Miss Jupiter
Catching up with Miss Jupiter; press photo courtesy of Don Q. Hannah Photography.
Introducing Chicago by way of LA’s Miss Jupiter, oka Michelle Rose who also operates the boutique, Spacedust, serving as the costume designer for not just her own musical pursuits but dressing up local talents Deap Vally, Fever the Ghost, making custom print tees, buttons via her Naked Merch line of DIY supporting wares. The multidisciplinary textile maven/musician today presents us with the premiere for the Miss Jupiter double feature of “Sunshine/It’s All In You” that cranks up the sun-psyched song that surveys all the inherent potential in all that exists under the blazing beams of the sun. Michelle creates an entire cosmic mythology to surround her rock & roll alter-ego, crafting an inter-galactic tale about a dwarf star that inhabits an earthling to provide her surrounding world with songs, magic, words, and a vibration that unites all through shared sensation to deliver to the people what she refers to as “the concept of massive power despite diminutive size or circumstances.”
“Sunshine/It’s All In You” begins like something that descended from Death Valley, the outskirts of the Mojave desert, or a proclamation from a Joshua Tree oracle; Miss Jupiter arrives on earth to encourage all to seek the inspiration from within. Beginning with the suite of “Sunshine”, cryptic solar messages and signal are brought by Michelle’s otherworldly, tough-as-nails presence. Picking up where “Sunshine” leaves off, “It’s All In You” is the anthem for anyone and everyone to entertain their inner abilities that often go unheeded on account of numerous other diversions. Rolling on the horsepower of galloping guitar rhythms, the mean-seeming momentum is the motor by which Miss Jupiter uses to illustrate the natural tenets of enlightenment that all posses. “When you see the light, you will know what’s right, when you see the light, it’s all in you now…” Read our insightful interview now with Michelle Rose.
Tell us about realizing your calling as Miss Jupiter.
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t singing, except when I felt imprisoned by the garment industry job for which I’d moved to LA from Chicago. One day, a few years in, I noticed that I’d become silent during my commute—traditionally a time when I’d drive my car with vigor, singing along to my carefully curated playlist. The sudden awareness of my unconscious silence brought about the stark realization that my soul had been going numb, and it wasn’t until I quit that job that I began to feel alive again.
After leaving fast-food fashion, I did a 180 and refocused all my energies. I found that my depression was caused by my own adherence to a system that taught me that I need to live a safe life in order to survive. I uncovered a very basic truth that is probably universal to all people—that all the things I wanted to do when I was a kid were the same things I want to do as an adult—make art, write, sing, and perform. The trick is, to be a part of today’s society—we must make money too. I’d always been an entrepreneur, but I’d blocked my heart from fully expressing itself.
It was in the haze of decompression from that job that I flung myself into the local music scene, and words & melodies began to flow to me again. I realized that I hadn’t written any poems or songs since high school, and that made me uncomfortable. But in this time, an innate inspiration gradually returned and I found myself writing songs every day. While trying to form my own band, I joined a couple others to gain experience as a backup singer. Isaac Rother & The Phantoms gave me an education as a dolled-up doo-wop rock & roll performer, while Honey Child provided precision in the form of angelic choral arrangements. These contrasts helped me immensely in exploring my skills and boundaries as a musician.
Describe your collaborative music approaches with contribution from Rachel Fannan, Angelica Tavella, Quincy Larsen, & Andrew Vega.
Singing and performing in any capacity fulfilled me, but after many starts and stops in trying to form the Miss Jupiter band, I began to question whether I’d have to shelve that dream again. But on the verge of another depression, my virtuoso friend Rachel Fannan offered to play with me, and that’s how it got started about a year ago. I’d met Rachel years prior and she was one of the local musicians I admired most for her crazy vocal abilities, stylings and range with Only You. Angelica Tavella, a recent LA transplant from Oakland, joined on guitar; and Quincy Larsen, who I met shortly after she moved here from Austin, became our bassist.
It was a huge learning process for me, as I worked with these dedicated talents to fill out the songs I’d written. I showed them demos on which I played what I call very janky or haphazard guitar, and I guided them toward the visions I had. I could hear every song fully arranged in my head, but not being an experienced player of any instrument myself, it’s been challenging to translate! But isn’t that how we grow? I had to become uncomfortable, let others guide me, and be open to new possibilities in order to reach my potential.
Miss Jupiter painted in pastel hues; photographed by Lauren Wade.
Give us the cosmic tales and insights about the making of your new double single odyssey, “Sunshine/It’s All In You”.
For about a year these three amazing musicians helped me hack out my dreams as we grew together. “Sunshine/It’s All In You” was one of the first songs we recorded, last autumn with our friend Scott Barber in his Echo Park studio. Everything was completely new to me, but I found that friendship, enthusiasm, and mutual understanding are the most important elements to any collaboration. The song itself begins with the realization that some of the things I’d devoted my life to ended up depleting me rather than nourishing me. We all change, and sometimes something feels right for a while, until it doesn’t feel right anymore, and we have to recognize our power to control our own destiny. That’s why, when Rachel created her newest project The Bomb and needed to leave MJ at the beginning of this year to nurture it, I knew I’d miss her, but she’d given her time generously to me for as long as she could, and it was her time to refocus herself. The second part (“movement”, if you will!) of this single is a call to action for anyone who’s ever felt that they’ve relied on others too heavily—to recognize the power we all have in ourselves, to curate our lives and limited time with the people & activities that fulfill us most. In turn, as microcosms of greater purpose, the very act of attuning our energy to our selves and our growth ripples outward to empower others.
How do you begin to manage both your focuses as Miss Jupiter, while running the LA boutique Spacedust, Naked Merch, & serving as chief costumer for outfits such as Deap Vally, Fever the Ghost, etc.
As someone who’s recently been brought out of a dark time, I feel like my overarching duty is to encourage others to do what they love, which is why opening my store Spacedust in September of 2014 was a huge element to my rebirth as a creative entity. There I champion local artists, independent designers, and essentially anyone who creates anything consciously. It has been a majorly back-breaking endeavor, but it’s my big fuck-you to corporations, mass manufacturing, and sweatshop labor. It’s also been a great relief to be able to base all of my work out of one location that isn’t my private space, so I can relax more when I’m at home. Everything I do, from making clothes to sell at the shop, custom stage costumes and merch for bands, using my voice to champion greater causes—it all flows together as an expression of me. Everything I do is supported together in this weird system, and it’s my ultimate goal to keep it all going in tandem and touch as many people as possible. I’ve finally recognized my worth as some sort of DIY maven, and biting off more than I can chew—but remaining careful to choose the best flavors—is paradoxically how I stay sane. Work is no longer a four-letter word!
I talk to many people who feel stuck in their jobs, lacking in passion for life, who say they don’t have the resources to pursue their own interests, or are waiting for the right time to crossover into happiness. Being a prime example, I have to suggest that it’s not until you really, wholeheartedly take that leap, that you’ll find yourself working harder than ever, and time just seems to open up in the perfect way when you follow your true path. Of course we all rely on others to support us, to work and play with us to reach our goals, but the right support will come about naturally when you’re operating from love instead of fear. The one thing to remember is that your dreams are right therenot at all far from reach, if you just make the first move. Believe in yourself, and trust the universe to guide you. That which you seek is not over the horizon; your happiness is not dependent on others; everything you ever wanted is all in you.”
Other LA artists that might take over the world?
The multitalented Andrew Vega, who also plays with occult outfit Sisters Ov The Blackmoon, joined us in February to record drums on the remaining tracks of the debut album, and is now learning the guitar parts as Angelica’s new band TV Heads is taking more of her time—and they’re one of my favorite bands in LA right now so I’m happy to take a backseat to that! We’ve brought in a sick new drummer, Rufo Chan, Jr., and Quincy remains a force of nature as she balances her creative job, school, and participation in both MJ and her synth-driven project Future Shoxxx. I’m proud to say that every single Miss Jupiter bandmate I’ve worked with has had other projects going on at the same time, but while many bandleaders might feel marginalized, that’s something I welcome wholeheartedly. I love that my players are multi-faceted creative individuals, with a range of talents and interests that extend beyond music, because that’s who I am too! I feel incredibly lucky and honored by any precious time that anyone spends with me to help spread what I feel are important messages sent to me by the universe.
Listen to more from Miss Jupiter via Bandcamp.
