JESSIA
JESSIA instantly caught my attention as soon as I heard her voice. A lot of female artists sound the same these days and it can get boring, but hearing JESSIA’s voice changed the game. Her vocals are beautiful and emotional, and they bring warmth to her latest single “One Before The One”. A must listen.
Her new EP will be out early next year, but for now, let’s stream “One Before The One”, available on all platforms.
Photo credit: Brittany Berggren
Hi JESSIA, how are you? Could you please introduce yourself? What's your story?
I am an artist/singer-songwriter from Vancouver. I grew up in a very musical family and started writing songs when I was 11 years old. I went to university for music and graduated with a degree in Jazz and Contemporary Pop Music. After that I went traveling and explored the world a bit, but had to end my travels early when COVID hit. During the lockdown, I released my first single under the name JESSIA called “Tell Me.” I started posting on TikTok, and one particular video of me singing in my car went viral and changed my life overnight. Since I released my song ‘I’m not Pretty,” it’s been a whirlwind! I signed my first record deal, released my debut EP, opened for OneRepublic, Maroon 5, and Dean Lewis, won a JUNO Award, became an independent artist again, and wrote my next EP set to come out early 2024.
"One Before The One" is your last single of the year - what made you want to release this particular song?
I wanted to release a song for the singles during the holidays. I feel like there are so many songs about love and connection being played this time of year and it can be a hard time for people who don’t feel that way. It's all about being the “practice run relationship” and that feeling can come up a lot around the holidays when seeing their ex's post new relationships.
What's the story/inspiration behind "One Before The One"?
One day I realized that all my exes are in happy healthy relationships. I’m really happy for them but it can still hurt to see the life you planned with someone no longer involves you. I felt like I was just training them to find the person they were supposed to be with. It’s about that acceptance and the realization of always being the one before the one.
Could you tell us about the songwriting/production process behind this song? Who helped you create it?When did you start working on it?
I started working on it about 4 months ago! I wrote it with my friend Alex Wilke. We were in a session and we tried out like 6 different concepts and nothing was sticking but finally, “One Before The One” stuck out to us. We stayed up that night recording it until 1AM. I have not been able to stop listening to it since I wrote it. I'm really excited for the world to have it !
What did you feel when recording this song?
It felt really special! I am really proud of the lyrics and how the story unfolds. The bridge is the perfect scream in your car moment!
What's your favorite lyric on "One Before The One"?
Oooo depends on the day, (laughs), it's a toss up between “I'm only perfect if I’m practice,” because it’s a play on the saying “practice makes perfect." I also really love the line, “he’s got the same face but he's not the same man.” I feel like that's how you feel when you see an ex after a while. Like they look the same but they are a stranger now.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
This photo was taken by the incredible Riley Stewart. I listen to “One Before The One” on late night walks so I felt like this imagery fit perfectly with the song.
How's it like to be a woman in the music industry?
It depends on the day. Some days I feel empowered being the minority and breaking boundaries and then sometimes the boundaries feel like they get too big. It is a very male dominated industry but I feel like we are taking steps to recognize that. I look up to the women who have not taken no for an answer.
What message would you give to women?
You are powerful. You have a voice and an opinion that matters. You DO know what you’re talking about. You don't have to fit a mold to be successful.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry?
I feel like it's the best and the worst it's ever been. There is more equality than ever before and social media is giving bedroom artists a chance which is incredible. I would not be here if it wasn't for social media and I am so grateful. That being said, I think that algorithms kill creativity. If a song doesn't “go viral” many artists view that as a failure and throw the song away. Art is subjective and I feel like apps are taking that subjectiveness away. Artists nowadays have to be so strong in themselves and believe in their art outside of the numbers on a screen. Just because it didn't do well on social media doesn’t mean it's a bad song.
If you could change one thing, what would it be?
Hmmmm, again, social media is a blessing and a curse. The pressure that artists have to market a song now is more than ever. Marketing the song is like 80% of the job now when that wasn't the case before TikTok. It was a lot harder to get seen but artists got to focus on creating the art a lot more. There really isn't a right answer, (laughs) and I think that's why nothing is changing because we all see both sides and don't know what to do.
What does songwriting mean to you?
Songwriting is my life. It’s my therapy. I get anxious when I am not able to write. I'm always writing though. I have a constant stream of melodies and song ideas flowing through my head at any given time.
What does singing make you feel?
Like I have a purpose. It's my way of expressing myself and telling my story. I have no idea what I would do if I couldn’t sing.
What do you want people to feel when listening to your music?
I want people to feel seen. I try to make my songs feel like a page out of my diary. So many artists have pulled me out of some of the toughest times in my life with their words so I want to do the same.
You got to open for major artists such as OneRepublic and Dean Lewis, what did these experiences teach you as an artist and performer?
They were such incredible experiences!! Watching Dean [Lewis] and Ryan [Tedder] interact with their fans taught me a lot. Being in a different city taught me a lot about finding home anywhere you are. I also learned technical difficulties happen and I can either choose to dwell on them or laugh and move on. Dwelling takes up too much energy, (laughs).
As an artist, what is the biggest accomplishment you've achieved this year?
Going on tour around Asia with OneRepublic!
What biggest lessons have you learned this year?
I am ever-changing and I have to be okay with that. I have put so much pressure on myself to have it all figured out and have my art and direction packaged with a bow but that's not real and my fans want the real stuff. They want to come along for the journey with me and not just see the finished product.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
Paying more attention to the fact that we are cooking our planet. We have nothing if we don't have a healthy environment.
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