Vancouver-based artist Jordana Delgado is an incredibly impressive musician, creating gorgeous pieces of classical music like her recent release, Autumn Leaves. She’s also just released a cover of the track Somewhere in My Memory by John Williams, originally from the Home Alone soundtrack. It’s a wonderful piece of work – find a stream of both songs at the end of this interview!
By Jane Howkins
You have a new song coming out soon, titled Somewhere in My Memory. What can you tell us about the track?
It is a very intimate piano instrumental cover. I wanted it to sound very personal. I wanted the audience to feel like they were seated right next to me, so I decided to record it at my home studio. The people at Akashic Records came to my place and we recorded it on my upright piano. I am very happy with the result. It sounds magical!
The track is a cover of the John Williams instrumental piece from the Home Alone film. Why did you decide to cover that song, and can we expect any more covers in the near future?
I first decided to cover John Williams’s Somewhere in My Memory because it was my aunt’s favourite song. I wrote this arrangement and posted it on my YouTube channel in June 2021 as a tribute to her. Now, in 2023, I decided to record and release it professionally. We all have grown up watching Home Alone every Christmas, and I thought it would be very special for everyone. Also, John Williams’s music is fantastic!
I am planning on releasing more music in 2024. And yes, 2 of them will be instrumental piano covers.
You also released another track titled Autumn Leaves, which we reviewed. What can you tell us about that song? How do you pick your singles?
Like Somewhere in My Memory, Autumn Leaves was also part of the arrangements I wrote weekly for my YouTube channel back in 2021. I had a lot of fun choosing a different song to cover every week! In this case, I chose Autumn Leaves because it is one of my favourite songs. I never get tired of listening to it! Surprisingly, I had never played it myself, so it was time to try it out. It is a song that has been covered countless times, so I wanted to do something very different with it. I imagined the leaves swirling and dancing in the wind, and decided to give it a waltzy, dancy feeling. I posted the song on my Instagram and YouTube channels in February 2021. I had no idea at that time that the arrangement I casually created was going to be my favourite, and that I would record it professionally and officially release it almost 3 years later!
The process of picking singles is very different each time. I chose these two singles we are talking about here because they are my favourite arrangements I have written. However, the most important thing for me is the storytelling part of the music. In my albums and shows, there is a story in each song, but there is also a story that glues together all the tracks or all the set list. That being said, I choose my singles so that they make sense individually but also as a part of something bigger like an EP or an album.
How has the reception to Autumn Leaves been so far, and where can your music be purchased?
I am over the moon with the reception Autumn Leaves has had. People have listened to it and shared on their social media platforms non-stop, and that literally means the world to me. It even got featured on CBC Radio, the number 1 Canadian radio station! I feel very grateful!
My music can be found for purchase on my website: jordanadelgado.com
You can find digital singles, my debut album Rainy Times, (I have CDs and its also available digitally), sheet music and even some merch.
Do you plan to release any more singles in the near future?
Yes, so far, I plan to release 3 new singles in 2024. Depending on how the year goes, it could be more, but there are 3 for sure.
Are there any plans to release a full-length album or EP anytime soon?
Yes, all these singles will be together on an EP that I will release in the spring of 2024. I don’t have a definitive title for it yet but the theme of the EP is the pass of seasons: autumn, Christmas, winter, spring and summer. The EP will have five singles, one representing each of the seasons. As I mentioned, everything needs to make sense inside a bigger picture. I will be revealing more details as the singles are released.
Where are you based? What is the local music scene like in your area?
I am based in Vancouver, Canada. There are lots of very talented musicians here. We have open mics around the city every night, and they are always packed. It is hard to get a spot to perform sometimes, you need to arrive very early. The community of musicians is lovely. Very warm and welcoming! Everybody knows everybody; everybody supports everybody; we collaborate together. I am very lucky!
Apart from the open mics, there are many shows happening in the city every night, so if you live here, or plan to visit, you have lots of entertainment to choose from.
Do you have anything else exciting coming up this year?
Somewhere in My Memory is my last release of 2023. However, 2024 will come with lots of exciting things! Apart from my EP in the spring, I plan to finish The Rainy Times Story.
For readers that are new to my world, The Rainy Times Story is a 9-episode short film that develops through the tracks of my debut album Rainy Times, and it can be watched on my YouTube channel. It is a very special story about the passing of time. This story suddenly came to me one day when I was looking at the track list of my album. I talked about it to a friend who works in the film industry, he got very excited about it, and we ended up filming it!
Right now, you can find just 6 episodes on my YouTube channel. Life got in the way and I couldn’t finish it back then. However, I am planning on releasing the last 3 episodes in the summer of 2024.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
Right now I am focused on local gigs, but I would love to perform for my audience in the UK!
Any last words for the fans?
A big big thank you for the support. Dedicating my time to making music is my dream come true, and I couldn’t do it without any of you. THANK YOU!