IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Justin Jesso

Justin Jesso may be far from home, but he is getting closer to making it big in music history. Hailing from Chicago and currently based in Los Angeles, Justin is a singer/songwriter and graduate of NYU’s prestigious Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. He gained worldwide fame on Kygo’s collaborative hit, “Stargazing”, which has garnered more than 350 million streams on Spotify since its release in 2017. Just this year, on March 4, he put out his debut EP Let It Be Me via Sony Music Entertainment, which features tracks such as “Getting Closer” and “One Good Reason”. Most recently, he collaborated with Nina Nesbitt to rerelease “Let It Be Me” on June 7. Not only has he played solo shows at venues such as Mercury Lounge and The Bitter End, he has performed in Europe and Asia supporting Kygo.

Taking a pause from writing songs, Justin kindly sat down in Washington Square Park to discuss his beginnings, the process behind creating and crafting his EP, and recommended places to eat in NYC and LA, along with posing for a few portraits.

What’s the story behind your talent and passion for music?

I was a kid who always went for a plastic microphone over a toy football, so I started when I was very young. There’s this story my mom tells about how I wouldn’t shut up; when I was 1 or 2 years old, she was watching the Super Bowl in ’91, the national anthem by Whitney Houston came on, and I shut up immediately. I’ve always been soothed and calmed by amazing vocals. She would replay the video over and over again to get me to stop crying.

I started writing songs when I was 9. The first song I wrote was for a girl at camp I liked named Leah. I started writing more professionally when I was 16 and had an album out when I was 18 under a different name. I then went on tour with Disney. I enrolled at NYU, fell into songwriting and music publishing, and graduated. I’ve had a career for the past 8 years writing songs for other people, always with the intention of writing songs I sing myself. I pull inspiration from John Legend, Julia Michaels, and Bruno Mars. I would go to record labels and play my music, and they would all be like, “Wow, we should sign you!” I would say, “Okay great, let’s do it!” Two weeks later, they’d be like, “Actually, I want to take this song and buy it off of you and put it on this kid with 200 million Instagram followers.” This happened multiple times, and I looked at myself in the mirror and said to myself, “I’m a songwriter and have a little more work to do.” A month later, I wrote “Stargazing”, I got picked up by Kygo, he kept my vocal on it, it did what it did, and then suddenly, more people wanted to hear my music and what I had to say. I signed to a label in March of last year, started releasing music (doing particularly well in Europe), and here we are.

What was the first instrument (musical or non-musical) you started making music with?

I would sing into a plastic microphone and a plastic saxophone (not well). The first musical instrument was piano; I started when I was 4.

Which song (released or unreleased) are you most proud of?

I’m excited about new songs that will be coming out in the fall. I really like “Getting Closer” and “Let It Be Me” with Nina Nesbitt (which was just released). Nina really brought it home for me.

You released your debut EP, Let It Be Me, on March 4. What was the process of writing, recording, and producing it?

It was kind of all over the place because I spent so many years writing for other people. For example, “Let It Be Me” is out of me sitting in the studio with a couple of friends. Every time, I write for me, even if it ends up on someone else or not. I sat down, and thought, “What would I want to say to the person with whom I would spend the rest of my life?” That ended up being “Let It Be Me”. A lot of times, it was just songs I was writing not really knowing whether they would end up for me. When it came time to putting together the EP, I looked back and thought, “Which are the songs that feel the most like me?” “Getting Closer” was really interesting. I was with a friend of mine who was producing, and we had two hours before he had to go. That song was about an ex-girlfriend I had and this in-between of getting closer or getting closer to the end. In about thirty minutes, we had a song written.

While on the road, what are some of your essential tour items?

I always have my in-ears, so I travel with those basically everywhere. I usually travel with a vocal steamer. I also have a go bag.

What are you currently listening to?

I have old favorites whom I reference. I love Jack Garratt, and listen to him a bunch. I’m an old soul guy, so I’m always back to Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, James Brown, Otis Redding, Bruno Mars, Bill Withers, John Legend, and Whitney Houston (those are always my go-tos). I also listen to stuff on a work basis when I research whatever is cool and trendy. There’s this song called “Jazz Band” that I always go back to. I’m always referencing Miguel.

What’s your favorite food and/or restaurant in NYC? Any places back home in LA?

My favorite restaurant in New York is this tiny hole-in-the-wall called Tree Bistro in East Village. It’s on 1st Ave between 11th and 12th. For my birthday every year, I used to rent out the backyard. I’d have all my friends come, and it was a gift from my parents to pay for the dinner. I didn’t want anything else but to just have all my friends meet each other. Unfortunately, about 10 months ago, there was a fire that destroyed Tree. The back deck is still closed and won’t be open for a year and a half, but the main space is open. The garden was the thing.

Back in LA, Sqirl is the best brunch spot. For dinner, I’m kind of addicted to Veggie Grill; it’s fast and easy, and supposedly healthy. If we want to go fancier, there’s Beauty & Essex (there are also locations in New York and Las Vegas).

If there were a pizza with the name “Justin Jesso”, what toppings would it feature?

It would have pepperoni, chicken, buffalo sauce (but not too much), barbeque sauce (but not too much), and pineapple. It would also have four types of cheese, and in terms of sauce, it’d have marinara and pesto. There would be a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and cayenne pepper. It would maybe have some lemon. It sounds disgusting, but that’d be the “Justin Jesso” pizza.

Who is your favorite superhero character, and why?

My father. Spiderman is pretty cool; I’d like to shoot things from my arms at people.

What’s a question you have wanted to get asked in an interview, and what’s the response to it?

One question I’ve wanted to been asked is, “If you could be anyone in the world (dead or alive), who would you be?” My answer would be, “Either Frank Sinatra or Elvis.” Or maybe I wouldn’t be a musician at all and perhaps someone completely different.

A tremendous thank you to Carolyn (@carolyn.anthony) for coordinating, and Justin for his time and thought!

Stay tuned for updates from Justin by following him on Twitter (@justinjesso_) and Instagram (@justinjesso), and liking him on Facebook (/JustinJesso)!