Up Close and Personal with Jessica Rhaye
September Issue, 2007
Soundwaves on the Landwash
Photography: Shehab Illyas
In this issue of Soundwaves we feature a conversation with New Brunswick based singer-songwriter Jessica Rhaye. Following a six year hiatus from the studio, Jessica Rhaye is celebrating her own artistic renewal with the release her latest CD “Short Stories”, and “Valle Venia - I’m the Queen”, a brilliant recording of contemporary works from German composer Leo Schmidt, to which Jessica Rhaye lends her amazing voice. I’m delighted to have both of these wonderful projects available through Landwash Music and am very pleased to welcome Jessica Rhaye to the Landwash family of artists.
This time around we are pleased to share our recent chat with singer-songwriter Jessica Rhaye. Raised in Hampton, New Brunswick, and now residing in Saint John, this lass has been building some serious momentum. (That’s without even counting her other career as a graphic designer.)
Read on to learn about her latest highlights and about things she has in the works. Should you find yourself craving more, be sure to visit JessicaRhaye.com.
Soundwaves: Tell us about your last few months.
Jessica: It’s been a really busy summer, actually. Not just with music, but with life. My sister got married on August 11th, so there was lots of wedding stuff going on. And then, for music, it feels like I’ve been doing quite a bit. I’m a graphic designer as well, so my music and my design have been equally busy.
Soundwaves: That’s great.
Jessica: Yeah. I just got back from the Trailside Café in PEI. That was a real good show. And there was Music NB. That took place in St. Andrews. We also filmed a video for one of my singles, ‘Holding Out’.
Soundwaves: I saw mention of that on your website. There was a picture of you against a green screen.
Jessica: Yes, that was lots of fun. I’d never shot a video before. That was a really cool experience. It’s not ready to release quite yet, even though we’ve released the single.
Soundwaves: What’s the timeframe for release of your video?
Jessica: We’re hoping to get it finished in time to apply for the East Coast Music Awards, for their Video of the Year category. Now, what else have I been doing? I kind of just live day to day.
Soundwaves: I think most of us do that.
Jessica: For sure. [Laughs.] I would like to mention a side-project I worked on with German label Valle Venia, with Leo Schmidt and Johanna Michel. That’s a while back now. I went to Halifax to record the vocals for the record. John Campbelljohn played on it, along with a couple of guys from the band Mir, out of Halifax, Adam Dowling and Jamie Robinson. Kaleb Simmonds, the beatbox artist, is on it as well. Essentially, the project centered on the compositions and lyrics of Leo Schmidt – they’re his songs. Singing on the record was really fun, and such a learning experience. Just a really cool record, a European sound.
Soundwaves: I’m sure folks will want to check it out.
Jessica: And oh yes, we just played at the Rothesay Commons. And Salty Jam, that was another recent festival, in Saint John. Plus a couple of sponsored events, like the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay For Life and the IWK Health Centre’s Telethon for Children. And I played at the premiers’ conference in Moncton.
Soundwaves: Wow.
Jessica: That was just a couple of weeks ago. They had it at La Pays de la Sagouine, this little village out on the water, just outside Moncton. A really fun show. Isaac & Blewett played, and JP LeBlanc.
Soundwaves: I expect folks would be interested in hearing about your background, particularly the music you played growing up.
Jessica: I got started in music at a very young age, through music programs in school – like choirs and ukulele and violin. I got involved in a lot of things through school. As I got into high school I took part in musicals and plays, and that really helped with stage presence and feeling comfortable onstage.
Soundwaves: I see.
Jessica: And I’ve always just written music. Even when I was a kid I always wrote little tunes here and there. I think it was a combination of encouragement from family and teachers – I just continued to do it, and grew more and more confident.
Soundwaves: Was there anything in particular that inspired you to become a fulltime musician?
Jessica: No. Even when I was a kid, if someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always wanted to be a singer. [Laughs.] I don’t ever remember wanting to be a doctor or lawyer or anything like that. I just always knew I was going to be a singer. Again, I think it was just because I always had so much support, from family and friends and teachers.
Soundwaves: I expect that’s a rare thing. Not everybody gets that kind of backing.
Jessica: That’s true. That’s true.
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