The Talented Ms Ananda Jacobs

Meet Ananda Jacobs, a Los Angeles born musician, producer, songwriter and singer. She is currently based in Tokyo where she works as a model. If you pride yourself in your music knowledge then Ananda is a name to remember, her voice is a haunting mixture of the late 60’s rock and chill out sounds. If you love Jefferson Airplanes White rabbit and Simon and Garfunkel’s The sound of silence or if you just like music that transport you to another place, well, then this is Ananda Jacobs.

What inspires you?
I have always had many interests in the sciences, arts and most powerfully music.  As far as modelling goes, I think what inspires me is that if done well, you become part of a vision.  I love graphics and layouts and the interaction of geometric shapes and lighting.  Music is much different for me.  Music is an internal occurrence and it’s my challenge to transfer that inner set of emotions and sounds to the listener.

After graduating from university in psychology and music, I almost pursued a doctoral degree in neuroscience.  However, my life changed course when I was hired to model for a hair salon in L.A. named J’s.  They took me and four other models on a hair art/fashion tour of Japan and it was then that I decided to spend some time working in Tokyo.  I soon found myself in demand by the foreign talent agencies and have been working in commercials, catalogues, and campaigns ever since.  Music by comparison is not my work per say,  it is my passion.  A slave to my creative inspiration, I spend long nights in the studio crafting my sounds.

Who inspires you?
I admire artists and creators who are not afraid to express an entire vision in their work,  Goldfrapp comes to mind and Leonardo da Vinci would be another.  In Japan I also appreciate what Anna Tsuchiya is achieving, with her balance of music, modelling and just having an interesting story.

In five years I would like to have a polished and inspired CD released and be touring and performing to support it.  If you’d asked me the same question only 8 months ago, I would have said I’d be studying neuroscience in grad school.  My “muse” however, has arrived and doesn’t seem to want to leave me alone.

What advice would you give to those trying to get into modelling/ music?
I would say for modelling make use of the internet and network with photographers, make-up artists and other models.  All you need are one or two test shoots to get you going.  Search for jobs and don’t expect to be paid a lot right away.  Most importantly, enjoy the challenge.  For music, well, do what you like even if it’s not the genre of the moment.  If you try to do a style only because someone told you you should, you risk not having something you like to keep you going.  I suppose it’s possible to approach music from an entirely technical perspective but I personally cannot imagine pursuing music if I didn’t feel an almost inhuman crazed obsession with beautiful sounds.

My muse is an entity that usually shows up in dreams.  I can’t say why, but I’m very aware and affected by something that brews in my subconscious mind.  Lately it’s been in the realm of a nostalgic sense of tragedy, regret, and peace at the same time.  I’ am also drawn to the “between.”  The space between night and day, dark and light, sleep and awake, nonsense and order.

What have learned about life so far?
I’ve learned that there is a collective social peace in following an extensive set of rules in almost every situation.  Though this can be hard to appreciate at first, I think it makes people here less visibly on edge, which is good I think.  External order can either keep you sane or drive you insane, depending on the situation.

What do you miss most about home?
I miss not being seen at every single moment as a foreigner.  I miss the friendly and casual atmosphere in America.  I miss freely speaking in my native language and I miss my family.

Do you have any advice for those planing to venture into music or modelling in Japan?
Try it and don’t be afraid to let go of any plans you had back home, because it’s quite hard to leave once you’re here!  If you can work out the proper visa to stay here a while, you can try freelance modelling.  You can go as far as you care to push it, as long as there is some demand for your “look.”
The campaigns change very quickly here, so you never know.  For music, you can be in a band for fun, as there are loads of talented musicians and loads of venues to play.  It’s a long shot making any name for yourself as a foreigner but I hope to see that market open up for more of us soon.

Ananda Jacob’s website

Tags: anna tsuchiya, fashion tour, geometric shapes, leonardo da vinci, simon and garfunkel