1. Home
2. Blog
3. Interviews

Jordan Duffy on Turning 15 Years of Heartbreak, Humor, and Healing into 'Nights Like These'

We caught up with Jordan Duffy to talk about her album Nights Like These, her creative process, her goals for the album's release, dream collaborations, and much more.

By Eugenia RoditisMusicngear Editor

Jordan Duffy is a vocalist, songwriter, producer, and senior audio engineer whose work spans genres as diverse as indie pop, folk, Americana, rock, and opera. Known for her four-octave range and her background in both music and podcast production (including work with Earwolf and vocals for the “Just Between Us” theme), Duffy brings a unique combination of technical skill and a heartfelt sincerity that comes through in every song.

Her debut album, Nights Like These, produced alongside Party Nails and released via Radburn Records, draws from the most vulnerable moments from the past 15 years of Jordan’s life and features a range of musical styles, from '80s synth to rock, opera, folk, Americana, and indie pop.

In this interview, Duffy talks about the creative process behind Nights Like These, the gear that shape its sound, the challenges she faced in bringing such vulnerable material to life, her goals for the album's release, dream collaborations with artists like Yola and Ida Maria, the difficulties of making a living as a musician today, and much more.

Eugenia Roditis, Musicngear: Hi Jordan, welcome to Musicngear! Let's talk gear! What instruments and recording equipment did you use to bring 'Nights Like These' to life?

My amazing Producer Party Nails and I really worked as a team on this incredible album. These are songs I have had for years, and we steered the “Nights Like These” ship together. Party Nails played the majority of the instruments - the epic synths, bass, guitar, and more.

The brilliant drums were by Andrew Marshall. We had a few featured musicians: for “Nights Like These,” Alto sax by Trey Magnifique (aka Brian Wecht) and a shredding electric guitar solo in “CMF” by the brilliant Kittie guitarist Tara McLeod.

Musicngear: If you had an unlimited budget to buy any gear, no restrictions whatsoever, what would your dream setup look like?

With an unlimited budget, I would have my dream home studio. I would have a wall of Yamaha, Fender, and Taylor acoustic guitars. I would house as many Moog synthesizers as I could. I would have a thousand different vocal mics from Neumanns to AKGs to Blue Baby Bottles (my personal favorite). I would have pink, blue, and sage green SJC Drums sets. I could go on forever, haha.

Musicngear: 'Nights Like These' dives into some deeply personal moments. What was the biggest challenge you faced while creating this album, and what advice would you give to other artists going through similar struggles?

One of the biggest challenges I faced on this album was actually about certain songs being on the record. I had recorded a song for the album, but once the record was finished I found that, even though yes it could have worked, it was far more dark and vulnerable than the rest of the tracks, and I felt that it should be for another record instead of being on “Nights Like These”.

I hope to release it someday when I’m ready to.

Musicngear: Every artist has different goals when releasing new music. Are you aiming for a certain number of streams, booking live shows, getting media coverage, or something else? And how do you go about achieving that?

My main goal was just to create and put out this record, so I already feel so proud and accomplished. I am definitely striving for more streams. I have been working with an amazing music PR team who have helped one of my music videos get to 100K views, which is amazing!

I would love it if any of my songs were to be used in TV or movies. And I plan to tour with this album. Some of the songs on this album were written 15 years ago, and it would be such an honor to finally perform these songs with a band in front of an audience.

Musicngear: How do you navigate the challenges of making a living as a musician today? Is music your main source of income, or do you have other ways to sustain yourself financially?

Sadly, music is not my main source of income, but I hope one day for it to be. I was previously a Senior Audio Engineer for the Earwolf Podcast Network (owned by SiriusXM). I am now a freelance audio engineer and producer, as well as a voice actor, improv performer, and moving my way into acting as well.

Musicngear: If you could collaborate with any artist, living or dead, who would it be and why? Also, are there any dream venues or festivals where you'd love to perform?

I would be honored to collaborate with Ida Maria, Yola, and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. I fell in love with Ida Maria’s “Fortress Round My Heart” album, and to this day, it is still my favorite record. Yola is a powerhouse singer, and just being around her, I know I would learn so much vocally.

And MSRS - they were there creating some of the most important pieces in music as we know it. To be in that studio with them and just see what songs flow out of us would be wicked!  And I would love to perform at the Palladium in Worcester, MA - playing in a hometown venue would definitely be a dream of mine.

Musicngear: You've written about exploding toads, zombie lovers, and more. What's the most bizarre or unexpected song idea you've ever had but never finished?

I wrote a comedy song called “I hope you die” where the chorus sang “I hope you die, I hope you die, I really hope you don’t stay alive. Fall off a cliff, drown in a lake, I really don’t wanna see your face…” and it’s all played and sung in a fast BPM adding to the comedy.

I never finished the song, but I did submit it as an example for a possible job, and the person interviewing me did NOT find it as comical as I did. This is when I learned that I loved to write vulnerable AND comical songs.

Musicngear: If you could send one of your songs into space as a message to the universe, which one would it be and why?

I would send “CMF.” It is a kick-ass song in itself, but it also talks about how you are wicked powerful, and no one can hold you back or put you down.

Musicngear: You've sung to Weird Al Yankovic, so let's flip it: if you could have anyone randomly show up and start singing to you, who would it be, and what song should they sing?

Otis Redding “Try A Little Tenderness”. A classic, and I would blush so hard, haha.

Musicngear: Given that Spotify pays musicians mere pennies while raking in billions, do you think the music industry would be better or worse off if the platform disappeared overnight?

I deeply miss the days of my youth, going to the music store to grab the latest CD, tape cassette, or vinyl to listen to the entirety of my favorite artist's latest album. It’s an absolute scam how little artists make from streaming platforms. Yes, they are convenient, but I believe it would be better without these platforms.

I would not miss them if they disappeared overnight.

Musicngear: As the way people consume music and visual content is changing, if from now on you had to choose only one format to release visuals for your music, what would it be – official music videos or TikToks/Shorts/Reels? And why?

Official music videos, always and forever! I was that kid who would wake up early, creep downstairs, and watch music videos for hours, analyzing and listening to them across all genres. This is why I take so much pride in my music videos.

My favorite videos had a fun or clever story, and I want every one of mine to be as entertaining as those that I watched growing up.

Musicngear: With Nights Like These out in the world, what's next for you? Any upcoming projects, live shows, or surprises we should keep an eye out for?

I hope to play some shows soon, leading to a tour. And there might be a future music for my song “CMF,” which may or may not include D&D and possibly me slaying a dragon or wizard…we will have to find out!

Connect with Jordan Duffy
Instagram / YouTube / Spotify / Bandcamp / Website

About Eugenia Roditis

Eugenia's passion for music was ignited from an early age as she grew up in a family of musicians. She loves attending concerts and festivals, while constantly seeking fresh and exciting new artists across diverse genres. Eugenia joined the MusicnGear team in 2012.

Contact Eugenia Roditis at eugenia.roditis@kinkl.com

LinkedInTwitterFacebook