BC Jean Previews 'Just a Guy' and More at PopEater

By Ashley Iasimone Posted Oct 15th 2010 06:02PM

If there's one subject BC Jean knows how to write well about, it's boys. The singer-songwriter is the mind behind 'If I Were a Boy,' which was made famous by Beyonce's 2008 recording. Jean's own current single, the catchy pop-rock track 'Just a Guy,' fits right in with that tune. "Basically, I pick the wrong kind of guys," she said in between songs when she recently performed at PopEater's office.

"I wrote 'If I Were a Boy,' and that's the sad, kind of angry, bitter part. 'Just a Guy' is more of the acceptance, like, 'You know, I can't really change this. You're just gonna be you.' It's kinda giving the guy a little break," Jean told PopEater, laughing. "It's a nice poppy song that I think has a catchy melody," Jean added of the single before playing 'Narcissistic Boy' and 'Anyone.' "More of my stuff gets a little edgy, so it's a good starting point."

Jean -- the "BC" stands for "Beautiful Child," a nickname that is seemingly a result of her dad growing up in Woodstock, N.Y. -- started taking piano lessons at age 4. "Even though I hated being forced to do it then, now I appreciate it," she said. No Doubt's 'Tragic Kingdom' and Alanis Morissette's 'Jagged Little Pill' became Jean's "foundation albums" while Janis Joplin, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin and Queen filled in the gaps. Though Jean's vocals are rock-inspired, it wasn't surprising to hear Jean also reveal her love of straight-up pop: "I even went through my Britney Spears and 'N Sync phase. I have so many influences."

"It took some convincing to get my parents to let me do it because they didn't want me to be a weird child musician," Jean said. "I just kept working on it, and eventually when I was 14, I was like, 'I don't want to go college. I just need to do music. I know what I want to do with my life.'"

Now 23 and under the wings of Sony Music exec Clive Davis, she's readying the release of her upcoming album. As for her own version of the massive hit 'If I Were a Boy'? "Beyonce did it, and it will be on my record as well," Jean said. Look out for the album in early 2011, and check out photos from her visit below.