Paris Jackson mines her heartache for solo debut album

It started in her bedroom with just a guitar, but Paris Jackson has turned coping with heartache after a recent breakup into her debut solo album.

Jackson, 22, has been a devoted music fan all her life and dabbled in making her own, but has been hesitant to call herself a singer-songwriter until w.

“It’s one of greatest feelings I’ve ever experienced,” Jackson told Associated Press in an exclusive interview this week.

She describes her ereal acoustic sound as alternative folk — a far cry from genre of her far, Michael Jackson. Being daughter of King of Pop adds an extra layer of scrutiny to vulnerability required to put personal songs out into world.

“I’m excited, I’m nervous, but I feel confident that people that are supposed to hear this record are going to hear it. It’s going to reach m. And with regards to critics and stuff, I don’t really think y’re going to kw how to critique it,” Jackson says.

Earlier this year, Jackson was one half of acoustic duo “ Soundflowers” with boyfriend Gabriel Glenn, until two split. She describes nursing a broken heart as a literal “aching in your chest,” but Jackson turned her pain into art. “You were my all/And w I fall to ground,” she sings on her new single “Let Down,” which drops Friday.

time in her bedroom resulted in 11 songs on concept album, “Wilted,” released by Republic Records, and out on v. 13. All sts of grief are represented in her lyrics: anger, denial, bargaining and acceptance, but last song, upbeat “Ar Spring,” reveals a stronger woman who lets her “wounds shine through.”

Jackson cites many musical influences — including singer-songwriters Damien Rice, Ray LaMontagne and Cor Oberst. Her eyes light up when she talks about being a “massive fan” of indie rock band Manchester Orchestra. When she heard that guitarist-singer-songwriter Andy Hull from band would produce her first record, she was elated. She flew to Atlanta to work with him and says band was supportive of her sound.

“Everyone was just so welcoming and so kind and y held this project to be, like, very sacred. y understood my emotional connection to it and understood that this is my baby. y didn’t want to do anything that wasn’t auntic to who I am and y just took it to next level,” Jackson says.

Michael Jackson famously attempted to shield his three young children from spotlight. After Jackson’s death in 2009 of an overdose of anestic propofol, Paris and her two brors — who go by Prince, 23, and Bigi, 18 — went to live with ir grandmor, Karine Jackson. Paris moved out at 18 and has been modeling and acting, but always played music.

In June, she and Glenn had a docu-series on Facebook Watch called “Unfiltered,” which provided a glimpse into her private life and duo’s small acoustic tour. Jackson revealed self-harm and suicide attempts in her testimonials, and said music was a way to channel her pain.

re’s an upcoming music video to go with new single “Let Down,” a d to younger Jackson’s love of horror and gore. In it, character she plays has her heart literally ripped out of her chest by her lover. One of recurring scenes is set in dark woods, reminiscent of elements in her far’s famous “Thriller” video. When asked what he might think of her music, Jackson demurs.

“I don’t kw. I’m t him, so I can’t speak for him. But I hope he would be happy, and I think he would be stoked because I’m happy,” she said.

pandemic has sidelined most musical acts and Jackson says she misses hearing her favorite bands live and aspires to play a few shows soon, if anti-COVID-19 measures allow. She said she hopes music will help people feel “a little less lonely.”

“I found so much healing through creating this. And re are moments where I’ll listen back to certain songs and I’m like, ‘Wow I was so naïve.’ But for most part, it’s just like so much gratitude and joy that I get from listening to se songs and just seeing development and evolution,” she said.