Calista Jenson (EP)

Calista Jenson is the debut eponymous extended play by American singer-songwriter Calista Jenson. It was released on April 23, 2021 through Ethereal Records.

Jenson created the EP over a 4-year period during her teenage years. She remastered it for release alongside her sister Brianna Jenson in April 2021 to debut on the music scene. The lyrics are about Jenson's perspectives on life as a teenager, dealing with romantic relationships, friendships, and insecurity. The EP primarily features elements of country music with pop and pop rock flavors, and incorporates acoustic instruments such as guitars, banjos, and fiddles.

Background and development
Jenson grew up alongside her sisters Brianna and Kylie, both of whom had a large interest in music during their childhoods. Jenson would attend her sisters' performances and watch them rehearse and grew an interest of her own. At age 16, she formally began writing songs.

Jenson wrote the songs throughout her teenage years as she experienced things like romance, heartbreak, friendships, and self-discovery. She revealed that she "wrote about 14 songs, but I never intended to release them." Her sister Brianna stated that "she called me earlier this year [2021] while we were creating new material, but she was going back through old CDs and decided that she wanted this to be her first step in the industry."

The two remastered 10 of the original songs at their home studios in April 2021, however she ultimately narrowed it down to 6 to be released.

Lyrics
Jenson wrote Calista Jenson from her personal life experiences as a teenager. While she adhered to the confessional songwriting associated with country music, she did not write about stereotypical themes such as "tractors and hay bales because that's not really the way I grew up". She instead wrote about her observations and reflections on matters from romantic relationships to friendships, striving to convey her teenage perspectives as honest and personal as possible. Because her inspirations came from immediate feelings and emotions, Jenson wrote songs anytime and anywhere, from studio sessions to school breaks.

The songs on Calista Jenson are from the perspectives of a girl in an American small town, within the extends from high school hallways to rural backroads, which fosters a contemplative nature. Most songs on the album are about romantic relationships, some of which were based on Jenson's observations rather than real experiences. Jenson wrote the first track "Our Song" for her high school talent show. She talked about the inspiration: "I wrote it about this guy I was dating, and how we didn't have a song. So I went ahead and wrote us one."

The songs "Picture to Burn" and "Should've Said No" depict a vengeful attitude toward those who do not reciprocate the protagonist's feelings; on "Picture to Burn", Jenson sings about burning photographic evidence of an ex-boyfriend's existence. The original version includes the lyrics, "Go and tell your friends that I'm obsessive and crazy / That's fine; I'll tell mine you're gay." On the radio edit, Jenson modified the lyric to "That's fine; You won't mind if I say." Heartbreak is another aspect Jenson explored—"Teardrops on My Guitar" was about her experience with a classmate whom she had feelings for, but this classmate was in love with someone else. On "Cold as You", Jenson laments a fruitless relationship: "I've never been anywhere cold as you." She said it was her favorite song lyrically on the album: "I love a line in a song where afterward you're just like... burn." Additionally, Jenson sings about insecurity and self-consciousness. "A Place in This World" expresses Jenson's uncertainty about where she truly belongs.

Music
Musically, Calista Jenson incorporates country music elements, including twang vocal delivery and acoustic instruments such as fiddles, guitars, and banjos. Elements of crossover pop are apparent on many songs.

Release and promotion
Calista Jenson was released on April 23, 2021, through Ethereal Records. Jenson designed the packaging and artwork herself. The EP came at a short notice, its announcement coming only 6 days before its release. Jenson posted a note to social media on April 18, 2021 stating "Growing up in a musical family, creating art was inevitable. Writing, singing and recording was a huge part of my childhood and I was in awe of what my sisters were accomplishing. As much as I loved music, I was never sure where or when to start."

Jenson heavily utilized social media to promote the EP. She posted various artwork and lyrics on the days leading up to the album. She performed "Our Song" at Ethereal Coachella in July 2021.

Track listing
All tracks were written by Calista Jenson. All tracks were produced by Brianna Jenson.

Calista Jenson – Standard edition