, yes.

Alison Stewart: I'm telling you. When it comes up on your anniversary, what do you think about? What do you think about that record when you look back on it 10 years later?

Melina Duterte: To be frank, I think, "Wow, I'm getting old," but also I think I'm really proud of myself and the younger version of myself for putting myself out there and putting music up online. I think it's very brave.

Alison Stewart: What do you hear in that record now, 10 years later?

Melina Duterte: I hear a girl that's just figuring herself out, and she's also having fun. A little too much fun. There's a certain freedom within her that I aspire to have again.

Alison Stewart: What do you mean? It's just that it's gotten too serious now?

Melina Duterte: I think maybe I'm a little too self-aware of music and the career aspect of it all. Before, 10 years ago, I was just doing music for fun and playing shows with people. It wasn't a job, it was just--

Alison Stewart: Fun.

Melina Duterte: It was a hobby. It was fun. Yes.

Alison Stewart: The album is, if you listen to it, I was listening to Walking to Work yesterday. It's pretty electronic, actually, compared to what we're hearing here, which is really lovely.

Melina Duterte: Thank you.

Alison Stewart: What did you enjoy about going a little more electronic on the album?

Melina Duterte: I love dance music. The first song on the album, Cards on the Table, was inspired by Frou Frou. That one Frou Frou record, AKA Imogen Heap, was really great. There's something about the percussive elements in that record that I think I was just listening to over and over again, and I just wanted to see what I could do with that song and throughout the album.

Alison Stewart: And tomorrow you're going to be playing at Warsaw. Can you give us a little preview of what the show might be like?

Melina Duterte: The show is gonna be awesome. It's going to be at Warsaw. We play--

Alison Stewart: That's all you need to know. Warsaw on the [crosstalk]

Melina Duterte: [crosstalk] is playing, and it's awesome. Everyone in New York should come.

Alison Stewart: The last song we're going to hear is called What You Need. It features a musician named Soft Glass. Can you tell me a little bit about Soft Glass?

Melina Duterte: Soft Glass is Joao, and he's right here, and I'm looking at him, and he's an amazing artist and friend, and I love him a lot. We made this song together, and he brought it to me. This song exists because of him.

Joao: I love you.

Alison Stewart: I don't know if you heard that, but he said, "I love you."

Melina Duterte: Oh, I love you.

Alison Stewart: This is Jay Som. Their new album is called Belong. This is What You Need.

[MUSIC: Jay Som- What You Need]

I'm better now

I'm writing the words you never said

Ignore me now

The same old stories, same regrets

And in that moment

I swear it could last forever

But I'm better now

You'll never hear these words again (ahh)

Lani, you have my patience

You can lay it all to rest

I'm in your kitchen

Washing your dishes

Thinking of the things I'll say to you

Back up what you want

And what you're telling me

Doesn't matter what you mean

You can take the last word

Back up what you want

And what you're telling me

Can't give you what you need

You can have the last word

You can have the last word

Take turns, in time

Throw you the rope, I'm fine

Can't win, pretend

I'm fine, I'm fine

Lani, you have my patience

You can lay it all to rest

I'm in your kitchen

Washing your dishes

Thinking of the things I'll say to you

I'll say to you

I'll say to you

I'll say to you

Back up what you want

And what you're telling me

Doesn't matter what you mean

You can take the last word

Back up what you want

And what you're telling me

Can't give you what you need

You can have the last word

Back up what you want

And what you're telling me

Doesn't matter what you mean

You can take the last word

Back up what you want

And what you're telling me

Can't give you what you need

You can have the last word

I swear it could last forever

You can have the last word

I swear it could last forever

You can have the last word

I swear it could last forever

You can have the last word

I swear it could last forever