Pop singer songwriter JESSIA released her latest single, “Care About Me,” on March 8. With this release, the Canadian artist continues to showcase the unique way in which she tugs at the heartstrings of listeners. Offering lyricality that is as relatable as it is bittersweet, music fans can kind healing and feel seen in JESSIA’s work.
Inspired by a relationship where the love felt extremely one-sided, “Care About Me” is a tragic piece that tells the story of what it’s like to navigate through a failing relationship. After teasing the track on TikTok and Instagram earlier this year, JESSIA knew she had to release the song after fans began to share their own stories of experiencing this type of situation in relationships. Following the single’s release, JESSIA sat down with Melodic Mag to talk about the inspiration behind her latest musical effort, a possible upcoming EP, and how she is continuously inspired by her devoted fanbase.
Hey JESSIA! Thanks so much for taking the time today. I know last year was a big year for you. With 2024, what do you hope to accomplish?
I’m dropping a full project and I think hopefully another tour. I can’t say anything yet about the tour, but there’s so much new music and I feel like this next single was such a good palette of where I’m going musically. I’m really excited about the new stuff that that I’ve been working on and I’m going to be putting it out pretty soon.
Without revealing too much, what can you tell us about the upcoming project?
I think it’s going to be an EP. I don’t know if I’m going to be diving into an album just yet, but I’m so proud of every single one of these songs. I feel like I’ve been collecting these songs for a really long time. Even some songs that I wrote four years ago, I’m going back to them and thinking they deserve to have a life. I’m really excited for this next chapter of songs. How I sound is really different from last year, so I think that’s really cool.
You said you’re revisiting songs from four years ago. How does it feel to look back at material from a much different time in your life?
I think it’s just that these songs have stayed with me. I shouldn’t say that I’m bored with them, because I’m not. I love them and there’s a reason that I want to put them out, but I’ve listened to them so many times. Yet there’s a reason I’ve always kept coming back to them every single time there’s been something going on in my life. With this one in particular, there was magic in the room when I wrote it. However, circumstances in my life ended up so that I was not able to release it when I wanted to. Because it wasn’t true to what was going on in my life. Coming back to this other point in my life, I feel like I’m able to release it again. I’m really excited about this one. It’s probably one of my favorite songs that I’ve written.
You have such a close relationship with your fans, especially when it comes to putting out music. With past singles you’ve gone on social media and asked fans what kind of songs they want released depending on how they’re feeling or what they need to hear at a certain time in their lives. When it comes to the most recent single, “Care About Me,” how did your fans influence the release of that song?
I keep saying “Care About Me” is my favorite song of mine right now. That’s another one that I wrote a while ago and kept coming back to it. It’s been through so many revisions and my producer and I were like, ‘We believe in this song. We’re going to get this going, we can do this.” But people are sharing their stories and putting their own stories on it. I love going into my comments section and seeing everybody hype each other up. It’s like this little community that we’ve made and that’s really cool. But for it to be a song that I really liked and something that helped me go through whatever I was going through and also do the same for other people, feels really good. It’s a sad song for sure, but I feel like at the end of the tunnel with that song you get your power back and you realize that you deserve more and you shouldn’t put up with minimal love. To anyone who relates, the song came from a came from a hard place, but I’m glad that I’m able to help you through it.
For those who aren’t aware, what is the story behind the single?
It’s about watching love fade while you’re still showing up and the other person is not. It’s really cool to see in the comments people saying it reminds them of their best friends or their relationship with their parents or all these different things. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a romantic relationship. It could be about someone’s job or their boss. It’s pretty much about any time that you’ve ever been showing up and giving your all and the other person isn’t even giving you the time of day, and then finally realizing that it just isn’t worth it.
With that song and other songs you’ve written, they’re about these very sad or heartbreaking situations. How does it feel to revisit those moments over and over as you perform the song or promote it?
I do take breaks. But when I’m in it and I’m able to feel it and I think that it’s good, I’m like, ‘Okay, let’s film and promote it as much as we can’ and then we just wait for the next wave to hit. I think that if I was constantly in it, I would just constantly be crying, so taking a minute to step away from it for a second and let it breathe and do its thing before you jump back into it is important. There is this distance that you have to put in where you remind yourself this is now a product and you don’t have to relive every single heartbreaking moment, while still being able to tap into that emotion so that you’re able to sell it to people and make it more authentic. I haven’t sang this song live yet. I’m singing in a couple of weeks and I’m really excited to see the crowd’s response to it.
What advice do you kind of have for people who might be in a situation like that, where they’re in a relationship and it’s very clear that it’s kind of one-sided?
I’m definitely not a relationship therapist. Things are easier said than done, but I think that a lot of people are scared and they don’t see that it’s even an option to leave. Love makes you do crazy things and hold onto things that you aren’t supposed to. There’s so many different factors within a relationship, but I think overcoming that and realizing there are better things is important. The stories that I’ve heard of people who have left and did find the strength to leave and are now super happy, those are the ones I cling on to. But if you’re not ready to leave, everybody has to do it in their own time. I just hope to send them peace and strength to be able to get out of it and be able to realize that they are worth more.
Before, you’ve said that you wanted your previous single “One Before the One” to feel like a warm hug for listeners. What do you want “Care About Me” to feel like?
I want this to be a song you’re able to scream in your car when you’re at your breaking point and able to let it all out. It’s such a simple statement of saying, ‘You don’t even care about me,’ but to be able to scream that…I want this song to be an outlet when you’re wanting to be seen.
Last year was the first year that you started releasing music independently after leaving your label. How has this new era of your music career been?
It’s been great. To own my original recordings is incredible. Even with seeing the success of “Care About Me,” I’m super happy with how it’s doing. I don’t know if I would have been able to release this song had I still been with a label. Who knows. I’m so thankful that I was able to just do it and we got it out fast. I’m very happy with not being signed right now and having this freedom. There was a lot of bitterness last year, but I think finally finding my voice and my sound has given me a lot of peace. I’ve realized this is exactly where my journey was supposed to go.
Why would you probably not have been able to release the single if you were still signed to a label?
There’s a lot of people that you have to go through and everybody has to agree. It’s a business, and I’m still treating my artistry as a business, but these last few years – especially with social media – people have been chasing virality before songs are even released. Having people who see your visions and like the same music as you on your team is really important. Now it’s a lot less of me having to ask for permission to be able to do something.
We talked about this earlier, but you do have a special relationship with your fans. Why is your relationship with your fans so important for you?
It’s weird even calling them fans. They’re all humans, and they all have just as complicated of a life as me. Just because the stage is elevated does not mean anything else is elevated. I like hanging out and seeing what they’re going through and hearing their stories. It’s validating to have my songs touch people. Also, anytime that I meet somebody who has helped me through a tough time, I love being able to share that with them. To give them the opportunity to be able to say, ‘I’m here. I’m listening,’ is inspiring. I try and just make it as casual as possible. Let’s all just hang out and talk about our lives.
Thank you for taking the time today! It was so great to talk with you!
Thank you so much!
Keep up with JESSIA: Instagram // Twitter // TikTok // Spotify
