Culture Cabinet

After a long journey in the darkness, the morning has finally arrived for jasmine.4.t. And with it, comes what I believe is the rise of an artist to look out for. 

After years in the making, Jasmine is set to release her debut album, You Are The Morning this Friday. The album sings of a journey of one woman’s time of self discovery, heartbreak, and love of those who have supported her through the trenches. 

In 2021, Jasmine came out as trans to her closest circle. And, while some were not supportive, she was able to lean into the support of the ones that were. From there, came a path of intense highs and lows. She found herself dealing with divorce and housing instability that even led to homelessness, but at the same time, she was able to experience love for the first time post-transition. 

However, Jasmine is an artist at heart, and was able to use these experiences to write the makings of You Are the Morning. 

“It was incredibly traumatic for me,” Jasmine says in an interview with Culture Cabinet. “I developed PTSD, experienced hate crimes. That was when I wrote most of the songs that are on my album. It was sort of a cathartic process for me, just processing my emotions, it was almost like diary writing.” 

Throughout this time, Jasmine was able to get connected with boygenius member, Phoebe Bridgers through Jasmine’s mutual friend (and Phoebe’s bandmate), Lucy Dacus. Bridgers was in the process of starting her own record label, Saddest Factory Records, and at the encouragement of Dacus and other friends, Jasmine sent Bridgers a demo. 

After a few months, Jasmine heard back from Dacus. Bridgers was on the phone with her manager, getting a record deal drafted. 

“I remember Lucy texting me, like, ‘Are you ready for that? This will change your life.’ I was like, ‘I kind of hope so,’” the Manchester-based artist says of when she first received the news. 

“Obviously, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for anyone, but I feel a responsibility as a trans woman to step into the spotlight and be visible, because there’s not that many trans women who are visible in music, and there’s so many of us. So it feels good to take that up.” 

The album include singles “You Are The Morning,” “Elephant,” and “Skin on Skin,” and includes the track, “Guy Fawkes Tesco Dissociation” featuring Phoebe Bridgers on lead vocals with Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus backing.

Jasmine recorded the album in California, collaborating closely with the boygenius trio, who produced the album, in a twelve day recording session that Jasmine describes as “like a dream.” 

“It was weird. I felt like they still existed as Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker in my head. But, then I see them, and we just get on so well, and they get on with my bandmates. It was such a good vibe.” 

She has nothing but the kindest of words to say about the three, and it’s evident that she is incredibly grateful for the opportunity that working with them has now presented to her. 

In fact, for any “good vibes” Jasmine can speak of in regards to the creation of her album, I can believe by simply speaking with her, that she certainly must have contributed to that vibe. She has a gentle warmth about her that makes her easy to speak with, and I appreciate her willingness to be open and vulnerable with me. 

While the positive aspects of her journey are inevitably on display, we also talk at length about some of the more negative aspects, and the unfortunately valid concerns she has as a trans woman in the public eye. She tells me of the amount of hate and threats she’s received online, and the way she has to be vigilant when traveling with her band that is made up of all trans women.

“I feel terrified every time we have to stop at a service station and use the toilets when we’re on the road. It’s very anxiety inducing, having all this attention, and I’m suddenly like, ‘Oh God, what if they latch on to me? What if they dox me?’” 

However, Jasmine thankfully has a strong support system around her. “I have wonderful people who have helped me go through and delete the hate, report it. So a lot of times, I don’t even see it. But, I’ve also had so much love and positivity for the tracks that have come out so far, and they’ve been so well received.” 

She’s choosing to focus on the positive, while still being mindful of the harsh realities. But, she is willing to take on the charge of making a seat for herself at the table, with the help of those she is clearly grateful for. 

But, in terms of what she hopes people take away, she returns to that desire for solidarity, encouraging listeners to do what they can to help the trans community, pointing me in the direction of organizations like Trans Mutual Aid Manchester. 

“It feels good to be able to be an example,” she says. “You see all these horror stories of trans women dying violently, but to be able to be like, ‘Actually, we also live joyfully?’ Yeah, that feels good.” 

You Are The Morning is out this Friday, January 17. 

You can donate to Trans Mutual Aid Manchester here