housespouse
listen to “Sweet Tooth” here
housespouse is the musical project of Jo Malicdem, a nonbinary multi-disciplinary artist from Pasadena, California. Their music combines aspects of folk, rock, and pop styles, citing influences such as Japanese Breakfast and Billie Marten. Jo writes songs to capture the challenges of growing up, as well as the relationships and emotions they experience along the way.
Malicdem was not always housespouse. In fact, they spent much of their early college years contemplating their musicality. In 2021, a peer reached out to Jo looking for performers to participate in Summer Fun Show, a “comedy and music zoom show extravaganza” fundraising to support Black Women Exhale. A much needed nudge, this performance welcomed more invitations for Jo to play their originals - songs that had yet to be recorded and released. Despite not having a basis to do a “stream my music on…” spiel, Malicdem’s band, then called Jo and the Average, gleefully accepted said invitations and let the jamming ensue at launch parties and music showcases. The group opened for Sidney Gish and Sarah Kinsley in Jo’s final year of attending Emerson College in Boston, MA.
Having grown up in a lively and musical household, every night – even school nights – was karaoke night. Malicdem went on field trips to perform at Disneyland and The Grove as a part of the Salvation Army’s Children Chorus, before discovering their affinity for percussion. They followed in their church-band-drummer father’s footsteps, finding themself drumming in an all-girl ‘80s cover band their first year of middle school. Their remaining years of high school were dedicated to drumming and singing in the jazz band.
Jo is currently working towards recording music from a nine-year back-logged catalogue, experimenting with new production styles, and revisiting what drives their musicality in the first place: the great joy of playing tunes with their pals.