To start, we’d love to say congratulations on the release of your new mixtape,Life’s Short, Live Big. What were some of the big inspirations and ideas that you wove into the fabric of the release?
Thank you! Making this project and the entire creative process was the most fun I’ve had creating in a long time. It reignited the fire in my belly and brought me so much joy. I wanted to put out a collection of songs that gave me so much freedom to move and I’m really proud of this project. The title was deeply the most inspiring element to start with, I wanted to rapidly create and feel the flow of making again in all its glory. I was feeling inspired by the process/mechanics of making and not getting caught up in the end result.
There is some absolutely incredible production on the mixtape! What qualities do you look for in a sound or production partner when building a quintessential Jesswar song?
I start by searching for a beat that catches me in the first ten seconds. I like to hear what the producer has done and then add my own vibe to compliment it. For the mixtape I started experimenting with sounds I hadn’t worked with before and felt it pushed me out of my comfort zone. I love that this project shows you even more of my range in terms of production genres. I’ve always felt drawn to all types of music and exploring that led me to exciting new places as an artist.
Have you had a chance to road test much of this release live? If so, what dynamic do you think these tracks add to your current set list and are there any tracks you’re keen to debut in a live setting?
I added ‘Hefty’ to my live show last year and every time I’ve played it the crowd was wild, it’s been one of my favourites during the set. I can’t wait to play the entire project live as it feels really different from some of my older tracks. There’s a few songs in there that are slower so I’m interested in weaving them into the live show, too.
How would you say you’ve grown as an artist in recent years? What would you say has contributed most to that growth?
I feel personally and creatively I’ve grown to feel more comfortable with myself and who I am. In the last year I feel I’ve really stepped into a new journey of self-love and acceptance and it’s helped me to not only navigate my life but my artistry as well. Making this project in a time where I was re-evaluating everything helped me to be brave and creative and fight for what I want.
We can’t wait to catch you performing at this year’s MELT Festival alongside fellow artist JessB. Where did the idea to collab first come from?
We’ve both wanted to collaborate on tracks, performances and gigs for a long time and I’m so happy that it’s finally happening for this show! We’ve known each other personally as good mates for a few years so I feel it’s going to be pretty wild seeing us play back to back after all this time. I know we both love to get wild at our shows so audiences can expect to leave sweaty and energised!
You’ll be mixing and matching your styles on stage – in what ways will the performance show off your individual skills?
Our sounds are really different but feel they complement each other. Both our live shows are really high in energy, so this will work really well back to back.
Speaking of collaborations, which local or international artists would you most love to team up with on a project if you got the chance?
Leikeli47, Tommy Genesis, Kahlo and locally, Mallrat and Siala! I really admire their craft and resonate with both these artists so feel the collaboration will be fire.
MELT Festival has long been a supporter of queer art and culture. From your perspective, in what ways has the local queer music scene blossomed in recent years?
I feel we’ve been offered more opportunities than in past years. I do feel we have a long way to go in terms of representation across the board but it warms my heart seeing so many new artists coming up and shining. This is something I dreamt of seeing when I was young and feel it’s so important for the next wave of artists to see.
In what ways can the industry as a whole improve in order to better support queer artists?
Give us more opportunities and put us on mainstream line-ups. Not just one of us but a lot of us. Create safe environments for all and educate staff on artist pronouns and protocols, and to be treated with common respect when we are in these spaces. We don’t need to just be on Queer-specific festivals – we are first and foremost artists so put us on the billboards, main stages, big festivals, radio and TV.
Catch Jesswar and JessB performing live at Brisbane Powerhouse as part of MELT Festival on Friday November 18. You can grab tickets from the Brisbane Powerhouse website.