JESSARAE | MUSIC INTERVIEW
Soon to conclude his headline tour across the United Kingdom as a round trip from London and back, Nathan Roach caught up with young pop singer-songwriter Jessarae in the dressing room of Cardiff’s Globe venue and discussed a few topics including his new EP, what music pushed him to become a musician and his take on the current political powder keg.
How has your UK headline tour been so far?
It’s been fantastic! Tonight will be our sixth date and although I’m sad that it is coming to a close, I’m excited to go back to America and start working on the new set (hinting towards an acoustic-heavy vibe) but I think the thing I have been most excited about is having a band so everything is real and no backtrack is required. I am definitely in for the long haul with these guys.
The London Loft Sessions is the new EP’s title (set for release on the Fri 3 Mar). What was your process for writing your new work?
The EP is two new songs and two old ones, with the preparation basically consisting of us walking straight into the studio like how the first Beatles album was written. Minimal setup and quick song rehearsals are all we needed this time around, before hitting the record button. We also avoided editing anything that might be changed on a regular record because I wanted to get across the heart of who I am and show that energy that I hope we captured.
What was the first piece of music that inspired you to become involved in the field?
I tend to go all over the spectrum in terms of what I loved musically but when I heard The Flaming Lips’ She Don’t Use Jelly, I would lie down, put headphones on and zone out to the track while I dangled my hands in the air. I even dragged my mom to a concert in San Francisco and it was incredible to witness people simply celebrating being alive. We have tried to bring that into our own shows and break the tension by being as weird as possible to bring everyone closer.
Although everyone and their mother have received similar questions in recent interviews, I feel like I would be doing you a disservice by not discussing the political fire that’s currently burning, what with Cardiff recently taking part in two anti-hate rallies. Are there any opinions you would share on the subject?
I recently went to a women’s rights rally myself and although I wouldn’t want to steer anyone politically, I would like to encourage people to find your own happiness and keep looking behind drawn curtains – which I hope is translated through my songs and my lyrics.
Are you currently listening to anyone that you’d like to recommend to Buzz’s readers?
[Brief pause as Jessarae quickly reminds himself of names from his Spotify phone app] Yeah, I would definitely recommend an artist called Vince Staples from Long Beach who has a unique style of rhyming and people also need to listen to David Bowie’s last album if they haven’t already. I listen to Blackstar all the time and it will always be an underrated LP.
Info: www.jessarae.com
words and photos NATHAN ROACH