Jessi Hamilton

Jessi is Amercia's freshest talented solo singer/songwriter who's gearing up to take the music world by storm with her infectious blend of pop/rock and rich harmonies. Her song “I’ll Cry For You” is to be featured on the Discoveries CD 2004 you can find out how that came about and if she has any plans to release her music here in the UK by checking out this UK Exclusive Interview.

For further news and info on jessi go to her official website: http://www.jessihamilton.com

Photos:© 2004 Scott Hamilton

• How would you describe your sound?

A pop/rock blend with ambient textures, rich harmonies, memorable melodies, and thoughtful lyrics.

• What makes you different from other female solo artists?

I am very involved in the writing of my music. Many of the musicians that I have been collaborating with have been studying music for a very long time and have helped me incorporate more mature chord progressions, rhythms, and instrumentation into the music. My producer Chris Stevens has been the main force in helping me accomplish this. I am also very eager to try new things musically and blend different musical styles together.

• You have been invited to collaborate with legendary rock vocalist Lou Gramm. Have you recorded any tracks yet?

I’m going up to New York this coming week to help with some backup vocals on several of the songs. I’m really excited about the opportunity.

• You were selected to be on the Discoveries 2004 CD. How did that come about? How do you think it has helped in terms of your career?

My manager, Bruce Pilato, entered three of my songs into a competition sponsored by RockRGrl Magazine where the winners will be featured on the Discoveries CD and in the magazine. My song “I’ll Cry For You” was selected as one of the 15 winning entries. It’s going to be a great way to get exposure among potential fans as well as media and record labels. The CD is sent out to all RockRGrl readers who have a 2-year subscription as well as a lot of industry people. Being on the compilation CD is also going to look really good to record labels when Bruce starts to shop my music. If anyone is interested in buying a copy of the Discoveries CD, information is available on www.rockrgrl.com.

• What are your thoughts on today's music scene? What is your take on the British music scene?

I think there are some very talented artists on the scene, but I think a lot of their creative privileges have been taken away. The emphasis on marketing has caused artists to be pigeonholed into doing one style of music, which has taken away room for experimentation and further growth in music. Also, many artists are rushed to get their next CD out as quickly as possible, hurting their chances at releasing a quality product. I think that an artist’s image has also become too important of an issue. I think that the situation is starting to improve, however. With advancements such as iTunes CD store where listeners can buy a song for $0.99. marketing can be executed in a completely different way. This opens the door for artists to release singles again which could help improve the quality of the music we are hearing. To be honest, I am not very familiar with the British music scene. From what I do know about it, though, I think Britain is much more open to different and new styles of music than the US is.

• Have you got any plans to release your music over here in the UK?

I would definitely like to! Once I finish my album, I will have it available on my website (www.jessihamilton.com), so people anywhere can buy a copy if they are interested.

• What is the biggest crowd you have performed in front of?

About 1000 people. This May I’m going to be performing with my band for the first time at the Lilac Festival in Rochester, NY. There are usually several thousand people that turn out for each show, so it should be a very exciting experience!

• Do you get nervous before a performance?

I still do a little bit. Once I start performing, though, I’m usually fine. I’m more comfortable behind the piano than away from it. The piano’s my security blanket. I’m starting to get more used to being away from the piano, though.

• How do you get inspired to write a song? How important is it to have creative control over everything you do?

The music always comes very easily for me. A lot of the time I just turn off all the lights, close my eyes, and start playing the piano. The words are more difficult for me. If something has happened that I feel very strongly about, I’ll write about it. Sometimes I’ll just go on a walk and something will inspire me to write. I always go on a walk when I get writer’s block. I’m a bit of a control freak, so I like having creative control over my music. I really do enjoy collaborating with other songwriters and artists as well, though. It’s neat to see what other people can add to songs that I wouldn’t think of.

• You are currently working on your debut album. How is that going? Who are you working with?

It’s going incredibly well. I have one song left to record before the album is finished. The album has taken a long time to do, but it’s definitely been worth it. I’m so happy with every aspect of it and feel like it’s something that I can be proud of. I’ve been working with my producer Chris Stevens for over five years. Chris is an incredible musician, guitarist, and writer. He’s worked with Clay Aiken and gospel singer Shirley Cesar. My manager Bruce has also been involved in the production and writing of the album. A great rapper from Virginia Beach, Ghetto Prince, joined me on one of the tracks, “Turn Off, Shut Down.” I also have several tracks that my band has played on. The members in the band include: drummer Bob Andressi, keyboardist Brian Eggleston, bassist Harry Ford, guitarists Don Mancuso and JD Merkel, and backup vocalists Cindy Samulski and Dawn Sherman. Some other musicians from my hometown have also helped out with the CD: Jeff Cobb, Ernie Donadelle, Michelle Gyzen, and Johnny Orr.

• Who do you admire? Which artists would you most like to work with in the future?

My favorite singer is Linda Eder. She did a lot of Broadway shows and has a beautiful voice. I would love to sing a duet with her. I also love Freddie Mercury from Queen. His voice was so versatile and he had an amazing range. I also admire Sarah McLachlan, Mariah Carey, Elton John, Alicia Keys, John Lennon, Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Sting, and Ella Fitzgerald.

• Are you superstitious? Any specific rituals or routines before a performance?

I’m not very superstitious about performing. I can’t read a fortune from a fortune cookie without eating the fortune cookie first, but that’s a different story. Usually before performing I try to exercise a little bit, warm up my voice, drink lots of water (not too cold). If I’m not feeling well, I drink tea with honey and bring lots of cough drops.

• What cd's do you currently have in your cd player?

I’m taking a jazz music class in college right now, so I’m having a lot of fun listening to a jazz sampler disc that came with my textbook. I really like Duke Ellington’s music. I’m also listening to a lot of classic rock like Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Queen, and Foreigner.

• What do you think of the current reality TV show's e.g American Idol?

Well, there’s obviously a rather large audience for them. I don’t think I would want to go on one of those shows because I want to write my music. From what I can tell, these shows don’t offer the artistic freedom that an artist could find elsewhere. It will also be interesting to see how long the careers of singers who come these shows will last. For the most part, I think the people who are successful in these shows are very talented, but I have my doubts that it is a way to build the foundation of a successful career.

• Where and when will you be performing next?

At the Lilac Festival in Rochester, NY on May 16th at 5:00. You can check out their website at www.lilacfestival.com.