Her name is Jessia. She is coming from Canada and couldn’t imagine her life would change in less than a month.
When she published an unfinished part of her latest single I am Not Pretty on TikTok, people loved it so much it stated trending – not only because of the catchy sound but also for the positive message it brings to many.
That is why we decided to catch up with her and ask her a couple of questions…
Your latest single “I Am Not Pretty” is about a very important topic: body image. How hard – or easy – was it for you to write about this?
It was pretty easy as I have had many conversations with my friends about it. They are usually the ones I call up when I’m having my less confident days. I wanted it to come from the heart and not hold anything back on the topic. it had been years of me wanting to address this and then one day it all came out!
It seems like you have been under the pressure to look like “the other ones”, to quote your song. How do we change that, as a society? How do we remove the pressure from young people?
I wouldn’t say I have gotten pressured and I’m very thankful for that. I have gotten compared at times but I would say most of the pressure has come from me. I’m my own worst enemy haha. A few years ago I worked hard on falling in love with myself and accepting my body the way it is every day. It’s still a work in progress but I am proud and I encourage everyone to do the same. It’s a beautiful thing.
I like that the song has positive progress – the main idea is to love yourself and you are falling in love with your “bum bum bums”.
Exactly! Thanks so much!
The song first became huge on TikTok, even before the official release and your video has more than 2 million likes. People from all over the world are sharing it as a message of positivity. How does that make you feel?
It’s still surreal haha but I am so proud of the movement we have created. I love going and watching all of the TikTok videos and reading the comments and seeing everyone hype each other up. This is what the world needs more of!!
I was in the comment section on YouTube and saw so many positive comments, especially people writing that his song made them feel good about themselves. Is that your message?
YES!!! The message is to be happy with yourself and build that bond between your mind and your body. Your is so powerful and does so much for you so you should show it some love <3 It’s okay to be you.
You wrote it with Elijah Woods in less than 48 hours. What was the creative process with him?
That was a CRAZY 48 hours haha! He is such an unreal human. He is so talented and supportive. We wrote everything from two different sides of the country. He made long-distance writing so easy. Elijah has become my rock through all of this and I’m so thankful for him.
Will there be a video for this song?
Shhhhhhhhh possibly? 😉
All of your videos have some nice specific: taking a bath in milk, painting yourself… what are the limits you are willing to push when it comes to recording videos?
Great question! I have always loved pushing boundaries with everything I do. My mind is a wild place and I love when I can actually execute what I’m dreaming of. The milk bath was just the beginning…guess you’ll have to stay tuned to see what boundaries I push next haha.
Which process do you enjoy more: writing songs or recording videos?
That’s like comparing apples to oranges. Writing songs is therapy. I NEED that in my life. Recording music videos is fun! It’s a time where I let my imagination run wild and I love that I get to exercise a bit of my acting background too!
Let’s talk about your previous single, „Really Nice To Think About“. Was it inspired by real life events?
Kind of? not mine specifically. There was a point where I had the same conversation with a bunch of different people about this subject so I finally said “Okay, I gatta write a song about this”
You have won 2020 Canadian Songwriter Challenge. How important was that for you?
It was amazing!! It was the first time I was recognized just for my writing. It was very validating for sure! Did quarantine amplify your creative abilities? Were you able to create more during pandemics? Yes! Thanks COVID? that seems weird to say haha. I think locking me in a room forced me to write more. It was also such a dramatic time so I was very inspired.
Will there be an EP this year… maybe an album?
Geez I really hope sooooooooo.
You have started as EDM writer. What was the moment you realized you wanted to be on stage? As much as I love EDM music, I found myself looking up to artists with a more organic and minimalistic approach. I wanted to see if I could create music like that so I decided to become an independent artist.
Can you compare the process of creating for others to creating for yourself?
Creating for myself is more personal and I feel like I can go into more detail. Creating for others I loved being able to tell someone else’s story through lyrics. Both processes have their beauty.
Who inspires you? Who is your “dream” collaborator?
Currently Conan Gray and Julia Michaels are big songwriting inspirations. Can I pick 3 dream collabs? in no particular order but Pink, Coldplay, and Justin Bieber.
Did you think of the tour? We hope we will get the chance to catch up with you live!
I am daydreaming about touring!! Let’s hope the world opens up soon cause I can’t wait to get on stage and meet ya’ll!!
