Jessica Dawn is a singer/songwriter from Nashville with a new ep, "Graffito" just released.
1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer. For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later. Is there such a defining moment for you?
I don’t have one defining moment, but rather a series of moments that eventually progressed into an inner knowing that making music is what I wanted to do for a living. I started writing songs when I was eight years old and I remember the time I wrote my first song. Melodies were always coming to me as a child from then on…it was just fun to be creative and in my own little world. I started making my own tapes for my friends in elementary school. And while everyone was into Madonna, I loved Debbie Gibson because I thought it was so cool that she was only 17 and writing her own songs and played piano. When I hit my pre-teens, right when Mariah Carey came out, I definitely knew I wanted the life she was living. I even tried to sing like her, but of course, it didn’t come out the same way! Ha I was obsessed at an early age…not only was I always singing, recording, writing, and playing piano but also did silly things like pretend I was being interviewed, accepting Grammys awards in my bedroom, and coming up with music video ideas in my garage!
2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to? Who are some of your favorites?
I’m constantly listening to music and I always gravitate towards artists that move and evoke me in some instinctual way. I’m attracted to artists who I can respect and learn from as a musician and songwriter, usually people who have some longevity or aren’t trying to fit some generic mold…and definitely artists who take chances and are unique because they don’t compromise who they are. If I listed ALL of my favorites, it would be too lengthy, but here’s a good handful:
Led Zeppelin, Sheryl Crow, Tori Amos, Lenny Kravitz, Maroon 5, Carole King, Aretha Franklin, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alicia Keys, Muse, Fiona Apple, Marc Broussard, Jimi Hendrix, Nikka Costa, Stevie Wonder, Wolfmother, Kanye West, Jonny Lang, Black Keys, Beyonce, Evanescence, Beck, Janis Joplin, Black Rebel Motor Cycle Club, Jet, Ani DiFranco, Black Crowes…shall I go on ?
3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?
I played this really fun show at a little club in Bowling Green, KY, a college town where the crowds just really dig original music. They’re receptive to new and upcoming artists there. I was playing with a full band and we were performing the last song…by then, everybody was cheering and dancing. And so because the exchange of energy was so strong at that point, I spontaneously took the song in a different direction and the band just went with it-I stopped playing guitar and got the audience to start clapping with me and singing along. As cheesy as it sounds, there was something magical and beautiful in the air when that happened. It was quite euphoric. And that was when I really understood “crowd participation” and how that fire can start, as well as experiencing that “high” feeling you can have on stage as a performer. It was a moment I’ll never forget.
4. Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to? How much can music influence current events?
The beauty of music is that it affects people in different ways. Some people like it only in the background, some like to listen carefully, pick it apart and discuss its theory,…some people like to dance to it, sleep to it, cry to it, drive to it,…some people are so inspired it can change their minds or their hearts or they use it as therapy to deal with difficult emotions…there’s such a broad spectrum of inspiration. Some artists like to mix politics with music and that’s because they feel the need to express those thoughts and ideas. There are people out there who will listen to an artist’s interpretation of what’s going on in the world verses a politician sometimes. Maybe that’s because it comes from an authentic, honest, and more relatable source. And plus music adds momentum and power to the words.
Music can change a person’s attitude, demeanor, heart, even perception…and since real change for the world comes from the change that occurs within individuals, then maybe in a sense, it can change the world. One thing’s for sure, music can bring people together, there’s a unity that forms at a concert and music really is the universal language. I also believe it’s the language of our souls and that’s why it can be such a spiritual experience.
5. How has technology affected the music industry? How has technology affected your career as a musician?
Technology has affected the music industry in the sense that it’s more accessible now…it’s very consumer-friendly. A person can go online and if they only like two songs off of the 12-song album, they can just buy those two songs. They have the luxury of finding almost any song or artist online they’re looking for, get what they want, and never have to leave their computer and set foot into a record store again. It’s immediate, it’s faster, it’s easier, it’s cheaper…the consumer feels more in control with getting what they want. As an artist, I believe in not fighting change and accepting this new digital wave. In retrospect, it’s always been changing…we’ve come a long way from the gramophone! Change is inevitable. I believe the music business will always be alive and thriving because no matter what, people are always going to want music. So the only thing that’ s changing is HOW people are getting the music,…in different formats which will affect the “record” industry because of compact discs, but not the “music” industry itself. There will have to be new ways, new approaches to how music is sold. In my personal experience, technology has helped me. I can reach a wider audience online, and appeal to friends and fans who want to purchase the songs on iTunes, etc. The internet has shifted the way the whole game runs now and it actually caters to the independent artists who can do so much on their own now without relying on the big dogs in the suits (who are currently sweating bullets trying to come up with how to survive in such a do-it-yourself music market). Artists have more leverage now because they don’t have to be as dependent. The best thing about the internet for a band is all of the networking and being accessible to the public and therefore, you can have a fan in Germany because he found you on Myspace.:)
6. Now for my Barbara Walters question: If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?
The first kind that popped in my mind was a pair of boots. Maybe because I hope my music will make people feel warm. Maybe because most boots are comfortable but can also be stylish…my music, in my opinion, is somewhat familiar and sonically comfy, but yet also unique with a lot of personality. So if music is a reflection of the self, then these are some of my characteristics. Boots can be fun or practical, adventurous or sexy, girly and sophisticated, cozy or tough….perhaps these boots are ready to walk over a Man for causing her pain or walking up to a Man to give him a kiss.
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