A look into the emotional, fluid, and abstract world of Dora Jar.
Dora Jar opens up about her creative process, describing how intuition, vivid imagery, and fluid emotions shape her music.
photo provided by Universal Music Group’s 1824.
In a recent press conference for her debut album, No Way To Relax When You Are On Fire, and her “Behind the Curtain” tour, rising artist Dora Jar opened up about her unique creative process, inspirations, and the layers of meaning within her music. What stood out most was the way she approaches her artistry—not through rigid intellectual constructs, but through intuition, fantasy, and an embrace of mystery. She reveals that she’s an artist who thrives in the fluid, whimsical realms of imagination, where images and emotions guide her more than structured thoughts.
One of the key insights into Dora’s creative process came when she described her practice of meditation, which, though admittedly sporadic due to her tour schedule, plays a central role in how she taps into her imagination. “I haven’t meditated in many weeks,” she joked, acknowledging her disheveled, on-the-road lifestyle. But in moments of calm, she connects to the "tingling in the fingers," which leads to vivid, often strange, images that inspire her music. These fleeting, almost mystical experiences help shape the visual and sonic landscapes she creates.
When asked how she balances creating music that invites such diverse reactions, Dora said she deliberately leaves space for interpretation in her songs. Rather than seeking literal meanings or clear narratives, Dora prefers to outline images—some abstract, some literal—that leave space for interpretation. In her view, the best music allows for different emotional responses from listeners. She explained that a chord progression can evoke a wide range of emotions, so she prefers not to make her lyrics too direct. “I don’t try to make sense,” she admits, allowing listeners to project their own experiences onto her music. By embracing this ambiguity, Dora fosters a unique dialogue between the song and the listener, which, combined with the layered complexity of her sound, gives her work a universal appeal.
Some of her lyrical inspiration comes from simply walking through the world. One anecdote she shared involved walking in New York City, where she saw pipes with pointy roofs that resembled witches’ hats. This seemingly mundane observation eventually found its way into her song “Debbie Darling,” where she sings, “You look like a witch without a broomstick.” While this line was meant as an insult with a twist of humor, it also hints at how she sometimes thinks of herself as a witch. Dora’s process blends humor and playfulness with deep, often surreal imagery, allowing her to create a light-hearted and profound body of work.
Dora’s inspirations are additionally drawn from various realms of culture, notably the world of musical theater. She mentioned how films like Mary Poppins and Fantasia 2000 have shaped her aesthetic, and she plans to write a musical theater piece when she turns 40. This childhood nostalgia, mixed with a love of surrealism, enables her to inhabit a “fantasy world” where reality bends to her will. Her music's soundscapes transport listeners to a new world that evokes deep emotional reactions.
photo provided by Universal Music Group’s 1824.
Dora also spoke about the technical aspects of her music, particularly her love for challenging chord progressions. For her, writing music is akin to playing a video game where the goal is to “pass the level” by overcoming a difficult musical puzzle. She purposefully writes challenging chord progressions and practices every morning until she can play them flawlessly. She is an informal, self-taught guitarist who brings a sense of play to her entire creative process, including her layering of complex instrumental textures that evoke intense emotions.
One recurring theme in the press conference was Dora’s commitment to exploring the depths of human emotion, especially the darker, more complex feelings. She gave poignant advice for teenage girls, emphasizing that underneath anger lies “a universal sadness” that must be allowed to run its natural course. For Dora, grief is a transformative experience that leads to eventual rebirth, a sentiment that resonates deeply with her fans, particularly young women navigating their own emotional journeys.
The creation of her debut album came out at a time when Dora was very obsessed with certain contradictions within herself. In her song “No Way To Relax When You Are On Fire,” she explained that the line “There’s no way to relax when you are on fire” refers to how she sometimes just keeps going, unable to relax in a fit of action that can be useful, but also makes her feel fragile. The album's cover depicts staircases of smoke, which she calls “a big contradiction.” Originally, this iconography comes from a scene in Mary Poppins where the characters walked up such a staircase, but, of course, in reality, one would fall right through these gaseous steps.
Despite her whimsical, otherworldly nature, Dora is deeply grounded in the realities of performing and connecting with her audience. She reflected on how her live shows have evolved, with each performance becoming more energetic and dynamic as Dora and her band have grown more comfortable. Whether playing in intimate venues or opening for major acts like Billie Eilish, Dora values the moments she shares with the crowd, letting the spirit of the moment guide her and her band to new, exciting places during each show.
In the end, Dora Jar is an artist who lives fully in the realms of feeling and the worlds she creates. Much like her creative process, her music is fluid, open to interpretation, and deeply connected to the whimsical, mystical, and emotionally raw. As she continues to evolve, fans can expect her to keep pushing the boundaries of what music can evoke, always inviting listeners to step into her world, where every sound and image is a portal to something and somewhere deeper.
photo provided by Universal Music Group’s 1824.
edited by Jake Harvey.
photos provided by Universal Music Group’s 1824.