INTERVIEW

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27/12/2024
Janet Devlin first stole the hearts of millions in 2011 when she appeared as a standout contestant on The X Factor UK. At just 16 years old, her ethereal tone and shy demeanour transformed into a powerful presence on stage, earning her a place in the quarterfinals. While many reality TV contestants fade from the spotlight, Janet has continued to lay her path and identity far beyond those early moments as a teenager. From her debut album, ‘Hide & Seek’, back in 2013 to her latest release, ‘Emotional Rodeo’, and supporting Russell Crowe on tour, Janet has continually evolved and overcome. She has embraced her vulnerability and now steps boldly into the world of country.
When I sat down to chat with Janet Devlin, she was in the midst of a busy schedule. Our conversation began with the kind of easy small talk that quickly hinted at the vibrancy of her day-to-day world. “I’ve just been in the studio today,” she shared, “and then should be going to the horses, I think after this.” Her tone was calm, yet there was a spark of excitement. As I’d learned, horses are a key part of her self-care—a way to quiet her busy mind. Her music carries themes of vulnerability, empowerment, and mental health—subjects she tackles head-on. Janet finds beauty in the struggles and triumphs, weaving them into her music and daily life.
Reflecting on her busy weeks and the build-up to Christmas, Janet noted that the holiday season offers a rare chance for rest. “Christmas is in sight,” she said. “It’s the only time you can take time off in this industry.” We laughed about how January often feels like an unofficial extension of the holiday break, with many people easing back into their routines well into February. For Janet, this downtime is essential to recharge before diving into the ambitious projects she has planned for the new year. “There’s more chat now about another Nashville trip and whispers of a tour,” she revealed. “I want to get in the studio and write more because I feel like I’ve found my swing. I want to write a million more songs in this vein.” Her enthusiasm was contagious, and she thrived in creative momentum.
Janet has collaborated with Newton Faulkner, Jack Savoretti, and Joshua Radin but always finds collaborations with close friends and fellow songwriters play a significant role for her. “I write with a lot of my mates,” she shared. “It’s always fun to catch up and write a song.” For Janet, these sessions are both creatively fulfilling and deeply personal. Her album track, ‘Funeral for My Best Friend’, is a testament to this. Co-written with Maddox Jones, the song was born from a raw, emotional moment in Janet’s life. “I ended a three-and-a-half-year relationship, and that person moved out of the house the night before. So it was all raw and emotional,” she explained. “that literally would not have been written if it wasn’t for [him]… and it turned out to be one of my favourite songs on the record.”
Songwriting, she explained, is a way of processing emotions in their rawest form. “There’s nothing quite like capturing how you feel in the moment. I’ve written things I would’ve otherwise forgotten—like wearing their T-shirt or spraying their cologne on me,” she said. “For me, it’s a rapid and efficient form of therapy,” Janet added. “Oh, absolutely, it’s expressing things that people are feeling. A lot of people don’t write about their feelings. They might talk about it with their friends but don’t put pen to paper. I think that’s why I listen to lyric-heavy music; you get loads of goosebumps because it allows you to feel seen.” Her ability to translate her innermost thoughts into powerful lyrics is a gift she embraces wholeheartedly. “I have it a lot when I listen to ballads. Especially writing ballads; they’re easy and quick for me. I think it’s the BPD; I’ll sit down, and then I’ll be starting to write and realise that I hadn’t noticed I was feeling this way or feeling these things, but this is what’s coming straight off the dome,” she explained.
The title track from her new album, ‘Emotional Rodeo’, encapsulates her journey with mental health in a way that feels both empowering and unflinchingly honest. Inspired by her search for upbeat songs about BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder), Janet wrote her own. “I wanted something that wasn’t just heavy and dark,” she said. “I want to say how it feels, but I wanted one that was empowered and accepting and owning it instead of talking about the pain of it all. So then that’s what that song will be about. It became this empowered version, where, yeah, I’m hard to love. I’m difficult to manage. But apparently, you want to stand up to the task of trying it. So let’s go,” she said with a smile.
This willingness to confront stigmatised topics head-on is part of what makes Janet’s work so impactful. She spoke passionately about the importance of addressing mental health in a balanced way—highlighting both the struggles and the triumphs. “When you first get diagnosed with something, you truly can feel like everything’s against you. You’re never going to have good things because you have this condition that’s going to stand in your way. Then you read about people who may have the same thing and are out there, living their lives and achieving great things. It can be inspiring. It’s nice to see people go through it, and they’re still going,” she admitted. “Now, I see it as something that gives me clarity. You find a way to laugh at it, and that takes its power away.”
When discussing her time on The X Factor, Janet spoke candidly about her challenges and the support available to her as a young contestant. “I had mental health issues before I did the show,” she shared openly, revealing that she had already been grappling with self-harm and other struggles long before stepping into the limelight. At just 16, the pressures of the show, combined with her existing vulnerabilities, brought her to a breaking point. “I hit a wall with everything,” she admitted, reflecting on the challenges of navigating such intense exposure at such a formative age. However, she praised the swift response she received after seeking help during the show. “I said that I was struggling, and they were there immediately. The next day, I had seen a psychiatrist, a psychologist, and a doctor; I’d been given medication, all within a day. The only criticism I have is that I wish they’d let us know that was there from the beginning.” She acknowledged that the show was “a victim of its time,” where mental health wasn’t as openly discussed or prioritised as it is today. Still, she sees value in learning from the past, believing that reality TV is improving. “I think it surprises a lot of people when I tell them that I was sent for help pretty quickly,” she added, underscoring the complexity of her experience in the spotlight.



Janet also reflected on the unpredictability of spontaneity in her life. “It can be my best friend at times, but also my biggest downfall,” she admitted, recounting how, in her younger years, manic phases often manifested in risky behaviours like overspending, lack of sleep, or hypersexuality.
With the shoot set at an equine therapy centre, the conversation naturally moved to a shared passion for horses and their impact on mental well-being. “Something that I appreciate from horse riding is that, as a writer, we give so much grace to the animals where we understand that they can’t communicate their emotions, so we give them more leeway when they act out and get scared. We approach them with so much kindness. I think it’s something that, if you’ve ridden horses, is taking that voice that you give to the animal; you need to give it to yourself as well.”
As our conversation drew to a close, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of Janet’s story and her unique outlook on life. She is proof that even the most winding roads can lead to extraordinary destinations, embodying an inspiring image for countless young people struggling with mental health. There’s a quiet strength in owning every part of your journey, and Janet wears hers with grace. She has crafted a life that celebrates authenticity and finds beauty in vulnerability. Her latest album, ‘Emotional Rodeo’, brimming with country wit and raw emotion, vividly reflects this growth and the courage to embrace every twist and turn.
Creative Alice Gee & Max Giorgeschi
Photography Max Giorgeschi
Styling Lois Jenner
Loction SLTH Equine Therapy
Look 1, Top & Jeans, Self Portrait. Coat, Cookie H @ Crescent Agency.
Look 2, Dress, Self Portrait. Necklace & bracelet, Retro Chic @ Crescent Agency
Look 3, Top, Bibiy @ Dyelog Pr. Jeans, Levi’s
Wearing: @mrselfportrait @bibiy_official @levis @retrochicitaly @bycookieh @dyelogpr @crescentagency