Meet Jessica Jones

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Jones.

Jessica, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I like to think that chance brought me to where I am today. I’ve always had trouble making decisions and tend to put all of my eggs in one basket. One of those burns your lifeboat kind of philosophies. I always loved music but had many other loves as well. At one point I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian.

When it came time to choosing a college, I applied to a wide variety not knowing exactly which major to pursue. I only applied to one music school which required an audition. I spent many hours practicing after school with my band teacher perfecting my sight reading and repertoire. I didn’t want that time to go to waste so I decided if I got into music school that I would pursue a career in music.

College played a great deal in building the caliber of my voice and guitar playing. At the end of my major, I was required to complete an internship and only applied to two. One in New Jersey and one in Los Angeles. When I only got accepted to one my choice became clear. I was going to Los Angeles.

Like many starry-eyed musicians from a small town, I had big hopes coming to Los Angeles. I quickly realized that Los Angeles is nothing like in the movies and success doesn’t come from playing at the right place at the right time. Being “discovered” doesn’t just happen in one night.

For the first time, I called myself a singer-songwriter and discovered what it’s like to be a part of a music community. If it were easy everyone would do it. Where I am today is only a fraction of the way towards achieving my dream of becoming a full-time musician.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve been riding the struggle bus for a while. When I first moved to Los Angeles, there was a point when I was unemployed and had no permanent place to live. It was a scary time, and I always thought about giving up and going back home to Upstate New York.

I also suffer from loads of self-doubt. Los Angeles is full of juxtaposition. It’s hard to feel like I’m progressing when I’m surrounded by other artists constantly achieving higher levels of success. Whenever I pass by the Capitol Records building, I feel so close yet so far away from the music industry (although I have been inside once).

I also find that when I perform outside of LA people seem more appreciative to have live music. I get the feeling that musicians are a dime a dozen in Los Angeles and it can be really tough to persist. However, if I let the thought of “I’m not good enough” or “I’m too broke” stop me from pursuing music I would live my life regretting it. If I wanted a six-figure salary, I wouldn’t be doing music, and I wouldn’t be happy.

We’d love to hear more about what you do.
Music has always been a grind, so I wear many hats. I’m a guitar instructor, performer, singer-songwriter, recording artist, tour manager of sorts, etc. I studied voice and guitar classically, so I found an easy transition into folk music. I’m very inspired by Dave Rawlings, Gillian Welch, James Taylor, and Paul Simon to name a few.

I think one thing that sets my music apart is that I don’t write about love and relationships. There are many reasons I could give, but that’s for another time. Some of my favorite songs that I’ve written have been about quitting a job and leading a life of uncertainty.

You can typically find me performing at Farmer’s markets, busking on the Santa Monica Pier, as well as playing at wineries, The Kibitz Room, and other venues across LA. I believe music is a gift that is meant to be shared. I love seeing the smiles on strangers faces as they walk by.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
It was always my dream to travel and play music, so this past year, I decided to organize my own west coast tour. Out of the things I’ve done this year, I’m the most proud of the tour.

I spent the beginning of the year contacting venues and mapping out the drive. Although my car got broken into while in San Francisco, I would say it was a success. I’m currently planning an even bigger tour for 2019.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theofficialjessjones.com/
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theofficialjessjones/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theofficialjessjones/

Image Credit:
Katie Ferrara/Imagine Cat Productions, Beth Cleveland

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