Sweet talking with Jessie J

British singer Jessie J’s third album, “Sweet Talker”, has solidified her appeal with the hit single “Bang Bang”. It’s the 26-year-old Londoner’s latest coup after selling better than 11 million records, making her one of Britain’s most popular musical exports in recent years. 

Jessica Ellen Cornish has taken hold with an unconventional style in both the music and the performance, a mix of soul, R&B, pop, electropop, hip-hop and even rap. Her talent was clear from the debut single, “Do It Like a Dude”, which reached No 2 on the UK singles charts in 2011. 

That was followed by “Price Tag”, a phenomenal hit all over Europe and in Australia. Her second album, “Alive”, came out in 2013 and generated a brace of two top-five hits, “Wild” and “It’s My Party”. 

Now there’s “Sweet Talker”, released last month with “Bang Bang” boasting American pop stars Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande.

Brassy and energetic, Jessie J’s third album is packed with fizzy pop, provocative R&B swagger and a string of collaborations. Others pitching in are 2Chainz, Lindsey Stirling and De La Soul. 

Media types from around Asia had a date with Lady J in Hong Kong last month.

 

How would you describe “Bang Bang”? 

It definitely hits you in the face. Musically it’s fun – it makes you want to dance – and the song itself it is about being enough, being confident, being sexy and enjoying the moment. The song was No 1 on iTunes in the US, which was very amazing.

Tell us about shooting the video with Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande.

It was so much fun – two days of lots of dancing and lots of heat, because we did it in LA. It was the first time I’d met Ariana and Nicki and that was definitely a massive moment. It was a day I won’t forget. 

 

What’s “Sweet Talker” all about?

It’s a big singing album. People have said they enjoy that I’m enjoying my voice. And I think the songs are also different. Everything I’m singing about is something that’s in my life, so emotionally it’s very different. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it and, fingers crossed, you’ll love it as much as I do. 

 

Why is it called “Sweet Talker?

“Sweet Talker” is one of the tracks and, for me, singing is all about the mouth. I’ve always done the crystal lips [she adorns her lips with crystals] – I always like the mouth as part of the body. I think it’s one of the most important things – you use it for speaking and it’s important for your character. 

And I want all my fans to “sweet talk” with me. I want it to kind of be the whole thing on the album that I want my fans to sweet talk with me. 

 

You got the chance to collaborate a lot of cool artists. Who else do you like to work with on future projects?

Actually the list is endless. I would say Prince, Beyonce, Drake, Rihanna, Kim Burrell, Jazmine Sullivan and new artists like Luke James and Avery Wilson. And they’re just a few on my list!

 

Recently you mentioned you had “Photoshopped cellulite off your legs”. What are your views on body image? 

Body image is down to how you accept yourself. I think self-love is the most important thing to learn. And as long as you’re healthy, you should understand how to embrace your body and your image and enjoy it. Tell yourself you are “enough”. Tell yourself you’re beautiful, but always be healthy.

 

What have you been listening to recently?

Clean Bandit – I think they’re amazing – and Avery Wilson again. He’s incredible. And Luke James, too. They’re the three new artists I’m really enjoying at the moment.

 

How have you evolved as an artist since the start?

I’ve just learnt a lot. You can watch and observe, but it’s nothing like living it and being it. I’ve been releasing music for five years and I think I’ve managed the ups and downs, the good, the bad, the success, the failure, and I’ve lived a lot. Probably my biggest growth is that I am now somebody who can say I’ve done this for a while and I know what I’m doing. 

 

With all the success and fame, how much of you is Jessie J and how much of you is still Jessica Cornish? 

I don’t see myself as Jessie J as much as other people do because I know when I’m at work and when I’m not. Obviously sometimes that gets blurred and people might think I’m at work all the time, but when I’m with my mum and dad, my niece and nephew, my sisters and friends, or when I’m at a party or at dinner, I’m not Jessie J – I’m Jessica Cornish. Balance is hard and you have to manage it as time goes on. 

 

What’s next for Jessie J? 

At the moment I’m just focusing on music. There’s always something in a pipeline, but there’s still something that’s not 100-per-cent confirmed, so I can’t talk about it right now.