Jackie Mendoza channels the tension of social anxiety on psych-pop gem “Mucho Más”

Combining her Mexican heritage with the tropics of her south Californian home, Jackie draws from personal experiences to create her electronic ukulele-based pop - crafting her tracks with authenticity and astute observation. “Mucho Más” becomes a comforting pep talk amongst the blistering production – a hypnotic chorus to drown out the self-deprecating voices battling inside her head.

“When I was younger, I was diagnosed with depression and social anxiety,” Mendoza explains. “It comes in waves and once my anxiety runs down and I’m on the other side of it, I become inspired. ‘Mucho Más’ is about facing your fears and believing that anything is possible if you are open and if you try.

“The lyrics came from a poem I wrote on a day where I felt too anxious to leave my apartment. When it came to recording vocals I went back to the poem, and because I was in such a comfortable place in the studio, I felt like I was on the other side of my anxious tendencies. It felt relieving”.

This reassurance is mirrored in the video’s kaleidoscopic colour palette – sunset pinks and topaz blues shielding Jackie from the toxicity of her thoughts. There’s a sense of spiritual healing as the flickering hues melt into a pastel halo around the artist’s head, pulsing with tropical light and a saintly reassurance.

“Hay mucho más allá” / “there’s way more out there” Mendoza insists, bringing with it the promise of serenity – if only for a fleeting second.