Ariela Jacobs
Ariela Jacobs is first and foremost a storyteller, whose songwriting has a way of tackling themes with the sort of intimacy you would expect from a much older soul. With haunting vocals, pure, yet powerful enough to leave any listener weak at the knees, Ariela weaves together an ethereal, dream-ridden web of folk/pop tapestries, narrative and melody.
Growing up in Melbourne, Australia with a family that nurtured the arts, Ariela’s musical journey was very nearly stunted at its earliest conception after she was denied entry to her primary school choir, owing to the unusual tone of her voice. This setback turned out to be a godsend, propelling her into the confines of her bedroom to learn guitar and piano whilst absorbing the likes of Simon & Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, James Taylor and Carol King. In the years following, Ariela used music as a space for self-expression, eventually releasing her first work; an ode to her Grandfather entitled ‘Jacobs Song’, garnering her first online following.
Despite being a relative newcomer to the live circuit, Ariela has shared the stage with Australian artists such as Dustin Tebbutt, Ella Hooper and Ngaiire and has already enjoyed radio spins from the likes of Triple J Unearthed and FBi radio for her previously released teaser track ‘False Alarms’. If you think those soaring, falsetto vocals of Ariela’s sound oddly familiar, it’s very possible you’ve already heard them – Ariela recently stepped outside of her usual genre to lend her distinct voice to Los Angeles based producer Goldroom to sing topline vocals on his chill electro hit ‘Embrace’ which was co-written with George Maple.
Ariela’s new single, ‘The Sound’ offers listeners a sweet, foot stomping melody reminiscent of contemporary artists such as Regina Spektor and the Lumineers whilst still holding close to classic folk influences in the vein of Joni Mitchell. With a debut EP release pencilled in for early 2014, Ariela’s growing fanbase has much to look forward to. Not one to limit herself to the here and now, Ariela acknowledges the fluidity of song writing, stating that her “music is always in the stages of development and there is always opportunity for growth and new ideas”.