Like a book left on a shelf unfinished, Jake Minch‘s debut album dives into the feeling of growing up and leaving home. Released on July 11, George — poetically named after Minch’s birth name — sees the 22-year-old ground his album in his youth and whimsical childhood, forcing Minch to step into a new chapter in his life.
The album is about Minch’s two years living in Los Angeles and his experience “falling victim to [his] ‘middle-of-the-country-syndrome,’” Minch says.
“It’s about being a martyr with nothing to die for and needing to fuck up some great things in order to see that,” he added.
George, which was led by two singles, “Fingers and Clothes” and “Drawing a Tattoo,” is all a lesson in growing up and experiencing the thrill of young love, opening up with raw truths that make your heart cling to a past that no longer exists. The album arrived two years after his debut single “handgun” back in 2023. Minch says it was the first time he truly came into his own as an artist. His breakout TikTok track has become a tour highlight and a joy for fans, particularly when performed as the closing song, which brings back nostalgic memories.
Minch says “Fingers and Clothes” felt like an obvious lead single since he tells the story of what it was like to live with someone he was dating. He recalls a day when he was folding laundry and his birthday had just passed. He says, “something had happened on that day where I wrote something in my notes app that I probably shouldn’t have,” and his partner found it, and, according to Minch, both of them were somewhat at fault.
“It was just a really tense, heavy day, and I remember hiding away in a room, folding laundry when the line first came into my head,” Minch says.
Minch had been listening to a lot of Adrianne Lenker’s new record and called the overall experience of creating the track “a perfect capsule of what [he] was listening to at the time.”
Surprisingly, Minch says the actual album’s title, though full of emotion, was chosen primarily for wordplay. Blending Minch’s vulnerability, humor and growth, the album is deeply rooted in vivid personal storytelling, including folding laundry during a breakup, childhood homes and fleeting crushes, and even playful releases like “Say Uncle.” Minch says that, at first, he didn’t want to play it live — “it felt uncomfortable.”
Minch has described the song as capturing the idea of wanting someone to admit their feelings — almost like grabbing them by the shoulders and saying, “I know you’re gay and that you have a crush on me, and I’m not letting go until you say it out loud.” He added that the song was born from loosening up creatively with co-writer Tony Berg — the first time he didn’t take a song too seriously.
According to Minch, rehearsals changed his perspective on the song — a catchy tune on love and confession.
“During rehearsals and then at shows, when the crowd hit the loud ‘say uncle’ part, it became electric,” Minch says. “One of those moments I’ll never forget.”
He shared how the album allowed him to come into his own as an artist, explaining that he felt like “a ball of mush” prior to its release. This album forced him to step up, take ownership and put in work after feeling as though he was simply reacting to others’ responses or actions rather than doing. George, which reflects both self-discovery and self-care, sees Minch invite listeners to explore the messiness of nostalgia and the process of figuring it all out in the meantime.
Overall, George is a coming-of-age record that blends intimate confessionals with sharp bursts of energy, letting you explore the highest and lowest points of relationships, all while you try to let go. An album that forces you to find heart in pain, Minch’s everyday details make his storytelling feel emotionally grounded in vulnerability. Using vivid settings in childhood homes, gold course mattresses and white-blue curtains to ground songs in deep imagery, Minch leaves behind a book of stories and lessons, waiting for listeners to pick up and carry on as their own.
“For me, it’s like leaving a little book on a shelf,” Minch says. “If someone wants to pick it up, they can. I just don’t want people to take away that I wasn’t taking care of myself or that I was on a road to a dark place.”
The singer, who has also embarked on his first headlining tour this August, George on Tour, will conclude in over a week. He explained that he’s learned lessons about self-care on the road, joking that he can’t live on Red Bulls and junk food. The tour began on Aug. 3 in Santa Ana, Calif., and will conclude on Aug. 28 in Brooklyn, NY.
Keep up with Jake Minch: Instagram // Spotify // X // TikTok // Facebook // Website
