Exclusives

Exclusive Q&A: JESSIA Talks “I’m Not Pretty” & Collaborations

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Canadian pop princess JESSIA, just released her debut EP. Her song “I’m not Pretty” has over 215 million global streams and 14 million-plus video views. Naturally, we had a lot to talk about.

Congratulations on your debut EP. Was there anything that surprised you about the record-making process?
Thank you!!! It was honestly such a blast making this EP and I’m incredibly proud! I think what surprised me the most was that it was all recorded and created in Elijah Woods’s basement. I realized I don’t need a big fancy studio to create good quality music. I’m so excited that’s the way the industry is headed. It’s super chill.

What was it like working with Ryan Tedder on your EP?
AMAZING!! He is such a genius and such a genuine person. I have become such a better songwriter because of him.

What do you hope listeners take away from your music?
I hope they feel understood. I try to talk about subjects that I’ve had trouble articulating in the past and I hope I can be that voice to their feelings.

Is there an opportunity to perform the EP live?
YES!! I performed the EP live at Lollapalooza this summer before it was out!! I’m so excited to play Outside Lands Festival now that the EP is out and people will (hopefully) know the songs haha

Your song, “I’m not Pretty” has gone Platinum in your native Canada and has over 215 million global streams. Why do you think listers resonate with the song so much?
I think it is a pop song that addresses things that pop music doesn’t usually address. I’m talking about eating disorders and not wanting to just be called beautiful as a bandaid statement. Also being able to see the song be made in real-time on TikTok is really cool too!

Queen Bebe Rexha is featured on the remix. Do you have a dream collaborator?
First of all YES Bebe is such a QUEEN!! and there are so many people I want to collab with! I’d say my biggest dream would be Pink!!

Can we expect an JESSIA LP soon or more singles?
YES!!! Sooner than you think 😉

What did you read, listen to, and watch during quarantine?
I listened to a podcast called “And The Writer Is” I encourage any songwriters to check it out! I watched a buuunnncchhhh of TikTok. I became addicted haha