Jill T hasn’t been on the island for years like other artists that I have interviewed in the past. But she made enough of an impression on me to want to find out more about her…
Hi Jill, how are you? Jill T is your artistic name, right? What’s your full name?
I’m fine thank you. My name is Jill Turner.
And where are you from originally?
I’m from East London, a place called Mile End.
Right, and what brought you to Lanzarote in the first place?
The weather, mainly, there is practically good weather all year round. And the fact that it’s a small island, nothing is too far away.
And how long have you lived on the island then?
Just about 19th months.
Is that all? If feels longer since I first saw you perform!
Well, time flies when you are having fun, doesn’t it? I’m very passionate about what I do.
It certainly shows, believe me. Musically you describe yourself as a vocalist, an entertainer. Who is you inspiration?
Oh, there are too many to mention! In the early days I would have mentioned the likes of Mark Bolan from T.Rex and Barbra Streisand. But I’m a rock girl at heart, so Jon Bon Jovi, ADCD, Guns & Roses, etc would be up there.
I see. So for someone that hasn’t been to see you yet, what can they expect?
Definitely fun, up beat, dancing music. Obviously I tailor my act to the venue and the audience’s age group but it’s all about having a good time and enjoying the music.
It definitely sound like fun! Now, for those who already know you, would you like to tell them something they might not know about yourself?
Actually, I am a dog lover. At the moment my living arrangements don’t allow me to have one of my own, so sometimes when I get the chance, I go to Sara, the island’s biggest and oldest animal shelter and I volunteer walking the dogs there. It’s heart-breaking! I would take them all home if I could!
I hear you! They need all the help they can get, caring for those animals… What do you like to do when you are not gigging or volunteering?
I like driving around the island away from the touristic areas, finding a quiet place to have a picnic for example.
I don’t blame you! And in terms of you favourite place to eat?
I love going to Famara, El Golfo or Arrieta for seafood and in my opinion, the best paella in the island.
Mmmm, I’m hungry now! Getting back to your music, where can people see you these days?
Currently I am:
On Mondays, at The Phoenix Tavern in Puerto del Carmen at 10pm.
On Wednesdays at The Shamrock in Costa Teguise at 9:30pm.
On Fridays and Saturdays, at The Shamrock in Costa Teguise too, at the earlier time of 7:15pm.
And finally on Sundays, back in Puerto del Carmen, in Las Calas, at 9:30pm.
My Facebook page is the best way to keep up to date with any changes to my performances.
Any musical projects in the horizon?
Certainly! I am also one half of an act called “No Strings” with Ryan McArthur from Echoes Cocktail Bar in Puerto del Carmen. We are a wedding and other functions duo, also a lot of fun!
And hopefully I’ll release a CD towards the end of the year with my songs. Ryan also will feature in one of the tracks.
Oh, great! Keep us informed about when the CD comes out! Thank you for your time, it was a pleasure talking to you.
The pleasure was all mine.
See all of Susana’s articles.
