Name: JESSIA
Occupation: Singer, songwriter
Nationality: Canadian
Current release: JESSIA's new single “One Before the One” is out now.

If you enjoyed this JESSIA interview and would like to find out more about her music, visit her on Instagram, tiktok, twitter, and Facebook.  



Do you think that some of your earliest musical experiences planted a seed for your interest in your voice and singing? How and when did you start singing?

Definitely! I grew up in a very musical household, but it wasn’t until I discovered artists like Beyonce and Jessie J that I was like, wow, singing is like vocal acrobatics!

I became addicted to the challenge of learning those kinds of vocal runs!

If you're also playing other instruments, how does the expressive potential of these compare to your own voice?

I think it's sometimes smarter to play something simpler when singing, especially for me as I want my voice to have the attention.

I find it harder to listen to when two elements are competing for the spotlight.

What were some of the main challenges in your development as a singer/vocalist? Which practices, exercises, or experiences were most helpful in reaching your goals – were there also “harmful” ones?

I would say sustaining notes and not singing too hard or too loud has really helped my warm ups.

When I first started, I wanted to see how much I could belt, but now my warm ups are almost silent because you have to massage the muscles on the other side of the spectrum.You can’t sing loudly if you can’t sing quietly.

As for harmful things? Talking loudly has really affected my voice. Now when I’m on tour I try to barely talk during the day.
 
How do you see the relationship between harmony, rhythm and melody? Do you feel that honing your sense of rhythm and groove has an effect on your singing skills?

Yes! Harmony, rhythm and melody all go hand in hand. It also gives you more freedom to ad-lib if you know all three in the song.

I find I get more nervous if I don’t know every aspect of the song.

What are the things you hear in a voice when listening to a vocalist? What moves you in the voices of other singers?

I look for honesty in vocals, especially if I can sense that the vocalist is really feeling what they’re singing and telling me their story.

There are thousands of really good voices out there, but if they aren’t feeling what they are saying, it’s usually a pass from me. It’s really all about authenticity for me!

How would you describe the physical sensation of singing? [Where do you feel the voice, do you have a visual sensation/representation, is there a sense of release or tension etc …]

This goes back to the sustaining notes exercise. I would sustain a note and play around with the placement of it until it felt released and supported.

It's a really tedious exercise but it's my favorite. It allows me to be able to know my voice better and feel more relaxed when singing.

What kind of musical settings and situations do you think are ideal for your own voice?

I really like singing with in-ears.

I like to hear my voice crisp and clear, whether I’m performing in a stadium or just singing in my living room!

We have a speaking voice and a singing voice. Do these feel like they are natural extensions of each other, ends on a spectrum or different in kind?

I love when you can hear someone’s speaking voice in their singing voice. That's what makes it unique to them.

I find it funny when someone’s singing voice is completely different from their talking voice, I’m always like … where did this come from?!

From whispers to screams, from different colours to dynamics, what are the potentials and limits of your voice? How much of your vocal performance can and do you want to control?

I want to control all of it!

I want to be intentional even if I’m choosing to not use my “typical singing voice.” I want to have the choice to do that and to not limit myself.

When you're writing song lyrics, do you sense or see a connection between your voice and the text? Does it need to feel and sound “good” or “right” to sing certain words? What's your perspective in this regard of singing someone else's songs versus your own?

Very much so! I love singing covers but knowing your voice and what words sound good with your tone can really help to level up a performance. It’s all about if you can sell it or not.

Some people sound great singing a certain word, but it might not be one that works for you … and that’s okay! It really is about knowing yourself as an artist and vocalist.

Strain is a particularly serious issue for many vocalists. How do you take care of your voice? Are the recipes or techniques to get a damaged voice back in shape?

If my voice is really damaged, then resting it is the best thing I can do.

But in general, hydration is key! I drink so much water! The difference between when I’m hydrated versus when I’m dehydrated is night and day for my voice!

How has technology, such as autotune or effect processing, impacted singing? Has it been a concrete influence on your own approach?

I never sing live with autotune. Absolutely no hate to anyone who does, I just find that I don’t recognize my voice with it and it trips me out. I would rather not hit the note and know that I didn’t do something that feels like I’m faking it to me.

That being said, autotune is of course used on 99% of recorded pop songs. It gives modern pop songs a quality that makes them sound relevant. Oftentimes it’s not even about “fixing” a note with autotune, but more about giving the voice a sparkle.

For recording engineers, the human voice remains a tricky element to capture. What, from your perspective, makes voices sound great on record and in a live setting?

Less is more. The smaller the vocal chain the better. When you’re making a recording, you still want to maintain the live element too. It’s all about keeping it simple!

Motherese may have been the origin of music, and singing is possibly the earliest form of musical expression, and culture in general. How connected is the human voice to your own sense of wellbeing, your creativity, and society as a whole?

I think it's so healthy for everyone to sing, even if it's just in the shower. It releases endorphins and it can be really self-soothing.

Singing really is the universal language and I think that’s so cool!