Interview: Jessie James

Tommy2: Hey it’s Tommy2 and today we’ve got Jessie James checking in with us before her show at Lake Minnetonka. Jessie how you doin’?

Jessie James: I’m doing good. How are you doing?

Tommy2: Doing great, it’s nice… warm, but a little chilly. You excited for tonight?

Jessie James: I am very excited… I am very cold though. I have a jacket on. It’s freezing to me.

Tommy2: Kicking things off I wanted to get your thoughts on what you were thinking when you found out that your self-titled debut album came in at 23 on Billboard this last week.

Jessie James: I was very excited, um ya know I was hoping it would do well but I didn’t know it do as well as it did. I mean I’m a new artist and in this day and age to sell that many records is a pretty good start you know. So I felt very good about it and I’m very blessed that it happened the way it did.

Tommy2: And you also did some serious numbers on iTunes and Amazon as well. Those were really impressive.

Jessie James: I know it really was. The fact that it was #1 on Amazon was huge. I thought they were kidding with me when they told me and the #1 on Pop iTunes was, it was an amazing feeling. I felt very proud.

Tommy2: And about how long did the process run for you writing and recording this album?

Jessie James: Umm.. it took about two years to really get the record together, but I wanted to take that long, I wanted to really make a record that I was proud of and I wanted to spend a lot of time writing it and help producing it in the studio as long as I could and I think it’s could to take your time on these types of things.

Tommy2: So you were very involved in the process?

Jessie James: Very involved in the creative process. I wouldn’t know how to be any other way, I love writing. I wrote ten out of the 12 tracks and I helped in the studio til 3 in the morning. Helped producing with ideas and you know, I just love really being involved. I think it’s more believable as an artist.

Tommy2: With your background there do you think maybe down the road you’d actually like to get involved on the other side of things, like even producing?

Jessie James: I would love to produce one day. I’m actually learning how to run Logic right now. Umm, so I would love to engineer my own music, I’d love to produce it. I think I definitely want to be a co-producer on the second album. That will happen.

Tommy2: Now the one thing that stands out to me is like your style. You’ve got like really clever lyrics, you’ve got some great hooks and there’s like a good balance of songs from Pop and Country genres. Was that something you did on purpose?

Jessie James: Absolutely. Ya know, there wasn’t a way to do just a Pop record or a Country record. I am both. I am a Country singer, but I am also a Pop singer at the same time. I love both genres but I wanted to be able to infuse them into one record and I feel like I’ve accomplished that.

Tommy2: Yeah, and speaking of your favorites of  Pop and Country. Who are the acts you look toward, what are the big acts you like?

Jessie James: What do you think? Can you guess?

Tommy2: Well obviously Christina Aguilera.

Jessie James: Yes, she’s a very big one, everyone always says that. Umm, Shania Twain of course is huge to me. Umm, of course Christina and Shania are probably the main ones that I listen to, but I also grew up listening to Bobbie Gentry for her songwriting. I love the way that she wrote songs and Shelby Lynne and Eva Cassidy. The were all great songwriters and I definitely looked up to them as well.