THE MIDLIFE EDIT PODCAST
She Wrote It. You Felt It.
With Jackie Popovec of The Vindys
ABOUT THE CONVERSATION
What happens when something you were nervous to share becomes the song someone else needed?
Jackie Popovec is comfortable onstage. Sharing a song she wrote herself? That was a different story.
In the early days, she’d slip her songs into sets without announcing them. Only when someone asked afterward would she tell them, “That’s my song.”
The lead singer and songwriter of The Vindys joins me to talk about putting personal feelings into music and watching those songs become part of someone else’s life. We get into the writing behind Trap Door, hearing fans sing her words back, and how a song can mean something completely different to the person listening.
There are some pretty great stories, too. A last-minute trip to see Norah Jones in a tiny Brooklyn bar. Singing “We Belong” with Pat Benatar while desperately trying to remember the lyrics.
And we talk about supporting women in music, making room for younger artists, and why Jackie keeps showing up for Women Who Rock and women’s health research.
IN THIS EPISODE
• Being comfortable performing but nervous to share your own work
• Voice memos, last-minute songs, and Jackie’s songwriting process
• The personal story behind Trap Door
• Getting emotional when the crowd knows the words
• Singing alongside Pat Benatar
• Small venues, local bands, and independent radio
• Why Jackie wants us listening to young singer-songwriter Brady Lawrence
• Women Who Rock and supporting women’s health research
THE SONG BECOMES YOURS
You probably have a song that got you through something. You remember where you were when you played it over and over. Maybe you’ve never even told anyone why it matters.
Jackie talks about people coming up to her after shows and sharing what “Wrong with Me” helped them through. A divorce. A difficult relationship with a family member. Experiences that weren’t necessarily what she was writing about.
She wants listeners to have that room. To hear a song and find their own meaning in it.
That’s the part I keep coming back to. She wrote something from her life, and someone else heard their own.
MEET THE GUEST
Jackie Popovec
Jackie Popovec is the lead singer and songwriter of The Vindys, based in Youngstown, Ohio. The band blends rock, soul, and pop, and their latest album is Trap Door.
They’ve toured with Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, but Jackie still loves being in the audience herself—especially at a small venue where she can discover a band or support friends.
In this conversation, she also shares her commitment to local music and helping the next generation find their footing.
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