“I got it on Craigslist from this avid Strat collector who needed new teeth. He was so sad to see it go. I think of him every time I pick it up”: Indie-rock’s secret weapon Jay Som on a guitar with history, boygenius – and the time Paramore had her back

You might not be familiar with Melina Duterte, better known as Jay Som, but you’ll almost certainly know her work. She collaborated with El Kemper – Palehound – on Doomin’ Sun under the Bachelor banner, and with boygenius during their 2023 The Record cycle of studio and live duties.

“Those years with boygenius are just some of my favorite ever,” she enthuses. “I was mostly playing bass and doing some additional production work [at Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La studios in Malibu,CA]. There was the main studio A, and then there was the Bob Dylan tour bus which was converted into a studio that was Studio B. You could see the Pacific Ocean right there.”

More recently, Duterte has welcomed Aussie songwriter Hatchie into her own LA-based studio. Now, Duterte is back with Belong, her first album as Jay Som since 2019.

We checked-in with the multi-instrumentalist and all-round indie-rock lynchpin, to discuss making her home into a studio, a ’70s Strat with a unique history and how she came to work with personal heroes Hayley Williams and Jim Adkins...

You played trumpet for nine years while studying music theory. When did guitar become part of the picture?

“It was my eighth birthday when my parents gifted me a nylon guitar. I started trumpet at 10 and it took over my life for a while – all my music teachers were trumpet players!

“I applied that to guitar, which was more hobby-based and a means for songwriting. I learned how to play by printing [online] tabs. I didn’t – and still don’t – know how to read guitar music on guitar.

“Back when MTV and VH1 were on all the time, I was obsessed with watching videos. Karen O and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs had just come out with Maps. It was on repeat all the time. I remember thinking, ‘I want to be a rock star!’”

In 2015 you drunkenly uploaded some tracks to Bandcamp. Within months, Turn Into was released by Topshelf; one reissuelater, you signed to Polyvinyl and toured with Mitski and Japanese Breakfast. What feels most surreal about that chapter?

“Definitely the touring. I was like, ‘Let me see what happens.’ I wouldn’t do that now, but it made sense when I was 22. The shows were $10 or something absurd, in 200-300 capacity rooms. I remember thinking, ‘This is so important!’ It’s one of my favorite tours.”

You usually record and produce in your home studio. Where did Belong start to take shape?

“My roommate moved out, and I took her spot as my control room. I use a snake to connect preamps and mics, and the living room is the live room. I’ve recorded a ton of bands there – Hatchie and Sour Widows were just with me.”

Jay Som - Float [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO] - YouTube

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How did the process go for your new songs?

“There were some hard moments where I struggled with writer’s block and it didn’t feel good to make music. I tried to make music on tour but I got distracted. So when I had time during that year, I was meeting producers – and that propelled me to finish the album. That’s why it took six years.”

What was some of your go-to gear?

“I still use my Keely Loomer for when someone’s like, ‘Hey, can you do your little shoegaze thing?’ You don’t need a Jaguar or a whammy bar; it’s just that pedal.

“But a pivotal moment was getting the the Line 6 Helix multi-effects pedal. It has distortion, fuzz, chorus, and synth models. I’d go straight into that, DI into my computer and record, because I couldn’t achieve the same effect from amps and analog pedals.”

You’ve brought in other voices onto the album, including Jimmy Eat World’s Jim Adkins on Float. How did that happen?

“My brother and I bought Bleed American at Barnes and Noble. I got to tell Jim the story – we used to fight over it so much that our boomboxes scratched the CD until it skipped!

“Float was one of the first songs I wrote for Belong, and I kept thinking, ‘I really want a guy to sing on this.’ My manager got his contact through Courtney Marie Andrews – that felt like destiny. Jim’s such a gearhead; we were always talking about preamps and mics.”

Jay Som supported with Paramore in 2018, and now Hayley Williams guests on Past Lives.

“I know I said the Mitski and Japanese Breakfast tour is my favorite, but Paramore’s After Laughter tour is my favorite too! The first couple of shows were hard because Paramore fans are so serious.

“Some people were making comments and Hayley tweeted the next day saying, ‘If I hear you being rude to Jay Som, you’ll be kicked out. We were once openers too!’ From then on the audience was so receptive.

Jay Som - Past Lives (feat. Hayley Williams) [OFFICIAL AUDIO] - YouTube

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“Hayley introduced me to her producer, Steph Marziano. She suggested we go to Nashville, book some dates at this free Spotify studio, and try to wrangle Hayley. I was scared to make it work!

“I rewrote the song and sent the demo to Hayley; she came in the next day and stayed for six hours, tracking vocals while she pouring us her green tea mix.”

There are some huge chorus riffs in Past Lives. What setup did you use to create that wall of sound?

“The main acoustic is a Guild concert series. I love how full-bodied it sounds when recorded. Then there’s my 1976 natural ash Stratocaster. I got it on Craigslist from this avid Strat collector who needed new teeth. He was emotional when I played it; he was so sad to see it go. I think of him every time I pick it up. We also used a Danelectro baritone guitar for the deeper chorus moments.”

If someone were just starting to build a bedroom setup, what’s the one piece of advice you’d give them?

“Push yourself! If you’re interested in music and want to make it work, say ‘yes.’ We’re in a culture where you say ‘no’ when needed, but it’s just as important to put yourself out there. Same with music – it’s great to make it for yourself and send it to your homies, but put yourself out there. Send your music to labels. Put it up online. Self-release.

“And save up for that microphone you're dreaming of! It took me months to afford an SM57, and years for a Harmony Bobcat, because I wanted to be like St Vincent. See where your inspiration takes you. See what happens.”

• Belong is out on 10 October via Lucky Number.