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Jessie Ware: Classy starlet shines at Sunny Side Up Festival
Lawrence LilleyThe story of South London-born Jessie Ware challenges the showbiz cliché that all music journalists are failed musicians
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Lawrence Lilley
The story of South London-born Jessie Ware challenges the showbiz cliché that all music journalists are failed musicians.
Since graduating from the University of Sussex and having a brief career in journalism, Jessie Ware has spent the last five years becoming one of British pop music's leading singer-songwriters.
From her dressing room backstage after her performance at Potato Head Beach Club's annual Sunny Side Up Festival recently in Bali, the charming starlet discussed her music, influences and collaborations in her first Indonesian press interview.
'We're making a holiday out of it because I've never been to Indonesia before, and loving it. I'm playing the Jakarta gig and then hopefully coming back to Bali if the volcanic ash fall [from Mount Raung] allows. It's my first time in Indonesia ' I already want to come back!' she professed.
The festival's bamboo-themed stage was constructed atop the sandy shoreline, overlooking a throbbing crowd of beachwear-clad partygoers.
'I think everyone's a bit more relaxed. It's chilled, and it's always fun with hot climate gigs. It makes me more relaxed too. The crowd took a while to warm up because the sun wasn't down yet, but as soon as the sunset happened, I think everyone lost their inhibitions. Everyone's having a good time, they're all in their bikinis and Speedos, and jumping in the water, it's nuts.'
Ware admitted that her music was never destined to be the energetic highpoint of the evening, explaining, 'If you see somebody across the bar and my music's playing, it would be quite suited to that, and maybe you should speak to them. I think it's romantic, flirtatious and feminine. Perfect for girls or guys wanting to fall in love, I think.'
Songs from her second album Tough Love, released in 2014, dominated the set list. 'I'm definitely trying to embrace pop music a bit more than maybe I have before. Something a bit more direct but still with an electronic edge because that's where I come from.'
The album channels a bygone sonic era with a polished, almost futuristic vibe.
'[The 19]80s, weirdly, and [19]90s have always been a reference for me, but I definitely always want it to feel like it's fresh and not too retro because I'm an artist of now. There can be a feeling of familiarity, and I'm not trying to make a retro record, because I love electronic music. I'm completely excited by it. I love the fact that you can create a sound through a synth, so it's always going to be kind of synth-based.'
Heavily involved was mega-producer Benny Blanco, whose resume includes work on worldwide smashes for Maroon 5 ('Moves Like Jagger', 'Payphone'), Katy Perry ('California Girls', 'Teenage Dream') and Rihanna ('Diamonds').
'We had so many fights in the studio,' she revealed. 'I would be like, 'No, that's too pop', whatever that means, and he'd be like, 'shut up' and then we kind of met in the middle and I think that's what happened. [Title track] 'Tough Love' was the first song that happened and it created the sound for the rest of the record. So we together dictated that sound, and it was very exciting when that happened.' Often referred to as a modern incarnation of Sade, Ware commented, 'I think I invited that comparison because I've talked about how much I adore her. I don't think we are similar at all but she definitely has influenced me. You know, it's British, it's soul, it's got a bit of electronic in it, but yeah, Sade's still the queen.' As well as stating her enjoyment of contemporary artists like Julio Bashmore ('He plays such incredible, fruity chords but he can still make it four-to-the-floor, like a thumping anthem if he wants') and The Macabees, Ware professed her newfound adoration for classic soul singer Nina Simone.
'I did a cover of one of her songs then watched this documentary, What Happened, Miss Simone? on Netflix, just learning more about her, I felt like I'd never really listened to her. I knew the hits and whatnot, but all the other songs too and how she played the piano were so beautiful.'
In 2013, Disclosure's groundbreaking debut album Settle fused contemporary pop and house influences to universal acclaim, including a featured vocal from Jessie on the song 'Confess to Me'.
'I remember seeing them in a small basement bar in Brixton and telling my label that they should sign them because, I was like, 'These guys are ridiculous'. They were too young to even be in the bar, and they were playing such soulful, tasteful electronic music. I'm so proud of them, and I think this is just the beginning for them.'
Ware's most well known hit to date, 'Say You Love Me' was birthed in a 45-minute writing session with acoustic superstar Ed Sheeran.
'I was really inspired by when we wrote together. We wrote it so quickly and he's so confident, but not arrogant at all. He knows who he is, and he was very generous. He knew that we're very different artists, and we wrote a very different song. It was definitely a combined effort of both of our sounds. He's special. An amazing songwriter.'
Apart from touring, Jessie is currently writing material for her as-yet untitled third album. 'I'm trying to focus on making some really classic, strong songs. So production-wise, I know what it will sound like but I'm just really focusing on writing songs with piano, stripping it back and just making sure these songs stand up, because it's all about the song, and production can come second.'
Although she has made her music career from a sophisticated sound, Ware has not forgotten that it all really begins with the right words.
