DORA JAR: INDIE POP’S FAIRY PRINCESS
Photo courtesy of Universal Music Group
By Holly Gustavsen
Dora Jar released her first studio album, “No Way To Relax When You Are On Fire,” on Friday, Sept. 13. Nine days later, she was playing the first show of her Behind The Curtain tour at Brighton Music Hall in Boston, Massachusetts.
Jar is no stranger to performing live. In 2022, she opened for Billie Eilish on Happier Than Ever, The World Tour, before embarking on her first headlining tour, The Opening Tour, later that year. Last fall, she played in arenas across North America supporting The 1975 on their Still… At Their Very Best Tour.
Opening for these artists taught Jar something. “My music is really fun to play in a huge place, and I can’t wait to set up giant venues one day,” she said during a press conference hosted by Universal Music Group conglomerate 1824 on Friday, Oct. 4.
Jar attended the press conference on her phone as she drove from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Denver, Colorado, for her next show. One of her bandmates held the phone for her offscreen as she drove and answered questions, occasionally pausing mid-response to get directions from her passengers. Despite having to split her attention between the road and her audience, Jar responded to each question with thoughtful and sincere answers.
Born in New York City but raised in Northern California, Jar, whose full name is Dora Jarkowski, is known for her unique blend of pop, indie rock, and electronic music. She released her first EP, “Digital Meadow” in 2021. It was through this EP that Eilish found Jar, and led to Jar opening for Eilish on tour.
Her second EP, “Comfortably in Pain,” garnered similar attention, particularly for “Scab Song,” which Elton John played on his radio show in 2022.
Her new album “No Way To Relax When You Are On Fire” touches on themes of self-doubt and dealing with imposter syndrome but maintains the dreamlike sound she’s become known for. The tracklist contains previously released singles, including “Puppet” and “She Loves Me,” and new songs, such as “Debbie Darling” and the album’s titular track, “No Way To Relax When You Are On Fire,” which are already becoming fan favorites. Her tracks often feature hypnotizing guitar riffs despite Jar not knowing how to read music. For Jar, arranging guitar melodies is a fun challenge she continues to improve on while on tour. She compared her process of creating music to making a fun house, saying, ”I want every room to be radically different but all part of the same house.” Each of the 13 songs on NWTRWYAOF has its own identity but they all magically come together into one cohesive album.
Jar’s distinctive sound stems from her wide range of influences, from Outcast to Foo Fighters to Stephen Sondheim. She is outspoken about her love for Mary Poppins, which she drew inspiration from for her album cover and visuals. “I want to write a musical one day. When I’m 40,” Jar declared when asked if she would ever dive into the world of music theater during the press conference. Her creativity and earnestness as a lyrical storyteller would lend themselves well to a musical.
Visuals also play a large role in the creative world of NWTRWYAOF. Every song on the album has a music video or visualizer to accompany it. Jar credits old movies like “Bedknobs and Broomstick,” which utilizes both live-action and animation, and “Fantasia 2000,” as well as textures like paper, as her inspiration for the tour visuals.
Behind The Curtain marks Jar’s second time headlining a tour. The tour spans two months and 12 states, with the final three shows being held in Jar’s home state of California. Joining Jar on tour are childhood friends and bandmates from the Army and the Navy.
Jar expressed her joy to be on tour, highlighting being able to see her fans’ faces as she performs and talking with her band as they drive to the next venue, which is her favorite memory so far.
When asked how she wants her fans to feel when listening to her music, Jar stated she wants her listeners to feel “courageous and open and dancey and like the strange parts of them are the best parts.” However, Jar is leaving the interpretation of her music up to her listeners, stating, “The best part of music is there are infinite ways to feel one emotion.”