Sis has just released her debut album, Vibhuti, an emotionally rich and musically diverse exploration of spiritual awakening by Jenny Gillespie Mason. Inspired by healing dreams and the teachings of Indian mystics, the album blends new age, synth-pop, jazz, and world music. It features instruments such as the Afghan rubab and Yamaha C-3 synth, and collaborations with artists like Devendra Banhart. The result is a sparkling, joyful journey through Sis’ spiritual and artistic growth, released on Native Cat Recordings. In the wake of the release, we get to know Sis a little more, exploring themes of experimentation, finding peace, and playful creation.
For those who have never heard of Sis, who are you and what is your music about?
I’m Jenny, a musician living in Northern California, originally from the prairies of Illinois. I front a project called Sis which I’ve been doing since 2018. It’s really changing from album to album, but right now it’s a playful experimental blend of pop, electro and new age.
Let’s talk about your new album Vibhuti, what does this record mean to you?
Vibhuti is my victory record! It’s the culmination of many years of practice, experimentation, writing, and musical exploration, as well as a record that marks an important point of spiritual and personal evolution in my own life.
What do you hope listeners will take away from the album?
I hope listeners will feel soothed, a sense of joy, and peace through the sounds.
Do you have a favourite song from the record?
I think either Splendor or Center of the Heart.
Did you face any challenges when recording Vibhuti? And how did you overcome them?
The whole record flowed pretty easily until the mixing. Because it is such a complex record with so many layers, it was hard to communicate everything with the engineer who was amazing, but we did have a few points of tension just because some of the songs are so intricately built and needed a lot of time and attention to mix, some of them requiring several iterations.
Do you have any advice for fellow or future songwriters who want to branch out of their comfort zone?
Remember to play like a child. Work in a different medium for a while like painting, or get a new interesting instrument and write with it.
What are you grateful for right now at this moment?
I am so grateful for my children’s health, happiness, and safety.
What has been the most rewarding highlight of your career so far?
Recently I read through two decades of journals that included my poems and songwriting. I could see how much I have developed as a writer through the years and kept improving. That was very rewarding.
Who would be your dream collaboration?
Carlos Ninos
Who or what are your biggest inspirations?
The writings of Sri Aurobindo and Mother Mirra Alfassa. My children. The sky. Trees. Water.
And lastly, what can fans expect from Sis this year?
There will be a remix coming out of Mother’s Grace, and I’m starting to write towards a new album.
You can find album track ‘Bow to Your Wilderness’ in our Outsiders Club playlist.
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