Lyric soprano and songwriter JAE.CI (Jae Carelli) has released their debut 7 track album American Doll, a deeply personal and genre-defying project that navigates the complexities of transracial and international adoption through voice, vulnerability, and powerful musical storytelling available on all streaming platforms. 

In this interview spotlight, I chat with JAE.CI about the new album, music memories, dream collabs, and more.

Full Q&A along with links and music below.

Let’s get this hot topic out of the way from the start. What are your feelings on AI as a creative tool? Have you experimented with it? Or released any projects where it was used?

I have not used AI creatively, because of the environmental impact. I think it can be utilized in some ways to inspire and get the creative gears going, or make the workflow faster, however, it is not something that is on my radar at the moment. With any technological advancement it should be utilized as a tool, with ethical considerations.

What is your earliest music memory? Or a moment that sticks out for motivating you to write, record, and release music?

I remember hating music when I was young, until I heard symphonic music and knew I needed to do music for the rest of my life. I studied classical music and then, I heard Mitski’s music when I was sitting in my kitchen and eating breakfast one summer and realized I could utilize my classical background to create new music with the lyrical and musical complexity I was craving, like she did. 

What’s up with this latest release? Any cool back-stories, bloopers, or notable inspirations?

My album’s concept is based around my experience as a Korean adoptee and my journey with the 7 core issues of adoption: rejection/abandonment, trust/intimacy, control/mastery, shame/guilt, loss/grief, loyalty/family, identity/belonging. I also wrote and programmed a two act solo show pairing the 7 songs from the album with 7 new classical works by modern composers, with narrative storytelling, which had a sold out premiere in NYC, and also a Boston premiere as well.  My music for this project is directly related to the source of my first and traumatic life experience. I have had a lot to process, especially when the PBS Frontline Documentary came out last September as I was preparing the production process for the album and show. My experience is not just personal, it’s part of a greater political influence that shaped the lives of me, my 4 younger siblings, and hundreds of thousands of other people who were internationally adopted. I (as well as many other brave voices) are reclaiming the narrative around adoption, because adoptees are victims who are silenced and gaslit into being grateful. 

What keeps you going, especially on the “bad” days?

Teaching voice- nothing brings me more joy than helping my clients sing their truth and joy authentically. When one of my clients has a breakthrough, I am so grateful to be on such a journey with them. 

If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why?

I get to collaborate with so many of the people I have looked up to and I am grateful to call them friends. But if I had to choose someone else, it would probably be Vagabon- what an artistic force. 

I know it’s hard…but favorite song (or artist) of all time? Or Top 3 if you can’t choose one…?

I Don’t Smoke by Mitski

Door by Caroline Polacheck

1984 by Anais Mitchell 

Where’s the best place to connect with you?

IG and my website! @jae.ci or jae-ci.com

I appreciate your time. Any last thoughts before signing off?

My mission is to empower people to reclaim their voices, break the silence, and sing their truth- I hope my music inspires others to do the same and my work as a voice pedagogue applies that directly in a technical and artistic approach. Thanks so much for your time and letting me share my story with you!