The duo of Caelen Perkins and Jacqueline Giroux will bring sunshine to the dreariest overcast sky. Performing as Jacklen Ro, the SoCal pair are gearing up to release a new EP, til there was you. In the meantime, they have put out a single called “Hollywood (I’m Good)” to whet the appetite; it’s a confident, jangly mantra that makes it easy to move on.

_{Please note: This post may contain affiliate links.}

The forthcoming EP from Jacklen Ro will mark their first record since their 2019 debut LP, Love Junkies. Assuming that “Hollywood” is included, til there was you is shaping up to be just as laden with affection as its predecessor. The video alone is a saccharine portrait of the pinnacle of friendship, and the song is also loving in its own way. It recounts anger and distrust, remarking on being taken for granted, but then it culminates in ambivalence, refusing to take the negativity any further.

At the same time, “Hollywood” is also about the real experience the duo had moving and adjusting to their new city. They originally met in Idyllwild, a few hours east of Los Angeles, and so their move west marked a turning point in their lives. The attitude isn’t flippant—considering that they were the ones to quite literally move on, “honestly, I’m good” is a lyric that quiets their own restlessness.

To learn more about their forthcoming EP, follow Jacklen Ro on Instagram.

by: Zoë Elaine