Jay Som Does It All

The Valley has been blessed with Jay Som performances lately. Only two months after performing a set at FORM, Melina Duterte, known by the aforementioned moniker, is bringing her shoegazey, dream pop back in support of her latest album, Everybody Works. Only her second work, the 2017 album shows off Duterte’s penchant for writing impressive, often dejected tracks. And, she does it all herself — she’s the album’s sole credited songwriter, singer, guitarist, bassist, keyboardist, and percussionist, and even adds accordion and trumpet to some songs. Back-up vocalists are the only credited individuals to join Duterte on her intimate, auteur-driven project.

Due to the one-woman show aspect, and her music’s careful homemade quality, Jay Som’s music is often allocated to the “bedroom pop” genre. But there’s a much more analog-driven approach to her songs, in comparison to the likes of bonafide DIY artists like Clairo or Rex Orange County. Throughout most of her work, Jay Som has shown the ability to subvert genre expectations and the labels placed on her. It’s diminutive to call her work bedroom pop, because it’s a polyamorous marriage of sounds and influences. Duterte said that Carly Rae Jepsen, Tame Impala and Ya La Tengo all inspired the work. Only an artist like Jay Som could throw those sounds into a blender and come out with a consistent, self-driven project.

Jay Som Performs Tuesday, July 17, at Valley Bar. Tickets are $15 at ticketfly.com.