“There's a soulful, yearning element to it, and to me, it’s deeply emotive” she said. “A lot of my music explores themes of vulnerability and a desire to be authentic, but also the internal struggle that can come with that. It unpacks themes of the digital age that we live in, and how that affects human connection and processing our emotions.”
Meet Jodie O
The emerging local talent opening for KT Tunstall at The Sub Rooms
By Freya Peters
Jodie O is an indie folk/rock singer-songwriter from Cheltenham whose music career is steadily gaining momentum. She will be the support act for genre defying BRIT award winner KT Tunstall on 25th June.
For Jodie, making music has been a lifelong passion and a way of processing emotions through artistic expression. This creates a deep connection with her audience with the music acting as a window into her inner world.
Having had a breakout year in 2025, with performances at Wychwood Festival, The Louisiana, and Bristol Old Vic, Jodie O shows no signs of slowing down in 2026.
Opening for an artist she has long admired is a chance for Jodie to show music lovers unreleased songs which will feature in her debut release of a five track EP later this year.
“To be opening for someone like KT Tunstall, it's really exciting to me and I feel very lucky and very grateful to have that opportunity, not only to open for her, but also to be able to play my music to some of her fans, and have that opportunity to connect with them.”
KT Tunstall’s refusal to be pigeonholed into one genre is something which inspires Jodie and is rarely seen in the modern commercial music industry. Jodie embodies this genre-defying approach in her own music, creating a unique sound which spans from soulful indie folk to gritty, emotive indie rock.
“I like that she’s not constrained to a very specific kind of music, even though there's definitely a consistent thread throughout her music. I like the duality of the softer, more emotional stuff, and the heavier, more rocky stuff that you can dance to. I see a parallel in that way between our music.”
Authenticity and connection are key threads running throughout Jodie’s music.
“I think the world would be a better place if we were all more open about how we felt, because it helps us feel more connected to each other. I want people to just be themselves; I talk about this in my music in various ways, about wanting to be authentic.”
She places emotion and vulnerability front and centre, combining poetic and raw lyrics with soulful vocals to create a kind of catharsis through sound.
“I have such a visceral response to music,” she said. “Nothing can move me the way music does.”
For those wanting all the latest on Jodie’s EP release and future gigs, follow Jodie O on Instagram and Tik Tok: @jodieo.music