Introducing… Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas

Jessica Hernandez: “I’ve finally found people that I trust creatively”

Jessica Hernandez and her gang of fellow Detroiters, The Deltas are a delightful blend of punk spirit and accessible songwriting

Name: Jessica Hernandez (guitar and vocals), Michael Krygier (guitar and vocals), Steve Lehane (bass and vocals), Taylor Pierson (keys, accordion and vocals), John Raleeh (trombone) and Stephen Stetson (drums)

Location: Detroit, USA

Style: Poppy punk with plenty of attitude

Look out for: The band’s Caught Up EP is out now

Having just played the last night of their first European tour, supporting legendary US punks Social Distortion, Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas are starting to make some noise over here in the UK. Considering their edgy, yet accessible, sound it is perhaps surprising to see them on tour with Mike Ness’ hardcore posse. “I was nervous because Social Distortion are this super punk band and I didn’t know if their fans were going to be responsive,” says Jessica. “Surprisingly it’s been amazing and everyone has been really kind.”

Jessica and her band’s new Caught Up EP is a scuzzy trawl through the musical heritage of their home town Detroit. It contains a mixture of old material, songs available on their US full-length and a cover of Le Tigre’s Deceptacon, the only song not penned by Hernandez. “There are some old things that I’ve re-recorded,” she reveals. “They were personal to me and it was cool to finally put them on a record. I wrote a lot of it when I was still in my singer-songwriter phase, writing songs in storytelling form and then integrating the instruments and tones that I love.”

Signed to the revived Instant Records, Richard Gottehrer’s label seems like a perfect home for the band. “I trust him,” says Jessica of the legendary Blondie and The Go-Go’s producer. “There’s comfort when you’re with someone like Richard who has worked with really strong female artists. Although they have broken into the mainstream, they have still been considered these punk females who were also edgy rock women.”

Next up for the band is a headline tour of the States, before returning to the studio later in the year to work on an album, and this time it will be a group effort. “I’ve finally found people that I trust creatively,” she asserts. “For our second full length, we’re actually starting to write together which I’m excited about”. As we all should be. Motor City’s next big thing is here.

Check out the video of Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas performing Caught Up live on KEXP, and for more details about the band visit their website: www.jessicahernandez.net

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