Already sitting at over 17k streams, “Exposure” is easily one of the most popular tracks to come from a TCU artist, and I am absolutely OBSESSED. I was so lucky to sit down with Ieva Janus, the TCU student and musical talent behind the single and learn so much more about everything that led to its debut.
“Exposure” is a catchy and melodic indie pop song that explores the complicated emotions that arise when developing romantic feelings for a friend. Through this interview, I discovered that Ieva is just as compelling and charming as her music, so I absolutely must share everything I know!
Who is Ieva Janus?
Ieva Janus (pronounced “yeh-vuh”) is an American born, Lithuanian raised singer-songwriter who has traveled the world and wants to make music that can connect to everyone to it. In my opinion, her authentic experiences growing up permeates her music, which mostly falls into the pop and indie genres. Ieva wants her career to be like a partnership with her supporters, and this can be seen in her style of music production which focuses on harmonies to symbolize the collective experiences in which she sings about.Â
Ieva has loved music for as long as she can remember; she learned to play the piano as a young girl and wrote her first songs around that age too. However, she considers the true genesis of her songwriting career as high school and all the bittersweet growth that comes with adolescence.Â
‘Exposure’ — The Single
“Exposure” has a very intentional production. It’s mellow in an indie, bedroom pop fashion that builds up until the chorus where there’s an explosion in the melody of the track. I was happy to discover that along with writing and singing “Exposure,” Ieva was heavily involved in the production of the song, working alongside her producer who she says thankfully prioritized her vision from the very beginning.
Ieva’s vocals, as she tells this story of unrequited love, works in a similar fashion, quiet and simple but building in tension just like the main character of the song who realizes they may have deepening feelings for their friend.
Once we reach the chorus, and especially the bridge, Ieva’s voice soars, capturing the raw emotion as she showcases her feelings in full exposure just like the love interest in the song’s narrative. It’s the vulnerability (and talent!) that really sold me on this song.
“That’s a really big thing for me — to connect with the listeners through that emotion whether that be through the lyrics or even, more importantly, the melodies.”Â
Ieva hopes to achieve a sound that transcends language, so that the emotion of her songs can be felt no matter what.
‘Exposure’ — The Music Video
“Exposure” can be found on all streaming platforms, but I highly encourage checking out her music video on YouTube which has already reached over 1,000 views! “Exposure,” the music video, was filmed at the Baltic Sea which Ieva considers her favorite place ever. The sea and gorgeous forest add a new dimension to the listening experience with the ambiance it provides both sonically and visually. Ieva always felt that water was a great way to symbolize this song.
A key element to the storyline in the video is that she didn’t want there to be any antagonist in order to show that we can’t necessarily blame someone for not sharing our feelings. In my opinion, It’s this awareness and maturity that adds to the realism of the narrative.Â
What’s Next?
What’s next for Ieva Janus? A full album is her biggest goal! At the time of writing this, I know that we can expect the next single much sooner, very soon even! She gave me the fun little hint that she may take a more upbeat approach in future singles and plans to play with techno and psychedelic sounds. We can expect her signature harmonies to remain in her music, and we can also expect a similar theme as she continues telling us this story and showing us who she is.
I’m literally counting down the days until the next single, but I’ll be playing and replaying “Exposure” until she releases the next song!