Computer science major by day, singer-songwriter by night: Weinberg sophomore Jenna Kopp does it all. In this episode of Sound Source, Jenna explains the meaning behind the lyrics of her most recent single, “Can’t Forget This Time.”

JENNA KOPP: He would always kind of say things that were making me question myself, or making me feel like I was the reason things weren’t working out, when in reality, there was a lot going on behind the scenes. I remember feeling like, “Oh my gosh, am I the crazy one here?”

[Can’t Forget This Time plays]

AUDREY HETTLEMAN: From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Audrey Hettleman. You’re listening to Deep Dive: a series from Sound Source where we hear the stories behind music on and around campus. Today, we’re talking to Weinberg sophomore and singer-songwriter Jenna Kopp. The song you’re hearing is her latest single, “Can’t Forget This Time.” In this episode of Deep Dive, we’re hearing about how a two-year relationship led to a five-minute song from the artist herself. 

[Can’t Forget This Time plays]

JENNA KOPP: I wrote it about my ex that I recently cut him off for good. Literally the weekend that the song came out, it was already coming out, I cut him off for good. The overall feeling of the song was very much so, trying to hold on — like holding on to the past — even though in the present, it’s not what the singer, myself, wanted.

[Can’t Forget This Time chorus]

LYRICS: I know I can’t control how I feel but the way I’m feeling lately makes me feel like there’s something wrong with me / ‘Cause I just don’t feel the same while I’m sitting by the boy that used to drive me wild / Now I’m crying all alone ‘cause I’m thinking ‘bout the things that we did and we said and it’s driving me crazy

JENNA KOPP: This chorus, I actually wrote before the verses. I wrote the verses over this past summer. But the chorus I wrote last January which was when we first came to Northwestern. And so my ex came to visit me, and I found this voice memo on my phone of the chords. I’d recorded the chords for it a long time ago.

JENNA KOPP: And the chorus will be like this —

[strumming chords]

JENNA KOPP: I was like, “Oh my God, this is a nice chord progression.” And I was like, “Let me try to come up with something.”

[music]

JENNA KOPP: And literally with him sitting next to me, I came up with a chorus. And then I was like, looking back I’m like, okay, if I’m writing in January, why were we together for so much longer after that?

[music]

LYRICS: Driving slow / Rain falling outside / Pulled to the curb, bare feet on the pavement / Everything was feeling alright / Alright

JENNA KOPP: Maybe a month into us first dating, I remember we were going for a drive. That’s what the first part was about, such a great memory. Everything was so great, so amazing. 

LYRICS: And now it’s been a while / Since I’ve been in your arms / I’ve missed you so damn much and now you pull me in / So tell me why am I hearing alarms / Alarms

It used to be so easy / We always had something to say / And now I’m back at your side / So why do I feel like I’m still away

JENNA KOPP: Yeah, the second part of it was that, you know, he’s coming to visit me at school in January and I’m like, something’s not right, something’s wrong. Why we can’t get back to the way it was? 

[music]

LYRICS: I had this dream / I told you all about it / August heat and no sunscreen / Cause we both thought that we could do without it / No

JENNA KOPP: We were together for, on and off, two years. And it was always a big thing that I really wanted to take him to where my grandparents live in South Carolina. It was just a very special place to me, and I was always like, “Oh my gosh, I want to bring you over the summer to go here.” And so the first summer it was COVID, so it didn’t end up happening. And the second summer, he had moved to a different town in Connecticut that was an hour away, so it was no longer like we were in the same town and we could see each other easily. Not the best scenario. 

LYRICS: And now the fantasy / Lives in a different town / You got no money or time / And I hate myself for being happy when you’re not around / And you’re not around

JENNA KOPP: One of my favorite lines in the whole song is, “And I hate myself for being happy when you’re not around,” because I feel like that encapsulates that raw emotion of, reaching, you’re trying to make it work and you want things to be good like they were before.

LYRICS: And it’s killing me / To always be looking for a fight / Maybe I just don’t / Want us to be alright

JENNA KOPP: But like, I’m starting to develop this independence. I’m starting to do my own thing. And I’m realizing I’m growing away from it, and I hate it.

LYRICS: Sunsets, fire skies / Bombs off in paradise / You leave, I cry / Come back, but this time / Forgive but I can’t forget this time

Jenna Kopp: I just want people to hear my music. It’s not even like, “Oh my gosh, I really want to be famous or make it big,” it’s just exciting for people to listen. 

LYRICS: But I can’t forget this time, forgive but I can’t forget this time

[music]

AUDREY HETTLEMAN: From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Audrey Hettleman. Thanks for listening to another episode of Sound Source. You can find Jenna on most music-streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. This episode was reported and produced by me. The audio editor of The Daily is Lucia Barnum, the digital managing editors are Katrina Pham and Will Clark and the editor in chief is Jacob Fulton. Make sure to subscribe to The Daily Northwestern’s podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or SoundCloud to hear more episodes like this.

[music]

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @AudreyHettleman

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