Justin Jesso, in search of his new self with latest EP, ‘Finding The Opposite Of Loneliness’
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- September 16, 2022
Justin Jesso’s new EP “Finding the opposite of loneliness” drops today, September 16th, and we still can’t understand how we were able to keep our mouths shut for all this time.
We were invited to Justin’s listening party last month in the new Sony Music offices in London and kind of knew we were heading to see something special, and he certainly delivered. That night in August we had the scoop and the pleasure to listen to the new tracks performed by Justin in a very personal matter, with him sharing his process and the feelings behind every song. Not that it needed but that alone made the EP just absolutely perfect for that moment.
Justin’s voice is undeniably special, with a range that can go from soulful and deep to explosive and high pitch in a second. He’s already a well established singer-songwriter with an extensive repertoire under his umbrella, but now we get to see a whole new side of him, a more profound and introspective side.
The EP opens with a soulful track called “Lose Ya”. A song with the power to make your move to the beat of the track, as well as just contemplate the power of the words and enjoy Jesse’s amazing vocal range. No wonder he chooses this as the opener for not only the EP, but also for the listening party. Before starting his rendition of “Lose Ya”, Justin gave us a little bit of an inside to his process and his influences;
“I love soul music, from Otis Redding to James Brown and Aretha Franklin, and on the other hand, I’m also a fan of that big arena sound. During the pandemic, I played around a little bit with different sounds, and I wanted to create something that was touching, but also with that pop spirit that I love, that makes you want to dance. I think that’s where I want to take my songs in the future”.
Justin Jesso
As he plays through the EP, Justin’s influences become more evident. Not only his soulful side, but you can also hear a little bit of Elton’s and Freddy’s theatricality; as well as that Rock’n Pop sound from bands like Maroon 5 and The Killers. But nevertheless, as we listen to him play live as well as interact with us and the rest of this small group of, (as he jokingly pointed out), “cool label people and press”, you can see that one of his ultimate goals is to put out a show for all the senses. No wonder he said he likes to play in big venues, he knows he can fill out the space.
Divided into two parts, “Finding the Opposite of Loneliness” continues on with the song “Clarity”, which was also released earlier this year, and deals with the struggle of losing a significant other, and how to learn to make peace with it. “If You’re Meant to Come Back” is about the realisation that you really can’t control anything, and that if it’s meant to come back to you, it will. “There is both sadness and peace in that one”, Jesso explains about his third track on the EP, which is followed by the dramatic up-tempo ballad “Lifeline”. Track five is one of two songs on the EP which are unreleased to date: “Drink Alone”, which touches on the subject of coping with loneliness. With dark and pounding piano chords and heartfelt vocals, the track once again showcases Justin Jesso’s incredible talent for wrapping deep emotions into authentic, melodic ear-worms that many can relate to.
Watch Justin Jesso’s music video for “Lose Ya”:
“I split this EP into two parts. The songs where things are aspirational or going well, and the songs where I am struggling with the loss either of myself or of a significant other. The first part of the EP is where I am the loneliest, where I am struggling to find happiness, or myself. The second part of the EP is where I have found the opposite of loneliness and am most happy“.
Justin Jesso, on structuring the EP
Part two of “Finding the Opposite of Loneliness” starts with “Bigger than”, a powerful track that talks about going after what is most important. This song was one of the most memorable moments in the listening party. Justin brought out his showmanship, getting everyone on their feet and showing the virtue of his voice. I think at that moment we were all just enjoying the show, as if we were just fans going to see our guy at one of his shows, as usual. Needless to say, we left that night as Justin’s fans.
The second track of the second half, “Miracle” is just a nice happy-go-lucky tune. In “400 trillion”, Jesso sings about how incredible it’s to find that special someone against all statistical odds. The EP finishes with “The End”, a great track with a lazy title. The song marks the beginning of the next chapter and discusses the realisation that what you had and might have lost will always have a place of significance.
Aside from his own releases, Justin Jesso has made a name for himself writing for superstars like Ricky Martin, Armin van Buuren, Steve Aoki, and even The Backstreet Boys. Furthermore, his hit single, “Stargazing” with legendary artist Kygo, has garnered him hundreds of millions of streams, views, gold, and platinum certifications in countries all across the world, and even a Grammy nomination.
Describing his musical development, he says: “My musical style is evolving. This two-part EP covers songs that were released right at the top of the pandemic, most reflective of me coming into myself and my sound, and newer songs like “Lose Ya” that push the envelope on where I plan to go musically”.
Listen to Justin Jesso’s latest EP on Spotify:
For more info on Justin Jesso, check out his website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube. If you enjoyed this, check out more reviews from IAMUR here… You might just find your new favourite artist!
