An Interview with UK Singer, Songwriter and Musician Jessie Malcolm
I recently had the chance to catch up with the amazing Jessie Malcolm about her latest work, visit to LA and her plans for the future and who she would love to collaborate with. Here is what she had to share:
Please introduce yourself to the readers and how you first got into music:
My name is Jessie Malcolm, or “Malcolm” is what people call me for short, so I’m still deciding whether to just lead with that. I started writing songs when I was about 8 years old, sitting at the piano and putting melodies together and words to process my feelings. I would do this when no one was looking or listening. It was my safe place as I was incredibly shy about music. So, if anyone snuck in and heard anything I would immediately stop.
It became my solitude and place where I could make sense of the world. My dad always played music in the house, including artists like Fleetwood Mac and Nina Simone, which were my favorites. I would say soul/blues music really got into my soul from a young age and after hundreds of journals later, I finally found my actual singing voice in a Led Zeppelin tribute band, when I was 16 years old. It was the moment I could make as much of a fearless roar as possible without holding back, it felt like freedom. But most importantly, it was so much fun!
Who were some of your influences growing up?
I found myself in a gospel choir singing and playing in a dark dingy piano bar for my job in London, when I was 18. I moved there to try and figure this music thing out. Aretha Franklin’s gospel album changed my life and helped me through some dark times. I remember playing her version of ‘Never Walk Alone’ in many moments when I needed hope.
What kind of training have you had, if any or are you self-taught?
I am self-taught, hence the raspy raw vocal and not much technique. I have learned my own ways of taking care of my voice over the years.
Tell us about your new music/album:
This particular record in which ‘Silence’ is the first track off, the production was created in the countryside of Somerset alongside Drew Horley, I had written the bulk of the songs with a dear friend in Northern Ireland when I was coming out of a time of intense grief, from a hugely traumatic event in my life, and I wasn’t sure I would sing again to be honest. Nathan provided a safe space for me to talk openly and process, and above all sing again when I had shut down and had been hidden away for some time. In Somerset, I took the prewritten songs and created new ones with my old friend and producer Drew Horley, in which I wanted to create a world reflective of that old 70s soul sound that began my musical journey.
In particular an Aretha Franklin record that really spoke to me, I believe we had walked similar paths which is why it resonated so deeply. We put real instruments to it, recorded the vocals in an old live way and Drew added his many vintage tape machine sounds/instrumentation to build the sound we felt was reflective of this, in between many moments of tears and learning to laugh again! It was as much of a healing moment for me of re finding my voice which had been squashed/silenced for many years. It was a time to rediscover who I was again and go back to the basics, and core of who I was as a human and an artist.
Drew helped me do this in more ways than one, staying in his family home along with his wife Tally Parr and receiving unconditional love and acceptance in a very vulnerable time, was something I will never ever forget. I believe you can hear the vulnerability, rawness and honesty in these songs as well as the raw, unpolished instrumentation/sound. I want it to feel human and take the listener on a journey with me to taking back my life again. Rebirth.
What has been one of the biggest highlights/achievements of your career?
I think one of the biggest highlights has been playing these songs at the Hotel Cafe the first week I arrived in LA in May, it was the start of an incredible few months and part of building a new chapter. Also playing at the Latitude Festival on the BBC introduction stage spontaneously a few years ago, I was walking through the woods and hopped on their open mic piano, and someone from the team asked me to perform on their stage that night. It was a beautiful spontaneous moment. Also just meeting so many incredible humans along the way, I am so inspired by other writers and artists, there is an amazing community and moments to be captured when you stay wide eyed and curious.
If you had a chance to work alongside anybody who would that be?
Rick Rubin and Jeff Gitty would be a dream. Both of these producers carry an essence which they can capture the human/raw emotion of the artist without taking away from making great pop music. I am inspired by how both of these producer's work, in particular Rick Rubin and how he carries his heart for humanity into a recording/writing session and protects the sacredness of the creative space. He highlights how we all are creatives and have the ability to create, it is our DNA as humans to do so.
What other projects do you have coming up?
I am excited to be working on a new batch of songs written with some incredible songwriters here in LA and also a new sound/material I will be building with Drew when I get back to the UK. Chapter 2 of the rebirth as I like to call it. I definitely am leaning towards the guitar more on this one.
What is your best piece of advice for other aspiring artists?
Never change who you are for anyone. Don’t compromise yourself as an artist to fit into the mold of what you think the industry wants because you might just come back around to the beginning after all of that. The magic you have is because there is no one like you! Harness that and work on your craft, be patient with your journey as it never looks like anyone else's, collaborate and work with others, be open and you will find your tribe, pour it into your art, every tear every joy and never stop loving what you do!
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