Who are you?
I am Jessy Yasmeen a Dutch artist with South American roots. I sing, write, compose and I am a creative producer.
How would you describe your music?
With soul implemented Indiepop. My work is dreamy, hooky and layered. I also try to create an atmosphere that feels like a warm bath or a shoulder to lean on or cry over. With my music I want to break those taboos, go through that wall that we hide behind and prove that you’re not the only outlaw. You don’t have to carry it all alone.
When did music enter your life in a significant way?
As a little kid I always liked to sing along and it made me happy! When I was about 9 years old I was writing down little poems about my life. I was not much of a talker or showing how I felt so for me it was a way of expressing myself. As a teenager I moved with my parents to Aruba and at first, I had a really hard time blending in. I felt lonely and scared. That’s when I started playing guitar and turning those poems into little songs as a way to distract myself from reality or what I didn’t like. I moved back to the Netherlands when I was about 18 years old. With the obstacles, I had back then, again music was my life saviour. I went to jam sessions and met talented musicians with a lot of experience who brought me to cool venues. That’s how I started to realize that the one thing I loved doing was also a passion that I could turn into a real job.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Breakups, childhood, depression, anxiety, and despair. There is beauty in pain because it makes me able to feel. Feeling lost and unseen has always been my engine to create.
What is your songwriting process like?
It’s not like sitting down with the intention of writing. It’s just as I live from day to day that lyrics and/or a melody pops up in my head as I am on my way to the city center, for example. Then I write it down or choose to record it on my phone. The process continues when I am home again this can be on my guitar or by immediately starting with the production working with my midi keys or creating a rhythm.
That’s one way the process goes. Sometimes it arises just as you’re playing on your guitar or while jamming with your band. Other times a song really has to grow on you and is hard to finish, but it also happened to me that I completed a song in 10 minutes. It’s always unexpected.
After playing over 300 shows, how has your performance style changed?
I’ve chosen to play with a band instead of solo. I figured that it’s nice to share the experience with each other and to be with people that have your back and breathe music. It’s also cool to play the full composition of the song, like the production. Then it really comes alive. What I worked on recently is how I want to perform live. I’ve chosen to no longer hide behind my guitar and to connect with the audience. Yes I do want to pick up my guitar at a show, for at least once, but I find it more important to be with the crowd. I want to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. I believe that’s the only way of being vulnerable, making honest music and telling a story from the heart. I feel less comfortable when I have nothing to hold, but that’s where growth starts and I’m getting better and better at it. I’m still learning to be more in the moment, focust, centered and not overstimulated by the surroundings. But the biggest flex I’ve learned so far is as you know all your points of improvement, to only use this feedback during rehearsals and to let it all go as soon as you hit the stage. I mean the main reason for doing shows is to have fun and give it to the people!
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Tell us about life on tour!
It is amazing! Every city or venue has a different audience, another energy and it is never what you expect. You can only prepare for it until a certain point. And it all goes by so fast, like you always want a do over, that’s how much I love doing it! I can’t wait to really go on an international tour, connect with more human beings and experience more of the beauty of music. You know, to celebrate life together with all the emotions and situations that we find along the way.
What are you listening to right now?
I’m actually listening to a lot of South American music nowadays. I want to see how I can blend it in more. I did this with a side project called Isolation Tapes and I would love to do this again with an Isolation Tapes II EP. I mean It’s easier for me to write sad songs, because that’s an urge I got. But I also want to bring some feel-good to the table.
What is next for you?
I’m currently working on my album called “Formation’ Which will be released on November 11th. It’s gonna be more than music; bringing multiple forms of art together.. Therefore I am collabing with other disciplines. I can’t tell you more about it yet! But I’m psyched! And I’ll do an extraordinary releasparty in the Netherlands and a headline show in the UK.
In the meantime I’ll be releasing singles and doing (inter)national shows. So if you wanna check it out stay tuned and you’re of course more than welcome to join!
Photos: Sandra Zegarra Patow