Welcome to Pleasantville with Outlander Media Network went to see Jess
Glynne live in Nashville. Jess Glynne is awesome live and brings that cool
Amy Winehouse vibe to her performance. Her connection to the music and
the fans is undeniable as she opens up to the audience in a real and
genuine way. Her vocals are on point and beautiful and the way she is able
to have fun and improvise on stage is a testament to her talent and person
on and off stage.
Kirby Lee Bailey had the privilege of speaking with Jess before her show.
Kirby: Welcome to Nashville, How do you like Nashville?
Jess: I love Nashville! I just went for a stroll was like checking out all the
honky tonks, and yeah I love it, sunshine and a show tonight. I’m excited!
Kirby: It’s a little chilly right now for this time, it finally got cold and it will be
hot again right after you leave here.
Jess: The temperature definitely dropped from where I was last night in
Atlanta.
Kirby: Which venue did you play in Atlanta?
Jess: We were at the Buckhead Theater.
Kirby: Buckhead Theater is awesome. I saw Aqua there, I remember that
one, it was a great show.
Jess: Yeah, it’s really dope.
Kirby: Are you enjoying your time in the United States?
Jess: I’m loving it, coming back, it’s been five years since I’ve been out here
and it’s just so incredible to be on the road, reconnecting with all my fans
and the shows have been going great. I’ve just been, yeah, it’s been just
pleasure after pleasure.
Kirby: It has been kind a bucket list for me, I’ve always wanted to catch
your show and you’ve been off the grid for about five years, I am glad to
see you back.
Jess: Yeah man, that’s so exciting. Your going to see it tonight.
Kirby: I am excited and I got the new album out now “Jess” and it seems to
me like it is a very personal album when I spun it.
Jess: It is a very personal album. I feel like I’ve poured a lot of my heart
into it, the years and it’s such a, I suppose, a moment for me and I feel so
glad that it’s actually out.
Kirby: Yeah I could tell it was going to be a very personal album when we
started off with “Silly me” and then you finished with “Promise me” and I
was like okay….
Jess: Yeah I mean I guess I’ve been through a lot over the years and
having taken such a like large amount of time out, I mean unintentionally. I
think every time I got into the studio I had so much to say and it was written
over like, I guess, three years and so it just felt like this journey of emotions
of ups and downs. And yeah, I guess it just became a body of work that
told a lot of stories about a period of time.
Kirby: You have a birthday coming up, any big birthday plans?
Jess: I’m going to be in Denver on my birthday next week I don’t know
what I’ve got planned. I haven’t really planned anything. I’ve got a show so I’m
sure I’ll celebrate some capacity.
Kirby: We were at a show one time and the artist celebrated by getting a
tattoo backstage so I was….
Jess: No…. yeah…
Kirby: I can’t see you doing that. So, you’re one of the first in England,
you’re the first one to have seven number one British solo female artists
that’s a big (accomplishment) goal for you isn’t it.
Jess: Yeah it’s incredible, I mean I can’t even, yeah it’s amazing and I feel
very grateful for the success that I’ve achieved and yeah it just feels good.
Kirby: And you’ve even won a Grammy here in the States.
Jess: I have even won a Grammy, I know how incredible and it’s sitting on
my shelf at home.
Kirby: That’s Awesome. I love the fact that you’ve done that. You’re
touring right now and you’re still living in England right?
Jess: I am still living in England, but we’re out here in Nashville tonight and
then we’re heading over to Chicago, which I can’t wait, then we’ve got
Denver, San Fran, Vegas, and LA. So yeah I’ve still got quite a way to go
and I just love it. I’m so like, I just feel like the show, it just, it’s all really
exciting and it feels fresh as well. And just like a different version of me to
when I was here five years ago. I suppose that’s what I love about music is
that it’s always evolving and I you know I couldn’t predict, I suppose, where
I would be at this point, but I just feel very, very blessed.
Kirby: That’s great. I’m listening to your new album real closely and it’s got
kind of like a Amy Winehouse sound and feel, was that what you were
going for?
Jess: You know what I think I take a lot of inspiration from Amy, just due to
the fact that she wears or wore her heart so on her sleeve and was so
vulnerable and honest in her lyrics. And she told stories and her voice was
just unmeasurable the way it made you feel emotional and you could really
well, I could really connect and I still do to this day. I think it was super
important for me to write great songs on this album that really showcased, I
suppose, a more strip back version of me. A vocal that could really kind of,
you could feel close to a lyric that felt sentimental. But also makes people
feel, I think, that’s the most important thing for me. It is like even with my
shows I want people to come and feel something and walk away with a
smile, just knowing that they’ve experienced something with me in that
moment. I think that’s what I just love about music it’s so um it’s so
important in my every day and obviously it’s like my Asos therapy um and I
guess it’s just a blessing that it kind of transfers to other people and helps
them.
Kirby: I see you are in the dressing room at the Brooklyn Bowl, have you
been down to Bowl yet?
Jess: Yeah, I did a little one before I jumped on with you, then I’m going to go
and do sound check in a moment, and then I’ll just do it again or some
bowling, yeah, why not?
Kirby: How have the crowds been? Have they been real receptive to the
new music at your performances?
Jess: They really have. It’s so incredible like when you’ve got some new
music material out and then people already know the lyrics and they’re
singing along, it’s been really like really receptive and it feels
good.
Kirby: So you’re touring the states right now, which one do you like better
touring here in the states or touring in your home country area?
Jess: I think it’s different like it’s, I love it all and I don’t feel like I can
compare because it’s really different. I just love it all you know I’m just really
glad I get to be on the road and do what I love.
Kirby: As we touched on earlier, you were on hiatus for about 5 years. I like
to touch on this, as it affected so many people, especially artist. How did
the pandemic shutdowns play into the time away?
Jess: I mean the first two years 100% were due to the Pandemic like it was
crazy I mean. I kind of used it to my advantage at the beginning to take a
little break because I’d been on the road for so long. Then just constant
event after event that just kept happening in life. I guess you know
uncontrollable things and then five years had passed I was like oh my God
this is crazy. It was a lot I mean it definitely set the country back but it set a
lot of us back, it was most like it was hard yeah, I think for everyone around
the world it was just like a something we’ve never experienced a pandemic,
like what the hell. We all pray it never happens again.
Kirby: I read recently that you toured with the Spice Girls at one time. Did
you learn something from touring with them?
Jess: I had the most incredible time touring with them it was so so
amazing. It’s one of my favorite tours I think that I’ve ever been on, playing
to stadiums like with the Spice Girls, full circle moment. I was such a fan
growing up so yeah, I mean it was amazing so much fun.
Kirby: You are touring Europe after this, are you going to play any
festivals?
Jess: Yes, I will be doing some festivals next year.
Kirby: As I said, I’m just happy that you’re touring here because I’ve always
wanted to see you. I said I jumped on board with you when the first single
“Rather Be” with Clean Bandit and I have bought every album since.
Jess: That was fun, I remember that fondly, I think it was in LA with them, it
was a real like one of my first shows in America, I was like whoa.
Kirby: “Rather Be” is the one you won the Grammy for too.
Jess: Exactly!
Kirby: I am glad you’re enjoying Nashville. I’ve never gotten tired of
Nashville, we love doing the Nashville shows. Brooklyn Bowl is one of
my favorite venues to go to. I appreciate you taking timeout to spend time
with Outlander Media Network.
Jess: I appreciate you guys and I really hope you enjoy the show tonight!