Jordan Duffy is a singer, songwriter, producer, and senior audio engineer whose music effortlessly blends indie, pop, Americana, and alternative influences. Hailing from Worcester, Massachusetts, she began her career writing songs about heartbreak, empowerment, and even quirky themes like zombie lovers and exploding toads. With a four-octave vocal range discovered during her opera studies in college, she has cultivated a dynamic sound that is both powerful and deeply personal. Beyond her music, Jordan made history as the first female audio engineer at Earwolf/Stitcher, collaborating with industry icons and lending her voice to various projects. Now, with her latest single Not Your Dream Girl, she channels the spirit of classic ‘80s films into a synth-pop anthem that turns the traditional love story on its head. In this interview, Jordan shares insights into her creative journey, musical influences, and what’s next in her ever-evolving career.
HELLO JORDAN DUFFY, WELCOME TO BLACKBIRDNEWS! WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND “NOT YOUR DREAM GIRL,” AND HOW DID THE CONCEPT FOR THE MUSIC VIDEO COME ABOUT?
The inspiration behind “Not Your Dream Girl” was a mixture of John Hughes movies and my own personal experience. It’s always heartbreaking when you realize your crush will never like you back, so while pondering in that sadness and watching “Sixteen Candles” I had inspiration to write a song about “what if this movie didn’t have a happy ending? How would that sound?” and there “Not Your Dream Girl” was born.
The Painfully Creative Team actually had the idea of an alien taking over the crushes body and “winning” me over. I loved the idea so much, keeping it in that ‘80s lighthearted feel was the perfect combination for the video!
YOU’VE DESCRIBED YOUR SOUND AS SPANNING MULTIPLE GENRES. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR UNIQUE MUSICAL STYLE, AND WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST MUSICAL INFLUENCES?
I would describe myself as an indie-pop artist, but I have different styles of songs on my album that truly fit and flow together. From a rock song, to synth ‘80s songs, a pop-punk song, a folk blues song. These are all me and beautifully flow together even in their unique flair.
My biggest musical influences are Yola, Ida Maria, Lake Street Dive, Alabama Shakes (Brittany Howard), The Chicks, Billy Joel, and more.
YOUR MUSIC CAREER STARTED WITH SONGS ABOUT HEARTBREAK AND FEMALE EMPOWERMENT. HOW HAVE YOUR SONGWRITING THEMES EVOLVED OVER TIME?
My songs are still very much about heartbreak and standing up for one’s self. With time comes wisdom and with wisdom comes new perspectives. My earlier songs were filled with much more anger and misunderstand and as I’ve gotten older and with therapy, my songs (yes still evolving around heartbreak and let down), are written from a mature woman’s perspective and no longer from a young naive girl.
YOU’VE HAD SOME UNIQUE EXPERIENCES, LIKE SINGING TO WEIRD AL YANKOVIC AND BEING THE FIRST FEMALE AUDIO ENGINEER AT EARWOLF/STITCHER PODCASTS. HOW HAVE THESE EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOUR CAREER?
Having that role and those amazing experiences with the Earwolf/Stitcher network completely changed my life. Being the 1st at something is extremely overwhelming and I had loads of imposter syndrome, but without this opportunity I would not have been able to meet other amazing musicians as well as talk to other women around the world who also strived to be audio engineers. Fun fact, without this position, I would have never met my amazing producer Party Nails.
WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND YOUR 4-OCTAVE VOCAL RANGE? HOW DID YOU DISCOVER IT, AND HOW HAS IT INFLUENCED YOUR SINGING STYLE?
I didn’t find out about my range until I was in college. A vocal teacher let me know and even then I didn’t realize how unique that was. It definitely has influenced my style of singing. I studied Opera in college, I mostly wrote folk songs, but having this range has allowed me to bounce around different genres to keep things creative and see what I can do with my voice.
WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE TO CONVEY TO YOUR LISTENERS THROUGH YOUR MUSIC?
I want my listeners to know that you are allowed to be sad, angry, let down, but know that you are a rockstar and everything will be okay. Keep being weird, being a dork, dancing alone in your room to your favorite songs (that’s what I do, haha). Don’t let little things embarrass you. Always stand up for yourself! And go out there and do what your heart desires.
WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE MUSICAL PROJECTS AND ASPIRATIONS?
I am in conversation about my next music video and the current theme is D&D, and I might be slaying a wizard or dragon?? We will see! I also hope to make a music comedy album one day, as well as a blues folk album in the future – my voice loves this genre and it takes me back to my acoustic open-mic days.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOUR FANS AND BLACKBIRD NEWS READERS?
Thank you all for your support and love! My album “Nights Like These” will be out on March 25th and I am so excited for you all to hear it. It has been 2 years in the making and I am so proud of it!
You can connect with Jordan Duffy through website www.jordanduffymusic.com and Instagram @jordankduffy
