J.Antonette Strips Down Her Single “Mean Well”

A lot goes into selecting an artist to interview or write a review of one of their songs. I rarely go by the numbers. People can manipulate them in a variety of ways. So instead, I simply try to know the artist and see what makes them or their song noteworthy. If I like an artist, sometimes I have to put them on ice to avoid being overly biased. Jessica Antonette is one of these artists, and after the acoustic release of “Mean Well”, I feel it’s the perfect time to take her off the ice and place her into the hot seat for a song review.

Straight up, I think most, new artist in Nashville are overproducing their music. The reason is twofold. First, upcoming songwriters simply try to find their sound, and I’m ok with that. I would rather they take time to do that than try to be a carbon copy of Taylor Swift. There is a big difference between being inspired by someone or reproducing what they have done. “Mean Well” is uniquely J.Antonette, and I’m all for it.

Secondly, new producers are trying to prove their chops. So they throw all the bells and whistles at a song in a “Look at me!” moment. At times, this will lead to the tone covering up the meat of the song. As a chef, it’s like steak. Chefs sometimes try to reinvent a good piece of meat, but being delicious on it’s own, a good steak doesn’t need much to accompany it. This version of “Mean Well” is a tasty treat and proof that no sauce is required.

To me, this version of “Mean Well” makes the most sense. This is someone doing personal soul searching and running through all the emotions. Let’s face it, a guy who can’t see his transgressions when he looks in a mirror is not going to acknowledge them when someone else spells it out. Getting to the heart of the matter requires as few distractions as possible, and I think this acoustic version of “Means Well” does just that.

J.Antonette has a remarkable voice, and thus far, the stories she sings have been deeper than many pop/country artists in Nashville. That said, she has me itching for a little more. Stories of pretty girls and bad boys are a dime a dozen. To reach a larger audience, she will need to do more. I do not doubt that J.Antonette is capable of rising to that challenge.