Janet Devlin

Janet Devlin, the former X Factor star, has recently released her new single "Country Singer" and announced an upcoming album set for later this year. Known for her candid lyricism and evocative storytelling, Janet opens up about her creative journey, battles with mental health, and her evolution as an artist. In an intimate interview, she shares the inspiration behind her latest tracks, the empowering moments in her career, and her hopes for using her platform to destigmatize mental health issues. Janet's reflections reveal a resilient artist committed to authenticity and connecting with her audience through her personal experiences and musical growth.

● Hi Janet! You’ve recently released your new single ‘Country Singer’ and announced an upcoming album later this year. Can you give us an insight into the creative process behind the single and what initially inspired it? 

 It was inspired by the last guy who tested my patience haha. True to the title, he was indeed a country singer. I wrote it with my good friend Maddox who knew the story already. So he kept me in line with not giving any obvious clues as to who the track is about. The song itself was written in around an hour or so. One of those blessed tracks that just wrote itself! 

● You’ve opened up about your personal battles with BPD and Bipolar Disorder, with previous single ‘Emotional Rodeo’ reflecting on the highs and lows this creates in a relationship. How do you hope this will resonate with listeners facing similar struggles? 

I wanted it to be a moment of levity. Loving with BPD is exhausting. The person you’re dating very quickly becomes the centre of your universe and their moods can depict the tone of your day. When I went searching for a light hearted song about dating with BPD - I couldn’t find one. So this is my diy attempt at making one! I wanted to find a song that I could relate to but it not be a ballad. So I’m hoping that the track provided the feeling of being seen but allowed them so sing along, take ownership and have a bit of fun with it. 

 

● In your own words, what is the story behind ‘Country Singer’ and did you find the creative process to be personally empowering? 

I dated a guy who had a big country song in the 90s. When I say dated, we spent around a week with each other. But that was enough for me. Honestly, I don’t think he liked women very much. All of his exes were “crazy” apparently but I don’t think they started off that way. I too would’ve gone mad had I spent more time with him haha Though the song started off about him I think it became more about where I was in my life. I finally I reached the point of being single that I liked myself enough to never mould who I was for another person.  I’m now never going to write a “Jolene” for anyone. If someone comes and wants to take a person away, and they’re swayed… go ahead and leave! Go be their problem. 

 

● How does the track demonstrate how you’ve evolved as an artist, and your newfound country-rock style? 

I feel that I’ve been really lucky in my career. Because I started at 16, naturally it was going to take a while to find my feet and find myself as an artist. Since I didn’t sign with a major label young, I was free to go off and make my own mistakes. Knowing that if something failed or people didn’t like it - at the end of the day it was my decision to put it out. I also have the freedom to explore genres and release whatever I wanted. 12/13 years of experimenting has finally lead to me finding myself, my sound and my voice as a writer. I definitely feel like the more I’ve done, the more I’ve found myself. The songs I’ve written for this album and the songs I’m writing now feel like the most authentic reflection of who I am. But I wouldn’t have got here had I not been able to do things in my own way when I was younger. 

 

● As an artist who’s navigated the music industry since finding success on the X Factor at the age of 16, what obstacles have you faced and how have you overcome them? 

Minus the years of self destruction I’d have to say it’d be the obstacle of being independent. Mainly the lack of funding really. Or mainly trying to make a little go a long way. Tours are fun but expensive. You want to market but you also want to make the music sound the best it can. But that’s it really! 

 

● In the 2022 BBC Documentary, ‘Janet Devlin: Young, Female and Addicted’ you explored your story of alcoholism in depth, addressing its impact on your life and others. It also covered several cases of other young women suffering from alcohol addiction in Northern Ireland. Do you hope to continue to shed light on these issues through your upcoming music? 

I will always try to use my platform in whatever way I can to remove stigma from issues like addiction. I never shy away from telling anyone the dark corners of my life. But I think I want to prove that just because you have addiction issues/mental health issues it doesn’t mean you can’t follow your dreams. That you can recover and go on to be happy. 

 

● You’re admired for infusing intimate lyricism in your music, which can be showcased in your recent full-length album ‘Confessional’. What messages do you hope to convey with your upcoming ‘Emotional Rodeo?

Just like the title suggests there’s a lot of ups and downs and everything in-between! There’s painful, raw ballads on there because I had a big breakup during the writing of this record. But there’s a lot of fun, big tracks on there too. I used to struggle with writing uptempo tracks because life was heavy. But now after years of self work I’m in a place where I can have a bit of craic and a laugh with writing too. 

 

● With a huge following on TikTok and Instagram, do you think it’s vital to use your platform to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health? 

I think I do it by accident if I’m honest. I believe in just being myself online. Which does include over sharing about things to do with mental health. So I think I naturally just use my platform to reduce the stigma. If I thought too heavily about it, I would then feel some sort of pressure to do it. Which I think would take the authenticity out of it.

 

● As you prepare to release "Emotional Rodeo" and embark on this new chapter of your music career, what are your hopes and aspirations for the future of your career?

My hopes and dreams are endless with this. But in reality I just want to be able to continue to make music for the rest of my life. That would be the dream. An incredible bonus would be to have more people listening and to continue to grow! 

https://open.spotify.com/track/5likCJOYSksutze4YXYjSR?si=25866408ac314cf2