Balancing sweet, soulful and gritty, JESA is a folk/pop singer/songwriter hailing from the Northern Rivers rainbow region of NSW. Think Lizzy McAlpine meets Gretta Ray with a heartfelt attempt at tackling real world issues through song. You can expect folk-flavoured guitar, lush vocals, melancholic lyrics with pop girl melodies supported by grooving basslines and colourful drum parts. JESA burst onto the music scene going from performing at open mic nights to Bluesfest Byron Bay at age 15. From there she made festival lineups and showcased at Nimbin Roots, DIY Festival Brisbane, The Brightside, The Zoo and Black Bear Lodge. In recent years opened for Australia's own Kim Churchill, Caravana Sun, The Round Mountain Girls and Monique Claire.

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In November 2022, JESA completed her second East Coast Tour to celebrate the release of debut EP ‘Fire In The Sky’. From Brisbane to the Blue Mountains stopping in at Eltham, Evans Head, Newcastle and Sydney, JESA, created a diverse series of shows featuring solo to band shows in small halls and lounge rooms. The lineups featured Georgie Winchester, Deep Sea Lights, Sartika, Gailla, Osita and Sarah Yagki. Listeners and fellow artists described JESA's stage presence as unapologetic, down-to-earth, relatable and the uncanny ability to act like a mirror to society. JESA has received Triple J and Double J radio play for her EP with reviews of single, "You Before Me" as “gorgeous, catchy and fun” (Jess Perkins, Triple J) and “brings joyful energy that is needed in life” (Nkechi Anele, Triple J). Produced  by Billy Otto, together they created a musical soundscape of sunshine folk, Teskey Brother's esc' blues, dream pop and indie rock with themes of body positivity, vulnerability and child-like joy in lyric and feeling. 

 

Growing up JESA’s love of folk music was sparked by neighbour Phil Levy (previously taught The Myclymonts) and her parents collection of classic Australian artists like Midnight Oil, Missy Higgins, Kasey Chambers and AC/DC being played. JESA first fell in love with the music scene performing at local open mic nights from age 13, recording on her four-track Tascam recorder and making home music videos. JESA has always been most comfortable with a guitar in her lap or serenading whoever would listen. Her live craft brings empowerment, heart and a realness similar to the likes of Kasey Chambers and Midnight Oil who she watched as an adolescent with her parents. As a new trio-arrangement JESA is excited to be working on her biggest feat yet, a debut album that will be self-produced, composed and written.