Jo from School Finds Strength in Saying the Quiet Things Out Loud

Words by Kasia Krawczyk

There’s no rockstar entrance when Jo from School walks into the backstage room at Shacklewell Arms. Instead, she greets us with an easy smile, wearing a bright red top that matches the warmth she immediately brings to the conversation. She’s relaxed, funny and refreshingly self-aware, the kind of person who’ll joke about Googling herself on the Tube one minute before opening up about the emotions she’s spent years trying to hide the next.

It’s fitting that we meet just before she steps on stage. Live is where Weight—the latest single from her debut EP Grace, Flair & Distance—has taken on a life of its own. What began as a song she nearly abandoned has become her favourite to perform, transforming from a private confession into something shared with a room full of strangers.

Over the last year, Jo has quietly built momentum. Support from BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, 6 Music and Rolling Stone UK has introduced her to a growing audience, while tours with artists including Skullcrusher have only sharpened her confidence. But despite everything happening around her, she still speaks like someone who’s figuring it all out in real time.

Ahead of her show at Shacklewell Arms, we caught up with Jo to talk about self-doubt, unfinished songs, finding comfort in vulnerability, and why the best music often comes from the people who know you best.

Congratulations on “Weight”! You said it almost didn’t get finished. Looking back now, what made you decide it was worth pushing through?

“I’m pretty bad at following through with things, especially when it comes to emotions or anything I don’t really want to sit with for too long,” Jo laughs. “At the time, I didn’t think the song was very good, but my producer Rich kept saying, ‘We’ve got to keep going with this one.'”

She admits she’s always struggled with finishing songs.

“I tend to move on really quickly because I don’t want to keep touching them. Rich and my friends were definitely my biggest support. They kept encouraging me, especially when everything started feeling a bit overwhelming.”

“Weight” is both soft and emotionally heavy. Was there a specific moment or feeling that inspired the song?

“I think it’s probably the most internal song I’ve written—it’s the one that’s most inside my own head.”

Rather than hiding behind metaphor, Weight allowed Jo to confront emotions she’d carried for a long time.

“It’s a feeling I’ve always had around me. To actually talk about it directly and say how I’m feeling was amazing because I usually cover those things up. I think what inspired the song was simply wanting to be really honest with myself.”

Your debut EP Grace, Flair & Distance is almost here. If listeners could take away just one feeling after hearing it, what would you hope it is?

She laughs before answering.

“I’d honestly just be happy if people liked any of it—that’s setting the bar pretty low,” she jokes.

“But with Weight specifically, I really hope it resonates with people both lyrically and emotionally. And with the EP as a whole… I hope people can dance and cry.”

You’ve described “Weight” as your favourite song to perform live. What changes when you play it in front of an audience?

“Because it’s so confessional, it’s actually really thrilling to sing it to a room full of people.”

Although the song was born in private, performing it transformed its meaning.

“It feels like such a behind-closed-doors song, and I don’t think it reached its full potential until we started playing it live. It almost feels like reading your diary out loud. We’ve turned it into this really rocky version with the band now, and it’s become just as therapeutic as it was when I wrote it.”

Why is it important for you to keep your creative circle so personal?

“It’s such an intimate process because you’re constantly inside your own head.”

For Jo, surrounding herself with trusted people isn’t just comforting—it’s essential.

“It’s really easy to let your ego get involved. My friends and family keep me grounded, but they also lift me up whenever I don’t think something’s good enough or I’m unsure about where the writing is going. They’re also the inspiration for probably ninety-nine per cent of my music, so I really need them.”

You started writing songs on the piano when you were just nine years old. If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Without missing a beat, she smiles.

“First of all, I’d tell myself to stop using the same chord progression over and over. It’s not working for you—you’re not Adele.”

Then she pauses.

“But I’d also tell myself that it’s okay to be different.”

You’ve already received support from BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, 6 Music and publications like Rolling Stone UK. Has there been one moment where everything suddenly felt a little more real?

“It felt amazing.”

Yet those milestone moments rarely arrive in glamorous settings.

“It’s usually when I’m sitting on the bus or the Tube that it suddenly hits me. I’ll end up Googling myself and seeing my name pop up somewhere, and I think, ‘Hey… I actually exist.'”

She admits she’s still learning to enjoy those achievements rather than immediately worrying about what’s next.

“I definitely need to get better at living in the moment instead of being anxious about everything else that’s going on. But yeah… it was awesome.”

You’ve supported artists like Skullcrusher, Daffo and TTSSFU. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve taken from touring with other musicians?

“My most recent tour was with Skullcrusher.”

One conversation in particular stayed with her.

“She taught me that you’re allowed to feel differently about music and that your path doesn’t have to look like what people expect. She told me to be really present and confident in the music I was playing, and that meant the world when you’re standing on stage.”

You’re only at the beginning of your career, but what does success look like for Jo from School five years from now?

For Jo, success isn’t measured by charts or numbers.

“I just want to keep making music and go even deeper into what I love about it. That’s the thing that keeps me going.”

Equally important are the people she meets along the way.

“Meeting other musicians is what really inspires me. It keeps me excited about music.”

And for anyone wondering what’s next, she offers one final promise with a smile:

“There are definitely more shows on the way.”

Jo’s debut EP Grace, Flair & Distance was released today, so make sure to give it a listen.

Photos by Lily Doidge