Today we’d like to introduce you to Jayna Doyle
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I front Glass Mansions, an indie alt/pop band based in Austin, TX. Jayna Doyle (vocals, drumpad), Blake Arambula (synth, guitar, programming) and David Edwards (drums). We relocated here from SC in 2021, after having toured thru Austin so many times we fell in love with the city and it’s hustle. Before the pandemic and prior to moving to ATX, we would tour nonstop, hitting dive bars and small cap venues usually 150+ dates a year. We love touring, and our sound didn’t feel very embraced or welcomed back in South Carolina so we stayed on the road a lot trying to figure out where we fit. We’ve been very lucky to have played Warped Tour multiple years, open for incredible bands like Phantogram, Young the Giant, Robert DeLong, Shiny Toy Guns, Foxy Shazam, Beach Fossils, etc.
But we feel like we’re finally coming into our own now — really grounded into our grunge-pop sound and proud of who we are and what we stand for when we get on stage. Austin has provided such a safe space for us to bloom and lean into who we want to be as artists and I think that is really coming across during our shows now. We want to empower other artists and people at our shows to really lean into themselves and not give up on what they deeply believe in, no matter what it is.
Our last EP release, ‘RITUAL’ came out in 2018… and we’ve released ‘FAITH’ ‘STANDING O’ and ‘NEARSIGHTED’ since moving here — which have all been KUTX Song of the Day and we’ve been very grateful at how well they’ve been received. We can’t wait to release new music in 2025 that we’ve been working on with the incredible Taylor Webb, we’re truly sitting on our best music yet! Our dream is to play ACL one day — to do what we’ve been told is impossible.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been an easy road. Absolutely not. We come from a small town in a small state (SC) that doesn’t celebrate hard work or success — it’s viewed as a threat or off-putting to do anything outside of what anyone else is doing — think tall poppy syndrome to the extreme. That creates such a toxic and confusing environment for an artist… when we first got started we wanted to do well and make our community proud, but they didn’t really want that (from us or any band) and we’d have no sense of community and end up being mocked for our efforts. It took us moving to a new city (ATX) that really celebrates effort to feel finally welcomed into a community that thrives when we all thrive. An inclusive community.
We’ve played tons of empty rooms — but they’ve made us tighter, lots of ALMOSTS you wouldn’t even believe if I told you — but they’ve all made us hungrier and more grateful than ever when we do have our little victories.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I make alt/pop music rich with heavy synths, dirty guitar, big beats and soulful, cathartic vocals. We’re known for going above and beyond with our live show productions as an indie band with no crew. We program and design our own lighting based off my own synthesthia perception — because I ‘feel’ colors when I hear music, I want our audience to be able to experience our music that same way that I do. I’m most proud of our authenticity, I think us staying true to ourselves as artists and not getting carried out to sea by some fleeting trend sets us apart — the stubbornness to stay in our vision because we believe in it that strongly.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Jos Coffee on a Sunday is my favorite weekly routine! But really my favorite thing about this city is that any day of the week you can go out and stumble upon an incredible artist playing music. Creativity and hustle never ends here and it keeps you inspired and motivated to create and contribute.
My least favorite thing about the city is i35 traffic, driving here is a whole event.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.glassmansions.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassmansions
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassmansionsofficial
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/c/glassmansionsofficial
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6XtG1MRcjfYYRpnbqTMS5Y?si=TaPsu2CNTfKmI2BYnlMG7w
Image Credits
Mia Naome Photography
Joey Martinez
Ismael Quintanilla
