Who Is Olivia Jean?
Earlier this week, Third Man Records announced a very special guest for the remainder of Jack White's September concerts. Beginning Monday, Sept. 14, Olivia Jean will be added to the bill, opening seven shows for White.
So who is Olivia Jean?
This isn't the first time Jean and White have crossed paths -- not even close. After passing out some demos at a Dead Weather show, Jean's songs turned into a couple of tracks on the White-produced debut self-titled album from Nashville's all-girl garage goth outfit, the Black Belles, and she ended up co-writing all 11 tracks. Since then, she has been a regular fixture within the Third Man world.
Flip over some of your Third Man 7-inches and you might come across Jean's name in a variety of places. She performs on the Tom Brosseau and John C. Reilly Blue Room collaboration, featuring 'Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar' b/w 'Lonesome Yodel Blues #2,' as well as on the B-side of White's recent 'Lazaretto' single, 'Power of My Love.'
While those are just two examples in an ever-growing portfolio, they highlight Jean's innate ability to adapt in any musical situation.
Jean's involvement with Third Man session work might have stemmed from the Black Belles' record, but she's grown immensely since. "She was in Wanda Jackson's band, Karen Elson's band, she was in my band," White says about Jean's prolificacy. "She can play any instrument and that's a pretty rare thing ... there's not too many people we've had in our world that can do all that."
Expanding from her session work with various Third Man artists, Jean is preparing for the release of her debut solo record, 'Bathtub Love Killings,' which will be produced by White.
Set for release Oct. 14, Jean's new album will be cemented into the history of Third Man if for no other reason than its unique release party; dubbed 'The Devil's Night Record Release Show,' fans can obtain tickets to the Oct. 30 concert by donating a pint of blood at the label's headquarters in Nashville on Oct. 13. Not only will donors score a pair of passes, but they'll also get a colored vinyl of 'Bathtub Love Killings' a day before it hits store shelves.
It makes sense that the celebration of Jean's debut LP is focused on blood and the horror of Halloween; the name of the album, according to the singer-songwriter, is "based on a serial killer from the 1800s that killed three girls in the bathtub, and somehow I came up with 'Bathtub Love Killings.'"
For a brief peak behind-the-scenes of Jean's burgeoning career, check out the below video, courtesy of Third Man:
And as fans wait for the release of 'Bathtub Love Killings,' Jean has shared a few clips of what to expect from the record:
Jean has graced the stages of 'The Colbert Report,' 'Conan,' 'Late Show With David Letterman' and even the Grand Old Opry, and she had the honor of 'Elvira's Movie Macabre' using one of her songs as the show's theme. To stay up-to-date with all things Olivia Jean-related, visit her official website here.
Olivia Jean with Jack White -- 2014 Tour Dates
Sept. 14: Columbia, Md. -- Merriweather Post Pavilion
Sept. 15: Cleveland, Ohio -- Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
Sept. 17: Boston, Mass. -- The Bleacher Theater at Fenway Park
Sept. 20: Jacksonville, Fla. -- Moran Theater
Sept. 21: Miami, Fla. -- The Fillmore
Sept. 22: Miami, Fla. -- The Fillmore
Sept. 24: Columbia, S.C. -- Township Auditorium