Jamie McDell's pop songs don't relate to her now. Photo / Supplied
The ocean is Jamie McDell's "happy place".
Lyrics the now 29-year-old musician wrote a decade ago, catapulting her onto Kiwi radios, reflect her love of the sea and life in the sunshine.
But 10 years later, McDell says she has found her true sound in returning to her country roots.
On February 25, McDell will be releasing a new self-titled album she says represents who she truly is.
"I'm trying to honour myself, my story and this style of songwriting that I really enjoy."
Speaking from her Pāpāmoa home, the newly-married McDell says her pop hits about break-ups and "the golden age" no longer resonate with her.
"As it happens you grow up and start to understand a few more things about your family and those kind of crazy pressures on mums and dads ... Different stories come out.
She says her upcoming album "feels like it's just such a family record".
"I'm really telling stories that are just so to do with the make-up of who I am."
But while her music and life have changed, some things always stay the same.
McDell grew up on a yacht and loves the sea. Living in Pāpāmoa is "a dream".
"That's my thing, that's my happy place. That's the closest I get to anything spiritual in my life and it runs through my family."
Ocean themes are always included in her albums, she says.
"My spirituality comes from this kind of connection to the sea.
"I don't know if I could write a record that didn't have some kind of (ocean) reference."
McDell's music career began at 16 and her songs Life in the Sunshine and Rewind quickly became top radio hits.
She signed to EMI and her debut album, Six Strings and a Sailboat, achieved gold album sales and was nominated for three NZ Music Awards, winning Best Pop Album of 2013.
Her sophomore record Ask Me Anything gained global attention, with the track Moon Shines Red featuring on US television series Pretty Little Liars.
But despite her early success, McDell says those songs are not her true sound.
"It was authentic in the way that I was just living life in sunshine.
"The beginning of my music career kind of was a bit of a dream, really, because it took off so quickly that I think I pushed it aside a little bit."
After moving to Canada in 2019 and traveling to and from Nashville, she learned about country music but also was "able to step away from it and combine my upbringing with what is an authentic country sound".
"I haven't grown up in the mountains listening to bluegrass with a farming family. That's not necessarily my story but I still love the elements of that and I think I can relate in other ways.
"As a young kid my kind of introduction to songwriting was via quite traditional country music ... A lot of that music was coming out of America and Tennessee especially."
Artists Jimmy Buffett and John Denver were playing all the time while McDell was growing up on a yacht. It was at age 7, while living aboard that yacht in the Mediterranean when McDell wrote her first song.
Decades later her latest album includes collaborations with artists The McCrary Sisters, Robert Ellis, Erin Rae and Tom Busby.
"That was really special ... The excitement of Nashville is the access to other musicians that you just go 'I can't believe this is actually happening and they're in here singing on my song'."
McDell says taking her music career to Nashville was always "in the back of her mind".
She hoped moving to Nashville would "spark a new musical journey, which it did".
She found it difficult to replicate her love for country music in her teens.
"Because country music is not as much of a popular genre in New Zealand I didn't really know how to articulate that sound with the kind of musicians I was working with."
After heading to TikTok in November last year to re-introduce herself, a now brunette McDell, 10 years later, was flooded with comments of old fans hit with nostalgia.
She didn't realise how big she really was in her teenage years and was surprised at how many people remembered her.
McDell describes her older music as pop, commercial and easy-going.
"As I've grown older I've put my effort into trying to figure how I can connect more with the music I grew up listening to.
"I listened through most of these (new) songs and think this is what I sound like, whereas I can't necessarily tell you that that's how I felt with all my other albums."
McDell says it is inspiring to see other Kiwi artists such as Nadia Reid and Marlon Williams have success in a genre she was "a little bit afraid to dive into".
"Seeing them being able to just stick to their thing and do what they do so well.
"There's no kind of boundaries or ceiling on what you want to do even coming from New Zealand."
While the album recording was finished almost two years ago, the pandemic put a hold on the initial plans to release and tour.
McDell is ready to let these 13 songs go so "then I can start fresh on something new".
"I have another record in me after this one for sure."
While restrictions have complicated plans, McDell hopes to perform her new album in New Zealand and the US live.
1. Favourite song right now?
It's an old song by Patty Griffin that I just discovered, Top of the World.
2. What instrument would you love to be able to play?
Pedal steel, I just think it's the most beautiful sounding instrument. I'd love to be able to play it. I don't think I ever will be able to, it's really, really hard to learn.
3. What instrument can you not live without?
The guitar.
4. If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
Jimmy Buffett.
5. What is the favourite song you've ever written?
Botox.
6. Best advice you have received?
Early in the industry, someone said to me to just pick a small few people that you really trust and kind of rely on and try not to spread that group too far and wide, it can get a bit overwhelming.
7. Favourite lyrics of all time?
"This old guitar taught me to sing a love song, It showed me how to laugh and how to cry" That's from a John Denver song called This Old Guitar.
8. What does your perfect date look like?
A really nice surf and fish and chips on the beach.
9. Favourite United States food chain?
Hattie B's in Nashville, it's like fried chicken.
10. Who would be on your ultimate music festival line-up?
I would have Patty Griffin, Emmylou Harris, Brandi Carlile, Julia Jacklin, Tami Neilson and Courtney Marie Andrews.
'It used to be very much income-based ... that's changed.'