by martina rexrode
photo courtesy of coyote eyes
Coyote Eyes is a musical project led by singer-songwriter Jo Eubanks who recently released a triumphant new single titled “Lightning Strikes.” With a similar cinematic flourish to her other singles, Coyote Eyes is once again able to conjure up images of some of life’s most complex emotions within just a few minutes, an impressive feat for an artist with just over ten singles to her name. We talked to Coyote Eyes about the moment that inspired this release, the fascinating woman who embodies its lyrics, and where her name came from.
What does this single represent to you as an artist?
Coyote Eyes: “‘Lightning Strikes’ is extremely significant to me both as an artist and a person. Creating it was such a spiritual experience for me — it just feels like whatever higher power is out there moves through the music.”
Was there a specific moment in your life that inspired this song?
Coyote Eyes: “Totally. I was dating someone who had such a deep faith that ‘if it’s meant to be, it will be.’ Things just seemed to align for him throughout his life; he was a very successful actor, which I say because anyone who’s in that field knows what a small percentage of people experience that high level of success, and relationships had come easily to him as well. I, on the other hand, had trudged a path which felt like it was decorated with potholes and detours. Our experiences led us to have very different beliefs and brought up the question: are obstacles in life challenges or redirection? I could go on forever down that philosophical rabbit hole, but for now, I’ll just say that’s how ‘Lightning Strikes’ was born.”
What kinds of moments do you hope “Lightning Strikes” might help listeners through?
Coyote Eyes: “I’m hoping it will help listeners feel less alone and more hopeful. I often had the feeling that something was wrong with me because my path had been challenging, and that’s just not so. Sometimes the rockiest paths lead to the most beautiful views.”
The visuals for your recent singles have each been influenced by the stories of various tragic women. Who do you associate the visuals for this single with?
Coyote Eyes: “I think this story is so cool. So I’ve always been fascinated by Lady Godiva. You may not know who she is, but you’ve definitely seen the famous painting of her by John Collier — it’s a naked woman riding a white horse, covered only by her own hair. Lady Godiva lived in the 11th Century and was married to a very powerful Earl in England who instated horribly oppressive taxes in his… I guess they were districts back then? Anyways, she kept pleading with him to have compassion but he refused and said the only way he would lower the taxes is if she rode through the town completely naked, which he obviously assumed she would not do. You can imagine how humiliating that would be for a woman at that time. But, that’s exactly what she did. So in the video, Lady Godiva is conjured back to life to be able to tell her side of the story — we see her come to life from the painting and then fade back into it.”
Do you think of the stories you want to tell visually and the women they represent before or after the songs are complete?
Coyote Eyes: “After. They’re usually unrelated, but applicable.”
How did you find your sound? Are there any artists or groups who have had an influence on your musical development?
Coyote Eyes: “I think I always knew what sound I wanted, but it took me a while to A) find the right people to help me get there, and B) give myself permission to fully explore what I wanted to sonically. When I was younger, I felt like I ‘had’ to pull back, or I guess round my edges to fit into a mainstream mold. I was most inspired by film scores of the 90s and 90s grunge and kind of alt-pop. I love lyrical poetry. When Lana Del Rey first came out, I was really inspired by her because she has such substance and fearless expression — she’s not afraid to be equally feminine and have a razor-sharp tongue.”
Where did you get the name Coyote Eyes from?
Coyote Eyes: “It just kept coming to me. But ultimately, the Coyote is representative as the one creature who can’t be defined or categorized — she’s both dark and light, funny and ominous, spontaneous and calculating, hunter and hunted.”
What is your biggest goal with this single?
Coyote Eyes: “You know, I’m really hoping ‘Lightning Strikes’ will end up in a romantic drama or some film with a really tragic, yet victorious storyline. I don’t know, it’s just so epic and moving, and regardless of the lyrics or even my voice, there’s just something about the music that stirs emotions we can’t necessarily define.”