Q&A: Jonavi Explores The Duality Of Love And The Power Of Release On ‘Bite My Tongue’
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
WITH HER LATEST ALBUM BITE MY TONGUE, JONAVI leans into the tension between what we say and what we hold back. The title serves as a double-edged sword, capturing both the sensual pull of romance and the heavy restraint of self-preservation. It’s a project that navigates the complex, intertwined landscapes of romantic and familial love, exploring how our earliest experiences shape the way we accept and give love today.
Throughout the record, JONAVI documents a personal evolution, moving from a space of avoidant silence to a place of "smack-talking" honesty and ultimate release. From the breakthrough realizations found in tracks like "do you? tell her!" to the intentional sequencing of the album, she guides the listener through the process of letting go of an old self to make room for the person she is becoming. We sat down with JONAVI to discuss the weight of holding back, the beauty of personal change and why she’s finally ready to stop thinking too hard and just say what needs to be said. bite my tongue is out this Friday, May 29th.
LUNA: Your new album is titled bite my tongue. Was there a specific moment or a recurring feeling in your life that led to you landing on that as the project title?
JONAVI: "Bite my tongue" implies two things for me: it can seem like a sensual phrase, but it can also be interpreted as regret or self-restraint. I went with this title because I felt it perfectly described the feelings represented on the album. There are songs that are fun and flirty and songs that are more introspective and blunt.
LUNA: The album explores the duality of romantic love alongside the trauma and renewal of familial love. How did you balance such contrasting emotional landscapes during the writing process without one overshadowing the other?
JONAVI: I believe the way we give and receive love is heavily influenced by the first love we ever experience: our family. What we grow up surrounded by and what we're used to then turns into what we're familiar with and what we're willing to accept. Because this is all intertwined, it felt natural to convey these mixed emotions across familial and romantic themes.
LUNA: You’ve mentioned that this project is about accepting both the person you are and the person you’re still learning to become. Was there a specific track on the album that felt like a "breakthrough" moment in understanding that future version of yourself?
JONAVI: It's probably the track "do you? tell her!" which starts off sort of smack-talking an ex and wondering if they're still the same person that you had once dated, and then realizing that it doesn't actually matter because you changed. Writing that song felt like letting go of a version of me I had known for many, many years, and finally coming to terms with the fact that I've changed and I'm okay with the changes I'm making. There are definitely still some things I'm figuring out, but overall I'm really happy with where I'm headed.
LUNA: In the context of this album, does "biting your tongue" feel more like an act of self-preservation or a weight you’re finally ready to let go of?
JONAVI: It's definitely both, and that's something I thoughtfully curated in how the songs should be sequenced on the album. It should start off feeling like an act of self-preservation and end on a feeling of letting go.
LUNA: If you could have a conversation with the person you were before you started writing this album, what’s the one piece of advice you’d give them about "biting their tongue"?
JONAVI: I'd tell old me: "Don't hold back!" I think when we get in the habit of holding ourselves back from saying or doing something that feels like a core part of who we are, it will all come spilling out one way or the other, often in unhealthy ways. I used to be way more avoidant than I currently am, and I've had to learn the hard way how unhealthy it is to keep things bottled up all the time. So that's what I'd tell myself—don't think too hard about whether the words you're saying are coming out perfectly. Say what you need to, and let whatever happen, happen.
LUNA: What intentions do you have for this spring season?
JONAVI: Spend time with family and deepen my friendships. Build my creative network. I really value my community, so I want to make sure I give back the same love they've poured into me.
