For the Love of Music: Catching up with JVK
“I kind of feel like a feral animal.” These are the words of Jo Krieger, lead singer of the band JVK, when asked to describe her stage presence. JVK brings infectious energy while performing, much of that is by design according to Kreiger.
“I don’t really know how to describe it, but something just comes over me,” she said, before explaining that one of her goals each show is to have someone in the crowd tell her that they appreciated her stage presence after the set.
Krieger draws her trademark wild energy onstage from experiences in her own life, as the main lyricist for her band she writes about her personal experiences and then tries to place herself in the same frame of mind she had been in while performing. Authenticity is important, she explained, “because there’s definitely people out there that have been through it, too.”
JVK was formed over two years ago after Krieger realized college was not for her. She dropped out and formed the band with the help of a friend, who sneaked her into the renowned Berklee College of Music to hang up flyers calling for potential band members. She was thrilled to have many interested candidates reach out, and JVK was formed.
The lineup has changed over the course of the band’s history, but eventually the current four of Krieger, Atticus Crowley (on guitar), Kay Kwiatek (on guitar) and Troy Welling (on drums) came together.
Krieger explained that her personal musical influences ranged from Nirvana to Alanis Morisette, but that she listens to different sounds across many genres and has been exposed to new types of music through friends, mentors and bandmates along the way.
“When you work with so many people that are coming from different backgrounds and different parts of the country, there’s a lot of musical styles that come into play,” she said. Jo often arranges songs for the band and gives other members the freedom to write any part they want, creating a unique blend of styles that culminate in JVK.
Krieger told me with a laugh that someone had recently reviewed one of JVK’s songs and reported back that the band sounded like a mix of Foo Fighters and Dolly Parton. Not something you hear every day.
Since JVK’s inception, their energy and drive have attracted more and more supporters, and the group has performed a number of noteworthy shows including Kentucky’s Louder than Life festival in 2023.
JVK also had the opportunity to record at the legendary Black Bird Studio in Nashville. As Jo explained, the group had a friend who was enrolled at the studio’s academy studying audio engineering, and for his final project he needed to record a band using the studio. He asked the members of JVK, who were thrilled to record an EP at a studio that has been used by such big-name artists as Taylor Swift.
As our conversation developed, Jo and her band’s commitment to putting on a great performance every time became apparent. She told a story about a Christmas Eve show in which the band was setting up in a completely empty venue. She said the band were unsure if they should even play at all, when suddenly two people walked into the room.
“Who says they’re not worthy of a good performance,” was the mantra that Jo and her bandmates went with. They ended up playing their set, recording the performance, and giving a full effort to each song in front of the maximum crowd of six people. After the show, someone came up to Jo and complimented the band on their presence on stage despite the small attendance. It was an encouraging reminder of the value of committed and dedicated performers who recognize the importance of the music they create.
Looking to 2024, JVK will begin its “Body Double Tour” on March 6, traveling all across the US with stops in New York City, Nashville and Atlanta among many others. Then on May 24, JVK will be performing at Boston Calling, a large, three-day yearly festival featuring artists like Ed Sheeran, Tyler Childers, and The Killers. Closing out the year will also feature new music, which will be announced soon.
FOR LOCAL MOJO BOSTON,
MATTHEW DIPESA
