'A Terrible Honor' Turned a Joyous Memory
Semler on the re-recording of Jesus From Texas, and a new album coming soon
Imagine one of your favorite moments with your best friends captured in history forever; for the artist Semler, that became a reality when they reinvented the sound of their song, Jesus From Texas. At midnight in Los Angeles with the people they love so much, they joyously screamed out the lyrics to the final chorus, the song taking on a new meaning, a far cry from the first demo recorded alone during the COVID lockdown.
The re-record of Jesus From Texas is the latest single from 33-year-old artist Grace Baldridge, whose artist name is Semler. Semler has been releasing music on Spotify since 2017 and has been writing music even longer. Some of their earliest memories are writing jingles in their head, and by the time they learned to play guitar at age 12 or 13, they were writing full-length songs. Their style can be characterized as alternative/indie, and they’ve been described by some as Christian alt. Their 2021 album Preacher's Kid explores their experiences with church, faith, and queerness, and it topped the iTunes Christian album chart. Although, Semler explained that being characterized as a Christian act doesn't fully represent what they're doing with their music.
"I often feel misunderstood, I think, by the industry, but I feel completely, wholly supported and understood by people who found my music, and I'm only here because of them," Semler said.
Leading up to the re-release of Jesus From Texas, and after its release on September 24, 2024, the song has done well on social media. On TikTok, the new recording has been used in over 1,000 videos so far. The line "what a terrible honor it's been to learn that my blessings are things you call sins," which Semler explained struck them while walking their dog, has been especially resonant for many social media users. From videos with the song portraying queer joy alongside the caption "the gay lifestyle I was afraid of" to photo spreads where people show how they looked when the original version came out compared to today, Jesus From Texas has been a full circle moment for many.
It wasn't just full circle for people on social media, but for Semler as well, who initially released the demo on Spotify in December of 2020. The demo has a beautiful, raw quality, while the new recording has a more joyful and upbeat tone. As Semler explained, this was an intentional choice.
"It was a little bit tentative; it was hopeful, but it wasn't certain, and it was pretty sad at the time,” Semler said. “And I feel right now, as I'm releasing music, much more triumphant and secure and supported. I can put faces to these feelings; I know I'm not alone. I think when I wrote Jesus from Texas, I was hopeful that I wasn't, but I didn't really know what was out there, and I wanted to translate that to the recording."
Their producer agreed. Zach Fisher, who has been working with Semler for over a decade, explained, "We purposely didn't just redo it [Jesus From Texas] the way it was, but with nicer equipment, we really wanted to make it more."
Semler added that this re-record was recorded alongside a brand new album that's coming out in February of 2025.
"I think with Preacher's Kid, I just felt really, really lost," Semler said. "There's still a lot of things I have questions about, but I wouldn't really describe myself as lost. I feel very tethered to my family, and I think that's represented on this album."
Jax Anderson, the creative director for the new album release and the Jesus From Texas music video, explained that, at the recommendation of the Director of Photography, Rachel Bickert, they shot the music video on 16mm film. This stylistic choice gives it a very warm and classic feel.
The video, which includes shots of Semler playing music with friends, as well as moments with their wife, daughter, and mother, is a testament to queer joy. The stripped-back video feels more like it's about the connection between the artist and the audience and the intimate connection between the artist and their family rather than being a grand spectacle.
"We wanted to showcase a positive queer family experience, considering the song is about losing a friend because they aren't accepting. Grace's real-life mom, wife, and kid are in the video, which I thought was really important to have. We don't get to see enough images of how queer lives can be not only accepted but also celebrated," Anderson said.
The re-release of Jesus From Texas alongside the music video is such a full circle moment that lays the groundwork for the new album coming out in a few months. Semler explained that the new record is similar thematically in many ways to their album Preacher's Kid. They added that there is more confidence in both their songwriting and performance, which translates to the record, which also includes a bit of resolution to the story that was started in Preacher's Kid.
"This is the first thing in a long time that I helped write, record, produce, and mix, and I'm really part of this record. It's one of the best things I've ever done if not the best thing I've ever done (until our next record) and I'm just really proud of it," Fisher said.
Semler is eagerly looking ahead to the February album release and the tour that will follow after that as interaction and connection with audiences is something so important to them.
"I'm not signed, I don't have a label, I don't have management. I only have that connection with people who support my music and who see the vision; I can't put it into words how much it means," Semler said.